Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Salmon: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, Atlantic salmon gives 172 kcal, 21.0 g protein and 9.9 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its 1192 mg of DHA is the highest of all 41 fish and seafood in the tables, and it adds 406 mg of EPA. It also has the least sodium of any fish listed, at 20 mg.
About salmon
The salmon in IFCT 2017 is the Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, a cold-water fish that does not live in Indian seas. What Indian shoppers buy is almost all imported, farmed in Norway, Chile or Scotland and flown in chilled or frozen to supermarkets and restaurants in the big cities, which is why it costs several times the price of local fish.
It should not be confused with Indian salmon, the name fishmongers use for rawas in Mumbai and the Konkan, a quite different local fish, the threadfin. Atlantic salmon has orange-pink, oily flesh. Indian cooks grill it with a tandoori marinade, simmer it in a Goan or Kerala coconut curry, or pan-fry it with mustard and green chilli in a Bengali-style jhal.
What salmon brings to a meal
- 01
The top omega-3 fish
Salmon carries 1192 mg of DHA and 406 mg of EPA per 100 g. Its DHA is the highest of any fish or seafood in IFCT 2017, and its EPA ranks 3rd, behind hilsa and seer fish. These fats help keep blood triglycerides in check.
- 02
Protein and niacin
It supplies 21.0 g of protein per 100 g, meeting 39 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement, and 4.45 mg of niacin, meeting 25 per cent of a man's need and 32 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
An oily fish
At 172 kcal and 9.9 g fat per 100 g, salmon ranks 3rd of 41 fish and seafood for both energy and fat. About 4.3 g of that fat is saturated.
- 04
Very low sodium
Fresh salmon has just 20 mg of sodium per 100 g, tied for the lowest in its group, and ranks 4th of 37 fish for thiamine.
Salmon 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 | 172 kcal | 8% | 10% |
| Protein | 21 g | 39% | 46% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 9.9 g | ||
| Water | 67.8 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 4.3 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 2.45 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 2.3 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 406 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 1,192 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 61 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 24 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 0.98 mg | 5% | 3% |
| Zinc | 0.51 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 31 mg | 7% | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 211 mg | ||
| Potassium | 345 mg | ||
| Sodium | 20 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.08 mg | ||
| Selenium | 36.3 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 16 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.06 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.45 mg | 25% | 32% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.15 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.58 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. Salmon: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/salmon/
Where salmon 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 | 12th of 41 | 28th of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.58 mg | 27th of 41 | 78th of 242 |
| Energy | 172 kcal | 3rd of 41 | 84th of 257 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 4th of 37 | 92nd of 239 |
| Potassium | 345 mg | 11th of 41 | 108th of 243 |
How salmon is eaten
- Tandoori salmon: fillets in curd, Kashmiri chilli, ajwain and garlic, grilled or baked until just opaque.
- Salmon in Kerala coconut curry with kudampuli and curry leaves; add the fish at the end so it stays moist.
- Bengali-style salmon jhal with mustard paste, green chillies and mustard oil.
- Pan-seared salmon with a simple salt, pepper and lemon finish, served with khichdi or a millet pulao.
Before you plan around it
Most salmon in India is imported and farmed, and it is expensive. Smoked salmon is very high in salt, unlike the fresh fish. Local oily fish such as sardine, mackerel, seer fish and hilsa deliver a large share of the same omega-3 at a fraction of the cost. Buy chilled salmon with firm, bright flesh and no sour smell, and keep it cold until cooking.
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 salmon
Is salmon available in India?
Atlantic salmon is sold in big-city supermarkets and online, almost always imported from Norway, Chile or Scotland. It does not live in Indian waters, which is why it costs far more than local fish.
What is Indian salmon or rawas?
Rawas, often sold as Indian salmon, is the fourfinger threadfin, a local fish of the west and east coasts. It is a different species from the Atlantic salmon in IFCT 2017, with its own taste and nutrition.
Which Indian fish is closest to salmon for omega-3?
Among local fish in IFCT 2017, hilsa and seer fish come closest. Salmon's 1192 mg of DHA per 100 g is still the highest in the tables, but these local fish carry large amounts of EPA and DHA too.
Related foods and tables
Hilsa (ilish)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sardine
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tuna
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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.