Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Pangas: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, pangas gives 204 kcal, 17.1 g protein and 16.8 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. That makes it the 2nd richest of the 41 fish and seafood in both energy and fat, after hilsa. Yet its omega-3 is modest, at 106 mg of DHA and 42 mg of EPA, and its 2.8 mg of vitamin E ranks 4th in the group.
About pangas
Pangas, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, is the striped catfish, a fast-growing fish from the Mekong now farmed on a large scale in India, especially in the ponds of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. IFCT 2017 gives its common name as shark catfish. It is one of the cheapest farmed fish, and the white, boneless fillets sold in supermarkets as basa are usually pangas or a close relative, often imported frozen from Vietnam.
Its mild, soft flesh takes on any masala, so it has become the go-to fish for restaurant fish tikka, Amritsari fish fry, fish fingers and Goan-style curries in cities far from the sea. In Bengal and Andhra, steaks of whole pangas are cooked in jhol, kalia or pulusu. The IFCT sample is a rich, fatty fish; trimmed fillets in shops are usually much leaner because the belly fat is cut away.
What pangas brings to a meal
- 01
A rich, fatty fish
Pangas has 204 kcal and 16.8 g fat per 100 g, both 2nd of 41 fish and seafood in IFCT 2017, behind only hilsa, and 79th of 257 foods for energy.
- 02
Protein
It supplies 17.1 g of protein per 100 g, meeting 32 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 37 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Vitamin E
Pangas gives 2.8 mg of vitamin E per 100 g, ranking 4th of 41 fish and seafood and 13th of 242 foods.
- 04
Modest omega-3
Despite all its fat, pangas carries only 106 mg of DHA and 42 mg of EPA per 100 g, well below sea fish such as sardine, mackerel or pomfret.
Pangas 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 | 204 kcal | 10% | 12% |
| Protein | 17.1 g | 32% | 37% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 16.8 g | ||
| Water | 68.5 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.86 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.71 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.51 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 42 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 106 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 67 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 11 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.69 mg | 4% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.69 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 25 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 179 mg | ||
| Potassium | 282 mg | ||
| Sodium | 37 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.04 mg | ||
| Selenium | 19.3 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 15 µg | ||
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.28 mg | 7% | 9% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.23 mg | 10% | 12% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.8 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. Pangas: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/pangas/
Where pangas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.8 mg | 4th of 41 | 13th of 242 |
| Protein | 17.1 g | 30th of 41 | 71st of 243 |
| Energy | 204 kcal | 2nd of 41 | 79th of 257 |
| Zinc | 0.69 mg | 19th of 41 | 111th of 243 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 22nd of 39 | 140th of 241 |
How pangas is eaten
- Amritsari fish: basa or pangas pieces in a gram flour, ajwain and chilli batter, deep-fried; best as an occasional treat.
- Fish tikka: boneless cubes in a curd and spice marinade, grilled rather than fried.
- Pangas jhol: Bengali steaks with potato and a light cumin and turmeric broth.
- Andhra pangas pulusu: in a tangy tamarind and chilli gravy.
Before you plan around it
The IFCT 2017 figure of 16.8 g fat is high for a white fish, and fat in pangas varies a lot with how the fish is farmed and trimmed, so check the label on frozen fillets. Its fat is mostly not omega-3, so pangas does not replace oily sea fish for heart health. Imported basa fillets are sometimes glazed with water and phosphates to add weight; buy reputable brands. Batter-fried Amritsari fish adds a lot of oil to an already rich fish.
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 pangas
Is basa the same as pangas?
Usually, yes. Most fillets sold as basa in India are pangas, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, or a closely related catfish, either farmed in India or imported frozen from Vietnam.
Is pangas fish healthy?
It is an affordable source of protein, 17.1 g per 100 g in IFCT 2017, but the tested sample was rich, at 16.8 g fat, with little omega-3. Grilled or in a light curry it fits a balanced diet; fried, it is a heavy dish.
Does pangas have omega-3?
Very little for so fatty a fish: 106 mg of DHA and 42 mg of EPA per 100 g. Sardine, mackerel, seer fish and hilsa are far better omega-3 choices.
Related foods and tables
Catfish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Silan
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tilapia
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rohu
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Hilsa (ilish)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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.
Calories (energy) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calories (energy) 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.