Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Pomfret: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, black pomfret gives 123 kcal, 18.9 g protein and 4.8 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its 565 mg of DHA is the third-highest among the fish and seafood in the tables, after salmon and seer fish, and it adds 244 mg of EPA. It also carries 50.2 micrograms of selenium.
About pomfret
Pomfret is the fish Mumbai and Gujarat treat as a special-occasion buy, and it is sought after all along the coast. IFCT 2017 lists three kinds. The black pomfret, used for this page, is halwa in Mumbai, Goa and Gujarat, karutha avoli in Kerala and karuppu vavval in Tamil Nadu. The white, or silver, pomfret is the paplet or saranga of Mumbai and vella avoli of Kerala, and the snub-nose is a leaner relative.
Pomfret has a flat, diamond-shaped body, few bones and soft, sweet flesh, so it is the first fish many children learn to eat. Parsi kitchens steam it as patra ni machhi in a green chutney wrapped in banana leaf; Mumbai and Mangaluru make crisp rava tawa fries; Goans stuff it with recheado masala; and Kerala and Tamil homes cook avoli and vavval in coconut or tamarind curries.
The three kinds read differently in IFCT 2017. White pomfret is close to black, with 123 kcal, 19.0 g protein and 5.1 g fat per 100 g. Snub-nose pomfret is much leaner, with 90 kcal, 21.1 g protein and only 0.5 g fat.
What pomfret brings to a meal
- 01
Third-highest DHA among fish
Black pomfret carries 565 mg of DHA and 244 mg of EPA per 100 g. Its DHA is the third-highest among the fish and seafood in IFCT 2017, behind only salmon and seer fish.
- 02
Solid protein
It supplies 18.9 g of protein per 100 g, meeting 35 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 41 per cent of a woman's, for 123 kcal.
- 03
Selenium
Black pomfret has 50.2 micrograms of selenium per 100 g, one of the higher values in its group, along with 2.61 mg of niacin, 14 per cent of a man's need.
- 04
Moderate fat
At 4.8 g fat per 100 g, black pomfret ranks 9th of 41 fish and seafood for fat, enough to keep it moist without making it an oily fish.
Pomfret 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 | 123 kcal | 6% | 7% |
| Protein | 18.9 g | 35% | 41% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 4.8 g | ||
| Water | 74.4 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 2.23 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.97 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.16 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 244 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 565 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 48 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 18 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 0.78 mg | 4% | 3% |
| Zinc | 0.5 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 28 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 195 mg | ||
| Potassium | 295 mg | ||
| Sodium | 69 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.07 mg | ||
| Selenium | 50.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 11 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.61 mg | 14% | 19% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.08 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.6 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. Pomfret: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/pomfret/
Where pomfret 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 | 18.9 g | 25th of 41 | 59th of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.6 mg | 25th of 41 | 74th of 242 |
| Energy | 123 kcal | 10th of 41 | 104th of 257 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 10th of 37 | 113th of 239 |
| Zinc | 0.5 mg | 28th of 41 | 138th of 243 |
Every form of pomfret in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pomfret, black (shown above) | 123 kcal | 18.9 g | 0 g | 0.78 mg | 18 mg |
| Snub nose | 90 kcal | 21.1 g | 0 g | 0.41 mg | 7 mg |
| White | 123 kcal | 19 g | 0 g | 0.31 mg | 14 mg |
How pomfret is eaten
- Patra ni machhi: Parsi pomfret coated in coconut, coriander and green chilli chutney, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed.
- Pomfret rava fry: Mumbai and Mangalorean style, rubbed with chilli and turmeric, coated in semolina and tawa-fried.
- Pomfret recheado: Goan red masala of chillies, garlic and vinegar stuffed into slits and pan-fried.
- Avoli or vavval curry: pomfret in a Kerala coconut gravy or a Tamil tamarind kuzhambu.
- Goan fish curry with coconut and kokum, where pomfret's soft flesh soaks up the gravy.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Pomfret catches have fallen sharply because of heavy trawling, and juvenile fish are often netted before they can breed, so prices keep rising; choosing fish of a reasonable size helps. The flesh is soft and spoils fast, so buy it firm with bright eyes. Tawa and rava fries add oil, while patra and curries keep the dish lighter. Calcium and iron are modest at 18 mg and 0.78 mg per 100 g.
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 pomfret
Which is better, black pomfret or white pomfret?
They are close on IFCT 2017 figures: black pomfret has 18.9 g protein and 4.8 g fat per 100 g, and white pomfret 19.0 g protein and 5.1 g fat. White pomfret is pricier and milder; black pomfret is firmer. Both are good choices.
Is pomfret good for omega-3?
Yes. Black pomfret carries 565 mg of DHA and 244 mg of EPA per 100 g, the 3rd highest DHA of any fish or seafood in IFCT 2017.
What is pomfret called in Indian languages?
Black pomfret is halwa in Marathi, Gujarati and Konkani, avoli in Malayalam, vavval in Tamil and chanduva in Telugu. White pomfret is paplet or saranga in Mumbai.
Is pomfret good for children?
Pomfret is a favourite first fish because it has few bones and soft, mild flesh. Remove the central bone and fins, and cook it in a light curry or steamed rather than deep-fried.
Related foods and tables
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bombay duck
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sole fish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bhetki (barramundi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pomfret vs Seer fish
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.
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.