Fish and seafood · IFCT 2017
Tuna: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, tuna gives 112 kcal, 24.5 g protein and 1.4 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. That protein is the highest of all 41 fish and seafood and ranks 3rd of the 257 foods in the tables. Tuna also carries 345 mg of DHA and 91 mg of EPA, and its 1.6 mg of iron ranks 3rd among fish.
About tuna
The tuna in IFCT 2017 is the little tuna or kawakawa, Euthynnus affinis, a small, fast tuna caught off both coasts and around Lakshadweep and the Andamans. Malayalis call it choora, Tamils choorai, Marathi and Gujarati speakers gedar, and Goans bokado; IFCT records names in five languages. The tables also list striped tuna, the skipjack, with 96 kcal, 21.3 g protein and 1.43 mg iron per 100 g.
Tuna has dark red, dense meat that turns firm and pale when cooked. In Kerala, choora curry with kudampuli and choora fry are cheap weekday dishes; Lakshadweep islanders boil, smoke and sun-dry skipjack into hard mas, which is shaved into curries and chutneys; and in the cities canned tuna turns up in sandwiches and salads. Because the meat is so lean, it is best simmered in a gravy or cooked quickly.
What tuna brings to a meal
- 01
Most protein of any fish
Tuna supplies 24.5 g of protein per 100 g, 1st of 41 fish and seafood and 3rd of 257 foods in IFCT 2017. A 100 g portion would cover 45 per cent of the protein a sedentary man needs in a day, and 54 per cent of a woman's need.
- 02
Strong omega-3
Each 100 g holds 345 mg of DHA and 91 mg of EPA. Its DHA is the fifth-highest among the fish and seafood, while its fat stays at just 1.4 g.
- 03
Iron and niacin
Tuna gives 1.6 mg of iron per 100 g, 3rd of 41 in its group, and 4.73 mg of niacin, meeting 26 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 34 per cent of a woman's.
- 04
Phosphorus and potassium
With 292 mg of phosphorus and 357 mg of potassium per 100 g, tuna supports bone health and helps balance sodium.
Tuna 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 | 112 kcal | 5% | 7% |
| Protein | 24.5 g | 45% | 54% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.4 g | ||
| Water | 72.1 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.66 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.57 g | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 91 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 345 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 46 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 10 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 1.6 mg | 8% | 6% |
| Zinc | 0.69 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 36 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Phosphorus | 292 mg | ||
| Potassium | 357 mg | ||
| Sodium | 53 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.27 mg | ||
| Selenium | 21.5 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 17 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.07 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Niacin (B3) | 4.73 mg | 26% | 34% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.07 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.57 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. Tuna: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fish-and-seafood/tuna/
Where tuna 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 | 24.5 g | 1st of 41 | 3rd of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.57 mg | 28th of 41 | 79th of 242 |
| Potassium | 357 mg | 9th of 41 | 101st of 243 |
| Energy | 112 kcal | 11th of 41 | 106th of 257 |
| Iron | 1.6 mg | 3rd of 41 | 108th of 242 |
Every form of tuna in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuna (shown above) | 112 kcal | 24.5 g | 0 g | 1.6 mg | 10 mg |
| Striped | 96 kcal | 21.3 g | 0 g | 1.43 mg | 6 mg |
How tuna is eaten
- Choora curry: Kerala tuna in a red kudampuli gravy with shallots, ginger and coconut oil.
- Choora fry: thick slices in chilli, pepper and ginger-garlic paste, fried on a tawa without overcooking.
- Lakshadweep mas chutney: shaved dried tuna pounded with coconut, shallots and chilli.
- Tuna cutlets: cooked tuna mashed with potato, onion, green chilli and coriander, crumbed and shallow-fried.
Before you plan around it
Tuna spoils into histamine quickly if it is not kept cold, which causes a flushing, headache-like reaction that cooking does not prevent, so buy it on ice and cook it the same day. Larger tunas carry more mercury than small fish; little tuna and skipjack are smaller, but pregnant women should still vary their fish. Canned tuna in brine and dried mas are much saltier than fresh tuna.
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 tuna
Is tuna the highest-protein fish?
In IFCT 2017, yes. Tuna has 24.5 g of protein per 100 g, the most of any fish or seafood in the tables and 3rd of all 257 foods, with only 1.4 g of fat.
What is choora fish in English?
Choora is the Malayalam name for tuna. IFCT 2017 analysed the little tuna or kawakawa, Euthynnus affinis, which is also choorai in Tamil and gedar in Marathi.
Is tuna good for omega-3?
Yes. Tuna carries 345 mg of DHA and 91 mg of EPA per 100 g in IFCT 2017, a useful amount from such a lean fish.
Is canned tuna as healthy as fresh tuna?
Canned tuna keeps most of the protein, but it is usually much saltier, and some omega-3 can be lost in processing. Tuna canned in brine or water is lighter than tuna in oil.
Related foods and tables
Seer fish (vanjaram)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mackerel
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Sardine
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Salmon
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Queen fish
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.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium 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.