Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Tiger prawns: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, sea prawns sold as tiger prawns give 65 kcal, 14.8 g protein and only 0.6 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Their 3.04 mg of vitamin E ranks 2nd of 41 fish and seafood and 11th of 242 foods. They also carry 46 mg of magnesium and 47.0 micrograms of selenium, with 71 mg of cholesterol.
About tiger prawns
Prawns are India's most valuable seafood, caught at sea, farmed in coastal ponds and shipped abroad in large volumes. The giant tiger prawn, with dark stripes across its shell, is bagda chingri in Bengal and kara chemmeen in Kerala, and is farmed in brackish ponds from the Sundarbans to Andhra Pradesh. IFCT 2017 groups three prawn samples under this entry, brown and orange sea prawns and a separate tiger prawn sample, and all three read close together.
The brown sample used here has 65 kcal and 14.8 g protein per 100 g; the orange has 14.2 g protein and 72 mg calcium; and the tiger sample has 68 kcal, 14.2 g protein and 0.84 mg iron. Every coast cooks them its own way: Kerala chemmeen roast, Goan prawn balchão and prawn curry, Mangalorean prawn ghee roast, Mumbai kolambi masala, and Bengali bagda chingri bhapa in mustard.
What tiger prawns brings to a meal
- 01
Vitamin E standout
Prawns carry 3.04 mg of vitamin E per 100 g, 2nd of 41 fish and seafood after crab and 11th of 242 foods in IFCT 2017. Vitamin E protects cell membranes.
- 02
Very lean protein
With 14.8 g of protein, 0.6 g fat and 65 kcal per 100 g, prawns meet about 27 per cent of a sedentary man's daily protein requirement and 32 per cent of a woman's.
- 03
Magnesium and selenium
They give 46 mg of magnesium per 100 g, 5th of 41 in the group, and 47.0 micrograms of selenium, along with 1.1 mg of zinc.
- 04
Cholesterol, not saturated fat
Prawns have 71 mg of cholesterol per 100 g, 7th of 41 fish and seafood, but only 0.12 g of saturated fat.
Tiger prawns 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 | 65 kcal | 3% | 4% |
| Protein | 14.8 g | 27% | 32% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Water | 82.4 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.12 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.08 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 20 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 36 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 71 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 38 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Iron | 0.73 mg | 4% | 3% |
| Zinc | 1.1 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Magnesium | 46 mg | 10% | 12% |
| Phosphorus | 189 mg | ||
| Potassium | 141 mg | ||
| Sodium | 188 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.32 mg | ||
| Selenium | 47 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 1 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.01 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.03 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.1 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 3.04 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. Tiger prawns: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/tiger-prawns/
Where tiger prawns 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) | 3.04 mg | 2nd of 41 | 11th of 242 |
| Protein | 14.8 g | 35th of 41 | 80th of 243 |
| Zinc | 1.1 mg | 10th of 41 | 87th of 243 |
| Magnesium | 46 mg | 5th of 41 | 96th of 242 |
| Calcium | 38 mg | 16th of 41 | 114th of 242 |
Every form of tiger prawns in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger prawns, brown (shown above) | 65 kcal | 14.8 g | 0 g | 0.73 mg | 38 mg |
| Orange | 65 kcal | 14.2 g | 0 g | 0.39 mg | 72 mg |
| Tiger prawns | 68 kcal | 14.2 g | 0 g | 0.84 mg | 58 mg |
How tiger prawns is eaten
- Chemmeen roast: Kerala prawns cooked down with shallots, Kashmiri chilli, pepper and curry leaves in coconut oil.
- Prawn balchão: Goan pickle-style prawns in a hot, sour masala of red chillies, garlic and vinegar.
- Kolambi masala: Mumbai prawns in an onion, tomato and Malvani masala gravy.
- Bagda chingri bhapa: Bengali prawns steamed in mustard and coconut paste.
- Prawns cook in two or three minutes; add them last to curries so they stay tender.
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Prawns are naturally salty, with 188 mg of sodium per 100 g, ranking 8th of 243 foods, and dried prawns are far saltier. Shellfish allergy is one of the most common food allergies in adults and can be dangerous. Buy prawns firm, with no ammonia smell or black spots, and keep them iced. Prawns are sometimes dipped in sulphites to stop black spots, which can bother people sensitive to them, so buy from reliable sellers. For most people, the cholesterol in prawns matters less than how much butter or oil they are cooked in.
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 tiger prawns
Are tiger prawns high in protein?
IFCT 2017 lists 14.8 g of protein per 100 g of brown sea prawns, and 14.2 g for the orange and tiger prawn samples, all with under 1 g of fat. Gram for gram, they are one of the leanest protein foods available.
Are prawns bad for cholesterol?
Prawns have 71 mg of cholesterol per 100 g but very little saturated fat. For most people, that is a modest amount; those with high LDL or heart disease should ask their doctor how often to eat them.
What is the difference between bagda and golda chingri?
Bagda chingri is the tiger prawn, a brackish and sea prawn. Golda chingri is the giant freshwater prawn, used for chingri malai curry. IFCT 2017 lists golda-type prawns as a separate prawns entry.
Related foods and tables
Prawns
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Crab
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Lobster
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Squid
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mud crab
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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.