Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Prawns: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, big freshwater prawns give 91 kcal, 19.2 g protein and only 0.5 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Their 2.85 mg of vitamin E ranks 3rd of 41 fish and seafood, and their zinc, 1.44 mg, ranks 7th. They carry 87 mg of cholesterol, 4th in the group, with almost no saturated fat.
About prawns
The prawns in this IFCT 2017 entry are the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, the big, long-clawed prawn Bengalis call golda chingri and Kerala's backwater cooks konju or attu konju. Andhra Pradesh farms it in ponds and sells it as scampi. It lives in rivers and brackish water, and the large blue-clawed males fetch the best price.
Golda chingri is the prawn behind chingri malai curry, the Bengali wedding dish cooked in coconut milk with a little ghee and garam masala, and behind chingri bhapa and the head-on prawn fries of Kolkata. Kuttanad toddy shops serve konju roast and konju fry, and Andhra homes make royyala iguru. IFCT also lists small freshwater prawns, with 71 kcal, 13.1 g protein and 68 mg calcium per 100 g.
What prawns brings to a meal
- 01
Very lean protein
Big prawns supply 19.2 g of protein per 100 g with only 0.5 g fat, meeting 36 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 42 per cent of a woman's, for 91 kcal.
- 02
Vitamin E
They give 2.85 mg of vitamin E per 100 g, 3rd of 41 fish and seafood and 12th of 242 foods in IFCT 2017.
- 03
Zinc and copper
Prawns carry 1.44 mg of zinc per 100 g, 7th of 41 in the group, meeting 8 per cent of a man's daily requirement, and 0.69 mg of copper.
- 04
Cholesterol, not saturated fat
At 87 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, prawns rank 4th of 41 fish and seafood, but their saturated fat is only 0.09 g.
Prawns 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 | 91 kcal | 4% | 5% |
| Protein | 19.2 g | 36% | 42% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.5 g | ||
| Water | 77.4 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.06 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 27 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 28 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 87 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 49 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Iron | 0.78 mg | 4% | 3% |
| Zinc | 1.44 mg | 8% | 11% |
| Magnesium | 39 mg | 9% | 11% |
| Phosphorus | 237 mg | ||
| Potassium | 269 mg | ||
| Sodium | 849 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.69 mg | ||
| Selenium | 28.6 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 4 µg | ||
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.31 mg | 7% | 9% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.19 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.85 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. Prawns: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/prawns/
Where prawns 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) | 2.85 mg | 3rd of 41 | 12th of 242 |
| Protein | 19.2 g | 23rd of 41 | 52nd of 243 |
| Zinc | 1.44 mg | 7th of 41 | 72nd of 243 |
| Calcium | 49 mg | 10th of 41 | 95th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 39 mg | 10th of 41 | 109th of 242 |
Every form of prawns in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prawns, big (shown above) | 91 kcal | 19.2 g | 0 g | 0.78 mg | 49 mg |
| Small | 71 kcal | 13.1 g | 0 g | 0.87 mg | 68 mg |
How prawns is eaten
- Chingri malai curry: golda chingri simmered in coconut milk with onion paste, ginger, garam masala and a spoon of ghee.
- Konju roast: Kerala freshwater prawns cooked dry with shallots, pepper, curry leaves and coconut oil.
- Royyala iguru: Andhra prawn fry-curry with onion, red chilli and garam masala.
- Chingri bhapa: prawns steamed in mustard and coconut paste, Bengali style.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Before you plan around it
IFCT 2017 records 849 mg of sodium per 100 g for this sample, the highest of 243 foods. That is far above the other prawn samples and unusual for a freshwater prawn, so it may reflect salt picked up in handling, but people on a low-salt diet should go easy on added salt either way. Shellfish allergy can be severe. Malai curry adds coconut milk and ghee, so it is richer than the prawns themselves. Buy prawns firm and sweet-smelling, and cook them only until they curl.
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 prawns
What is golda chingri in English?
Golda chingri is the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, also sold as scampi. Kerala calls it konju. Bagda chingri, by contrast, is the tiger prawn from brackish and sea water.
Are prawns high in protein?
Yes. Big freshwater prawns have 19.2 g of protein per 100 g in IFCT 2017, with only 0.5 g fat. Small prawns have 13.1 g.
Are prawns bad for cholesterol?
Prawns have 87 mg of cholesterol per 100 g but almost no saturated fat. For most healthy people they are fine in moderation; people with high LDL should ask their doctor.
Is chingri malai curry healthy?
The prawns are lean, but the coconut milk and ghee make the dish rich. Enjoy it as a festive meal, and choose bhapa or a light jhol for everyday prawn dishes.
Related foods and tables
Tiger prawns
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Crab
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Lobster
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mud crab
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Coconut
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Prawns vs Chicken breast
Side by side, 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.
Zinc content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by zinc 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.