Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Shark: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, shark meat gives 95 kcal, 21.6 g protein and just 0.8 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Its protein ranks 8th of 41 fish and seafood and 24th of 257 foods. It carries 121 mg of DHA and 372 mg of potassium, and the hammerhead sample is even higher in protein at 23.4 g.
About shark
Small sharks have long been ordinary food in coastal India. Tamils call shark sura, and sura puttu, shark meat boiled, shredded and stir-fried with garlic, shallots and curry leaves, is a Tamil Nadu speciality, traditionally given to nursing mothers. Goans cook mori in a sour, spicy ambot tik; Mumbai and Konkan homes know small sharks as balda or pisori; and Kerala has its own sravu curry. IFCT 2017 analysed the spot-tail shark, Carcharhinus sorrah.
IFCT also lists hammerhead, with 103 kcal, 23.4 g protein and 0.86 mg iron per 100 g, and spotted shark, with 92 kcal and 20.9 g protein. All three are lean, at 0.8 g fat. Shark meat has no bones, only cartilage, which makes it easy to shred, but it must be cleaned and soaked well, since sharks store urea in their flesh and can smell of ammonia if handled poorly.
What shark brings to a meal
- 01
Lean, high protein
Shark supplies 21.6 g of protein per 100 g with only 0.8 g fat, ranking 8th of 41 fish and seafood for protein. That meets 40 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 47 per cent of a woman's.
- 02
Potassium and phosphorus
It gives 372 mg of potassium per 100 g, 8th of 41 in its group, and 263 mg of phosphorus.
- 03
Some omega-3
Shark carries 121 mg of DHA and 35 mg of EPA per 100 g, a modest amount compared with oily fish.
- 04
Niacin
Its 2.68 mg of niacin meets 15 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 19 per cent of a woman's per 100 g.
Shark 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 | 95 kcal | 5% | 6% |
| Protein | 21.6 g | 40% | 47% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.8 g | ||
| Water | 72.8 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.28 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.13 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.23 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 35 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 121 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 24 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 8 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.38 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.46 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Magnesium | 33 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 263 mg | ||
| Potassium | 372 mg | ||
| Sodium | 64 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.23 mg | ||
| Selenium | 28.9 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 1 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.68 mg | 15% | 19% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.11 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.22 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. Shark: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/shark/
Where shark 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 | 21.6 g | 8th of 41 | 24th of 243 |
| Potassium | 372 mg | 8th of 41 | 94th of 243 |
| Energy | 95 kcal | 19th of 41 | 118th of 257 |
| Magnesium | 33 mg | 19th of 41 | 131st of 242 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.22 mg | 40th of 41 | 132nd of 242 |
Every form of shark in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shark (shown above) | 95 kcal | 21.6 g | 0 g | 0.38 mg | 8 mg |
| Hammer head | 103 kcal | 23.4 g | 0 g | 0.86 mg | 8 mg |
| Spotted | 92 kcal | 20.9 g | 0 g | 0.54 mg | 8 mg |
How shark is eaten
- Sura puttu: boiled shark meat, skinned and shredded, then stir-fried with garlic, shallots, green chilli, turmeric and curry leaves.
- Mori ambot tik: Goan shark curry, sour with tamarind and vinegar, hot with red chillies.
- Shark curry Konkan style with coconut and kokum, the cartilage removed before serving.
- Soak the cut meat in salted water or with lime before cooking to remove any ammonia smell.
Before you plan around it
Sharks are long-lived predators and can carry more mercury than smaller fish, so pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children are generally advised to limit or avoid shark and choose sardine, mackerel or pomfret instead; a doctor can advise. Many shark species are now threatened, several are protected by law in India, and fins must stay attached when sharks are landed. Choose small, legally landed sharks from known sellers, and eat shark only occasionally.
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 shark
Is shark meat healthy to eat?
Shark is lean and high in protein, with 21.6 g protein and 0.8 g fat per 100 g in IFCT 2017. Its drawbacks are possible mercury and the pressure on shark populations, so it is best eaten only now and then.
Why is sura puttu given to new mothers?
In Tamil tradition, sura puttu is given to nursing mothers in the belief that it supports milk supply. Because sharks can carry mercury, a nursing mother should keep it occasional and ask her doctor.
What is shark called in Indian languages?
Shark is sura in Tamil, sravu in Malayalam and mori in Konkani. IFCT 2017 records balda and pisori in Marathi and shirat in Kannada. Hammerheads and spotted sharks are usually sold under the same local names.
Is it legal to eat shark in India?
Small sharks are legally landed and sold, but several shark species are protected under Indian wildlife law and cannot be caught or traded. Buying from established fish markets is the safest way to avoid protected species.
Related foods and tables
Tuna
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Queen fish
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sardine
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.
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.