Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Moon fish: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, moon fish gives 126 kcal, 20.7 g protein and 4.7 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its 1.67 mg of iron ranks 2nd of 41 fish and seafood, behind only tilapia, and it ranks 3rd of 37 for thiamine. It also carries 161 mg of DHA and 58 mg of EPA.
About moon fish
The moon fish, Mene maculata, is a thin, almost circular silver fish with a sharply keeled belly, which is how it earns its name. It is caught by trawlers along both coasts, more often in the south, and sold cheaply at local landing centres. IFCT 2017 records it as vaniani in Gujarati, hakkimeen in Kannada and ambattan parah in Malayalam, with ambutan parah and amattikatti in Tamil, and lists its common name loosely as perch fish.
The flesh is soft, slightly richer than most small sea fish, and comes away easily from a simple bone structure, which makes moon fish easy to eat. Coastal homes in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka cut it into pieces for a spicy masala fry or cook it whole in a tamarind or kokum curry, and it is also sun-dried in season.
What moon fish brings to a meal
- 01
Iron high for a fish
At 1.67 mg of iron per 100 g, moon fish ranks 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 105th of 242 foods. That covers 9 per cent of a sedentary man's daily iron requirement, as well-absorbed haem iron.
- 02
Good protein
It supplies 20.7 g of protein per 100 g, ranking 31st of 257 foods and meeting 38 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 45 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Omega-3 and thiamine
Moon fish carries 161 mg of DHA and 58 mg of EPA per 100 g. Its 0.07 mg of thiamine ranks 3rd of 37 fish and seafood with a value.
- 04
Richer than most small fish
With 4.7 g fat and 126 kcal per 100 g, moon fish ranks 10th of 41 for fat. IFCT lists 2.93 g of that fat as saturated, a high share for a fish.
Moon fish 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 | 126 kcal | 6% | 8% |
| Protein | 20.7 g | 38% | 45% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 4.7 g | ||
| Water | 74.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 2.93 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.93 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.37 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 58 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 161 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 69 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 29 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Iron | 1.67 mg | 9% | 6% |
| Zinc | 0.93 mg | 5% | 7% |
| Magnesium | 37 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Phosphorus | 169 mg | ||
| Potassium | 157 mg | ||
| Sodium | 65 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.16 mg | ||
| Selenium | 30 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 9 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.07 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.83 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.14 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.2 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. Moon fish: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/moon-fish/
Where moon fish 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 | 20.7 g | 14th of 41 | 31st of 243 |
| Iron | 1.67 mg | 2nd of 41 | 105th of 242 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 3rd of 37 | 89th of 239 |
How moon fish is eaten
- Masala fry: pieces coated in chilli, turmeric, ginger-garlic and a little rice flour, shallow-fried until crisp at the edges.
- Tamarind fish curry with shallots and garlic, Tamil style, where the soft fish soaks up the sour gravy.
- Kokum curry: Konkan-style moon fish in coconut and kokum, served with rice.
- Dried moon fish, soaked and fried with onions, as a small salty side.
Before you plan around it
Moon fish has 69 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, ranking 8th of 41 fish and seafood, and a higher share of saturated fat than most fish in the tables, so a curry is a better everyday method than frying. Its potassium is low for a fish at 157 mg. Its belly edge is sharp, so handle whole fish with care and ask the seller to clean it.
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 moon fish
What is moon fish called in Indian languages?
IFCT 2017 records vaniani in Gujarati, hakkimeen in Kannada, ambattan parah in Malayalam, and ambutan parah or amattikatti in Tamil. Its scientific name is Mene maculata.
Is moon fish good for iron?
For a fish, yes. IFCT 2017 lists 1.67 mg of iron per 100 g, 2nd among the 41 fish and seafood in the tables. It is still well below liver or red meat, so iron-rich plant foods and a vitamin C source help.
Is moon fish healthy to eat?
Yes. Per 100 g it gives 20.7 g protein, 161 mg DHA and 126 kcal. Cooking it as a curry rather than a deep fry keeps the meal light.
Related foods and tables
Pomfret
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Queen fish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sardine
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tilapia
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) 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.