Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Queen fish: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, queen fish gives 96 kcal, 21.0 g protein and 1.2 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. For a lean fish it is generous with omega-3, at 299 mg of DHA and 100 mg of EPA. Its 440 mg of potassium ranks 6th of 41 fish and seafood, and its protein ranks 27th of 257 foods.
About queen fish
Queen fish, Scomberoides commersonianus, is a long, silvery, flat-sided predator that hunts close to shore, often near river mouths and reefs. It is dagol in Mumbai, sag in Gujarat, palameen in Kerala, palaimeenu in coastal Karnataka, katta or toal parah in Tamil Nadu and pasupara in Andhra Pradesh, as IFCT 2017 records. Anglers prize it as a hard-fighting game fish.
Its tight, white flesh holds together well, so cooks cut it into steaks for frying, cubes for fish tikka, or chunks for a curry that will not fall apart. The skin is leathery, with tiny embedded scales, and most fishmongers remove it. In Kerala it goes into a red kudampuli curry, in Goa into a coconut and kokum curry, and in Tamil Nadu into a tamarind kuzhambu or a dry pepper fry.
What queen fish brings to a meal
- 01
Omega-3 beyond its fat
Queen fish carries 299 mg of DHA and 100 mg of EPA per 100 g, while total fat is only 1.2 g. Long-chain omega-3 fats help maintain heart health and are needed for the brain and eyes.
- 02
High protein
At 21.0 g per 100 g, queen fish ranks 11th of 41 fish and seafood for protein and meets 39 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 46 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Potassium and niacin
It gives 440 mg of potassium per 100 g, 6th of 41 in its group, and 3.24 mg of niacin, meeting 18 per cent of a man's daily need.
- 04
Low calcium
Queen fish fillet has just 6 mg of calcium per 100 g, the lowest of the 41 fish and seafood, so a meal of it needs curd, greens or ragi for calcium.
Queen 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 | 96 kcal | 5% | 6% |
| Protein | 21 g | 39% | 46% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.2 g | ||
| Water | 76.6 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.69 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.33 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.54 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 100 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 299 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 22 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 6 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.49 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.35 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Magnesium | 28 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 235 mg | ||
| Potassium | 440 mg | ||
| Sodium | 49 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.05 mg | ||
| Selenium | 39.8 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 3.24 mg | 18% | 23% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.12 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.4 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. Queen fish: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/queen-fish/
Where queen 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 | 21 g | 11th of 41 | 27th of 243 |
| Potassium | 440 mg | 6th of 41 | 71st of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.4 mg | 33rd of 41 | 101st of 242 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 11th of 37 | 115th of 239 |
| Energy | 96 kcal | 18th of 41 | 116th of 257 |
How queen fish is eaten
- Fish tikka: skinless queen fish cubes in a curd, ajwain and chilli marinade, grilled or baked so they stay firm.
- Dagol fry: Mumbai-style steaks with a red chilli and ginger-garlic rub, coated in rava.
- Queen fish curry: Kerala red curry with kudampuli and coconut oil, or a Goan coconut curry with kokum.
- Pepper fry: Tamil-style chunks cooked dry with shallots, crushed pepper and curry leaves.
Before you plan around it
Queen fish flesh is lean and can turn dry if overcooked, so steaks need a quick fry or a gentle simmer. The skin is tough and best removed. Larger queen fish are predators, so varying fish choices rather than eating very large specimens daily is sensible, especially during pregnancy. Keep it on ice and cook it within a day.
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 queen fish
What is queen fish called in India?
IFCT 2017 records dagol in Marathi, sag in Gujarati, palameen in Malayalam, palaimeenu in Kannada, katta or toal parah in Tamil and pasupara in Telugu. Its scientific name is Scomberoides commersonianus.
Is queen fish good for health?
Yes. Per 100 g it gives 21.0 g protein, 1.2 g fat, 299 mg DHA and 100 mg EPA for 96 kcal. It is lean, firm and suits tikka, fries and curries.
Does queen fish have many bones?
No. Queen fish has firm flesh around a central spine with few fine bones, which makes it a good fish for steaks, cubes and children's meals once the skin is removed.
Related foods and tables
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pomfret
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Moon fish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium per 100 g.
Vitamin E content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin e 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.