Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Rohu: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, rohu gives 102 kcal, 19.7 g protein and 2.4 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. It is a lean, everyday source of protein, meeting 36 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement. Its 2.4 mg of vitamin E ranks 6th of 41 fish and seafood, but its omega-3 is low, at 47 mg of DHA.
About rohu
Rohu, Labeo rohita, is the most eaten freshwater fish in India, the reddish-silver carp that fills the ponds of West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Assam, Bihar and Punjab. IFCT 2017 records names in 11 languages: rui or rahu in Bengali, rou in Assamese, rohi in Odia, dumra in Punjabi, rohitham in Malayalam, kannadi kendai in Tamil and tambada masa in Marathi, among others. It is farmed with catla and mrigal in the same ponds.
Bengal's daily rui macher jhol, a thin curry with potato and cauliflower, and the festive rui kalia are the dishes most people know. Assam cooks rohu as masor tenga, a light sour curry with tomato or elephant apple; Odisha as machha jhola; Bihar as machhli jhor with mustard; and Andhra as a tangy pulusu. The head goes into muri ghonto, and the eggs, rui macher dim, are fried as bora in the season.
What rohu brings to a meal
- 01
Lean everyday protein
Rohu supplies 19.7 g of protein per 100 g with only 2.4 g fat, meeting 36 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 43 per cent of a woman's, for 102 kcal.
- 02
Vitamin E
It gives 2.4 mg of vitamin E per 100 g, ranking 6th of 41 fish and seafood and 18th of 242 foods in IFCT 2017.
- 03
Selenium and potassium
Rohu carries 51.5 micrograms of selenium and 303 mg of potassium per 100 g, with just 36 mg of sodium.
- 04
Low in omega-3
Its DHA, 47 mg, and EPA, 24 mg, are low compared with sea fish and with catla, so rohu is a protein fish rather than an omega-3 fish.
Rohu 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 | 102 kcal | 5% | 6% |
| Protein | 19.7 g | 36% | 43% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 2.4 g | ||
| Water | 76.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 2.05 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 2.62 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.75 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 24 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 47 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 48 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 39 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Iron | 1.04 mg | 5% | 4% |
| Zinc | 0.8 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Magnesium | 27 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 200 mg | ||
| Potassium | 303 mg | ||
| Sodium | 36 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.05 mg | ||
| Selenium | 51.5 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 4 µg | ||
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.33 mg | 13% | 17% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.24 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.4 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. Rohu: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/rohu/
Where rohu 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) | 2.4 mg | 6th of 41 | 18th of 242 |
| Protein | 19.7 g | 20th of 41 | 48th of 243 |
| Zinc | 0.8 mg | 15th of 41 | 102nd of 243 |
| Calcium | 39 mg | 14th of 41 | 110th of 242 |
| Energy | 102 kcal | 15th of 41 | 112th of 257 |
How rohu is eaten
- Rui macher jhol: steaks fried lightly in mustard oil, then simmered with potato, cauliflower, cumin and ginger.
- Rui kalia: a festive Bengali gravy of onion, ginger, curd and garam masala.
- Masor tenga: Assamese rohu in a light sour curry with tomato, lemon or elephant apple.
- Machha jhola: Odia everyday fish curry with potatoes and a little mustard paste.
- Rui macher dim bora: rohu roe mixed with onion and green chilli, fried into small fritters.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Rohu has the fine, forked intermuscular bones typical of carps, so it needs careful eating, especially for children. A jhol or tenga keeps it light, while kalia and fried pieces add a good deal of mustard oil. Pond rohu can taste muddy if the water is poor; fresh fish has bright red gills and firm flesh. People who eat rohu daily for protein can add a sea fish such as mackerel or sardine once or twice a week for omega-3.
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 rohu
Is rohu fish good for health?
Yes. IFCT 2017 gives rohu 19.7 g protein, 2.4 g fat and 102 kcal per 100 g, with selenium and vitamin E. It is a lean, affordable everyday fish, though low in omega-3.
Is rohu good for weight loss?
Rohu is lean, so it suits a weight-loss diet when cooked as a jhol or tenga. Fried rohu and rich kalia add far more calories from oil than the fish itself carries.
How much protein is in rohu?
Rohu has 19.7 g of protein per 100 g in IFCT 2017, meeting 36 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 43 per cent of a woman's.
Does rohu have omega-3?
Not much: rohu carries 47 mg of DHA and 24 mg of EPA per 100 g. Catla, among freshwater fish, and sea fish such as sardine or mackerel carry much more.
Related foods and tables
Catla
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Silver carp
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Hilsa (ilish)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tilapia
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pangas
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mustard oil
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Chicken breast vs Rohu
Side by side, per 100 g.
Hilsa vs Rohu
Side by side, per 100 g.
Rohu vs Catla
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.