Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Octopus: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, octopus gives 80 kcal, 14.7 g protein and 1.1 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its 4.07 mg of zinc ranks 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 14th of 243 foods, meeting 24 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement. It also carries 181 mg of DHA, but its 118 mg of cholesterol is 3rd highest in the group.
About octopus
Octopus is caught by trawlers and by hand along India's rocky coasts, from Gujarat and Goa to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep, and much of it is exported. Kerala knows it as neerali, and coastal cooks there make a peppery neerali roast. In Goa, octopus chilli fry and octopus xacuti are beach shack favourites, and on the Karnataka and Konkan coast it is cooked dry with coconut and onion.
IFCT 2017 analysed the common octopus, Octopus vulgaris. Its firm, white, slightly sweet meat has almost no fat and turns rubbery if cooked for a medium time, so Indian cooks either flash-fry it in a few minutes or pressure-cook or simmer it for a long time until tender before adding the masala.
What octopus brings to a meal
- 01
Zinc second only to oyster
Octopus supplies 4.07 mg of zinc per 100 g, 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 14th of 243 foods. In 100 g that is 24 per cent of the zinc a man needs each day and 31 per cent of a woman's need.
- 02
Lean protein
With 14.7 g of protein, 1.1 g fat and 80 kcal per 100 g, octopus meets 27 per cent of a man's protein requirement and 32 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Magnesium and selenium
It gives 51 mg of magnesium per 100 g, 3rd of 41 in its group, meeting 12 per cent of a man's need, and 40.2 micrograms of selenium.
- 04
DHA and vitamin A
Octopus carries 181 mg of DHA and 72 mg of EPA per 100 g, plus 28 micrograms of retinol, one of the higher vitamin A values among seafood.
Octopus 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 | 80 kcal | 4% | 5% |
| Protein | 14.7 g | 27% | 32% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.1 g | ||
| Water | 80.5 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.33 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.07 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.38 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 72 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 181 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 118 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 22 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 1.08 mg | 6% | 4% |
| Zinc | 4.07 mg | 24% | 31% |
| Magnesium | 51 mg | 12% | 14% |
| Phosphorus | 131 mg | ||
| Potassium | 181 mg | ||
| Sodium | 230 mg | ||
| Copper | 6.72 mg | ||
| Selenium | 40.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 28 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.05 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.18 mg | 7% | 8% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.09 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.66 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. Octopus: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/octopus/
Where octopus 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc | 4.07 mg | 2nd of 41 | 14th of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.66 mg | 23rd of 41 | 71st of 242 |
| Protein | 14.7 g | 36th of 41 | 81st of 243 |
| Magnesium | 51 mg | 3rd of 41 | 89th of 242 |
| Iron | 1.08 mg | 11th of 41 | 131st of 242 |
How octopus is eaten
- Neerali roast: Kerala octopus, pressure-cooked until tender, then roasted with shallots, pepper and curry leaves.
- Octopus chilli fry: Goan style, flash-fried with onion, green chilli, garlic and vinegar.
- Octopus xacuti: simmered slowly in a roasted coconut and whole spice masala.
- Tenderise by simmering in salted water before slicing it for a fry.
Before you plan around it
Octopus has 118 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, ranking 3rd of 41 fish and seafood, and 230 mg of sodium, 5th of 243 foods, so people watching either should keep portions moderate and add little salt. It contains almost no saturated fat. Mollusc allergy is related to shellfish allergy and can be severe. Buy octopus cleaned, or ask the seller to remove the beak and ink sac.
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 octopus
Is octopus healthy to eat?
Yes. IFCT 2017 gives octopus 14.7 g protein, 1.1 g fat and 4.07 mg zinc per 100 g, for 80 kcal. It is lean and mineral-rich, though fairly high in cholesterol and sodium.
How do you make octopus tender?
Either cook it very quickly over high heat or for a long time. Pressure-cooking for several whistles, or simmering until a knife slides in, makes it tender before it goes into a roast or curry.
Is octopus high in cholesterol?
Octopus has 118 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, 3rd among fish and seafood in IFCT 2017, but only 0.33 g of saturated fat. For most people, saturated fat matters more to blood cholesterol.
Related foods and tables
Squid
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Oyster
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Clam
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tiger prawns
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Crab
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Zinc content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by zinc per 100 g.
Vitamin E content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin e per 100 g.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein 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.