Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Red snapper: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, red snapper gives 104 kcal, 22.8 g protein and 1.3 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its protein ranks 3rd of 41 fish and seafood and 12th of all 257 foods. It also brings 446 mg of potassium and 172 mg of DHA, though its cholesterol, 132 mg, is the 2nd highest in its group.
About red snapper
IFCT 2017 analysed the mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus, a coppery-red fish of estuaries, mangroves and coastal reefs. Chennai knows it as sankara, Mumbai as tambusa, Goa as tamso, Andhra as rangu, Gujarat as ratado and Kerala as chemballi or murumeen; IFCT records about a dozen Tamil names alone. It is one of the most popular premium fish on both coasts and is also farmed in cages.
The firm, sweet, white flesh flakes in large pieces, so red snapper works for nearly any dish. Chennai's sankara fish fry and meen kuzhambu, Mangalorean tawa fry, Goan curry with coconut and kokum, and Kerala pollichathu all use it. IFCT also lists a small red snapper with 108 kcal, 21.5 g protein, 2.3 g fat and more calcium, 17 mg against 8 mg, as the fine bones are eaten with smaller fish.
What red snapper brings to a meal
- 01
Third-highest protein among fish
Red snapper supplies 22.8 g of protein per 100 g, ranking 3rd of 41 fish and seafood and 12th of 257 foods. So 100 g provides 42 per cent of a sedentary man's protein requirement for the day, and fully half of a woman's, at 50 per cent.
- 02
Rich in potassium
At 446 mg of potassium per 100 g, red snapper ranks 5th of 41 in its group and 69th of 243 foods, helping offset sodium in the diet.
- 03
DHA and niacin
It carries 172 mg of DHA and 41 mg of EPA per 100 g, and 3.14 mg of niacin, meeting 17 per cent of a man's daily requirement.
- 04
Cholesterol is higher
IFCT 2017 lists 132 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 4th of 253 foods. Saturated fat is low at 0.48 g, which matters more for most people.
Red snapper 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 | 104 kcal | 5% | 6% |
| Protein | 22.8 g | 42% | 50% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.3 g | ||
| Water | 76.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.48 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.33 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 41 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 172 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 132 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 8 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.37 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.34 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Magnesium | 33 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 204 mg | ||
| Potassium | 446 mg | ||
| Sodium | 60 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.03 mg | ||
| Selenium | 12.8 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 5 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 3.14 mg | 17% | 22% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.07 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.41 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. Red snapper: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/red-snapper/
Where red snapper 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 | 22.8 g | 3rd of 41 | 12th of 243 |
| Potassium | 446 mg | 5th of 41 | 69th of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.41 mg | 32nd of 41 | 99th of 242 |
| Energy | 104 kcal | 14th of 41 | 111th of 257 |
| Magnesium | 33 mg | 18th of 41 | 130th of 242 |
Every form of red snapper in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red snapper (shown above) | 104 kcal | 22.8 g | 0 g | 0.37 mg | 8 mg |
| Small | 108 kcal | 21.5 g | 0 g | 0.57 mg | 17 mg |
How red snapper is eaten
- Sankara fish fry: Chennai-style slices in chilli, turmeric, ginger-garlic and lemon, shallow-fried with curry leaves.
- Meen kuzhambu: Tamil tamarind curry with shallots, garlic and fenugreek.
- Tamso curry: Goan red snapper in coconut, red chilli and kokum gravy.
- Pollichathu: Kerala-style steaks in shallot masala, wrapped in banana leaf and roasted on a tawa.
Before you plan around it
Red snapper's cholesterol figure is high for a fish, so people with high LDL might eat it alongside lower-cholesterol fish rather than daily. Large snappers from reefs can occasionally carry ciguatera toxin; buy from known sellers. Because it is expensive, cheaper fish are sometimes passed off as red snapper, so buy whole fish where you can see the colour and shape. Iron is low at 0.37 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 red snapper
What is sankara fish in English?
Sankara is the Tamil market name for red snapper. IFCT 2017 analyses the mangrove red snapper, Lutjanus argentimaculatus, which is tambusa in Mumbai, tamso in Goa and rangu in Andhra Pradesh.
Is red snapper high in protein?
Yes. Red snapper has 22.8 g of protein per 100 g in IFCT 2017, the 3rd highest among fish and seafood and 12th of 257 foods, with only 1.3 g of fat.
Is red snapper high in cholesterol?
IFCT 2017 lists 132 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, which is high for a fish. Its saturated fat is very low, though, so for most healthy people it remains a good lean protein.
Is chembali the same as red snapper?
In Kerala and coastal Karnataka, chembali or chemballi is used for several snappers, including red snapper. IFCT 2017 keeps the five-lined snapper, which it calls chembali, as a separate entry.
Related foods and tables
Chembali
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Black snapper
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Kalava
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pomfret
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.