Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Mackerel: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, Indian mackerel gives 101 kcal, 21.5 g protein and 1.5 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. It carries 259 mg of DHA and 73 mg of EPA and ranks 5th of 41 fish and seafood for iron, at 1.46 mg. Its protein ranks 25th of 257 foods, all from one of the cheapest fish at the coastal market.
About mackerel
The Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta, is the people's fish of the west coast: plentiful, cheap and full of flavour. Konkani, Marathi and Kannada speakers call it bangda or bangude, Malayalis ayala or ayila, Tamils kanangeluthi and Telugu speakers kanagurta; IFCT 2017 records names in eight languages. It is landed in shoals from Gujarat to Kanyakumari, with the biggest catches off Kerala and Karnataka.
Every coastal community has its mackerel dish. Goans make bangda curry with coconut and kokum or stuff the fish with recheado masala; Mangaloreans cook bangude pulimunchi, sour and fiery; Kerala homes fry ayala with chilli and make ayala mulakittathu in an earthen pot; Tamil cooks simmer kanangeluthi in tamarind kuzhambu. It is also one of the fish most often sun-dried and salted for the monsoon months.
What mackerel brings to a meal
- 01
Omega-3 at a low price
Mackerel carries 259 mg of DHA and 73 mg of EPA per 100 g, making it one of the most affordable omega-3 fish in India. DHA is a structural fat in the brain and retina.
- 02
High protein
At 21.5 g per 100 g, mackerel ranks 9th of 41 fish and seafood and 25th of 257 foods for protein, meeting 40 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 47 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Iron and selenium
Mackerel gives 1.46 mg of iron per 100 g, 5th of 41 in its group, and 64.1 micrograms of selenium, one of the higher selenium values among fish.
- 04
Thiamine and riboflavin
It ranks 2nd of 37 fish and seafood for thiamine, at 0.07 mg, and 4th of 39 for riboflavin, at 0.1 mg per 100 g.
Mackerel nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 101 kcal | 5% | 6% |
| Protein | 21.5 g | 40% | 47% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.5 g | ||
| Water | 74.5 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.22 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.47 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 73 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 259 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 46 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 31 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Iron | 1.46 mg | 8% | 5% |
| Zinc | 0.67 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 37 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Phosphorus | 231 mg | ||
| Potassium | 309 mg | ||
| Sodium | 83 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.12 mg | ||
| Selenium | 64.1 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 16 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.67 mg | 15% | 19% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.71 mg | ||
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Mackerel: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/mackerel/
Where mackerel sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 40 fish and seafood and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fish and seafood | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 21.5 g | 9th of 41 | 25th of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.71 mg | 20th of 41 | 64th of 242 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 6th of 39 | 79th of 241 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 2nd of 37 | 88th of 239 |
| Energy | 101 kcal | 16th of 41 | 113th of 257 |
How mackerel is eaten
- Goan bangda curry: mackerel in a ground coconut, red chilli and tamarind or kokum gravy, eaten with rice.
- Bangude pulimunchi: Mangalorean mackerel in a sour, hot masala of roasted chillies and tamarind.
- Ayala fry: scored whole fish rubbed with chilli, pepper, turmeric and ginger-garlic and fried in coconut oil.
- Kanangeluthi meen kuzhambu: Tamil tamarind curry with shallots, garlic and fenugreek.
- Stuffed bangda: slit and filled with recheado masala, then pan-fried.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Mackerel spoils faster than most fish, and if it is not kept on ice it can build up histamine, which causes a flushing, headache-type reaction that cooking does not prevent. Buy it firm and bright with red gills, and cook it the same day. Dried, salted mackerel is very high in salt. Mackerel bones are easy to lift out, but fry versions absorb oil, so a curry is the leaner way to eat it often.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about mackerel
Is bangda fish good for health?
Yes. IFCT 2017 gives Indian mackerel 21.5 g protein, 259 mg DHA and 73 mg EPA per 100 g for 101 kcal, along with useful iron and selenium. It is one of the best value fish in India.
What is ayala fish in English?
Ayala, or ayila, is the Malayalam name for the Indian mackerel, Rastrelliger kanagurta. It is bangda in Goa and Maharashtra, bangude in Mangaluru and kanangeluthi in Tamil Nadu.
Does mackerel have more omega-3 than salmon?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 gives salmon far more omega-3 than Indian mackerel. But mackerel costs a fraction of the price, is caught locally, and still carries 259 mg of DHA, so eaten often it is a practical choice.
How much iron is in mackerel?
Indian mackerel has 1.46 mg of iron per 100 g, ranking 5th of 41 fish and seafood in IFCT 2017 and meeting 8 per cent of a man's daily requirement.
Related foods and tables
Sardine
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tuna
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Anchovy
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pomfret
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel vs Sardine
Side by side, per 100 g.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Vitamin E content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin e per 100 g.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by riboflavin (vitamin b2) per 100 g.
All fish and seafood
41 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.