Fruits · IFCT 2017
Bael: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, bael fruit pulp gives 136 kcal, 28.2 g carbohydrate, 6.3 g dietary fibre and 409 mg potassium, according to IFCT 2017. Among 44 fruits it ranks 4th for potassium, 4th for folate at 55 micrograms and 2nd for vitamin E. The pulp is thicker and more filling than most fresh fruit, which is why a glass of bel sherbet feels like a small meal.
About bael
Bael, bel in Hindi, Bengali and Marathi, vilwa pazham in Tamil and Malayalam and marendu pandu in Telugu, grows wild and in temple gardens across the plains, from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to Odisha and Bengal. Its hard, woody shell holds an orange, fragrant, slightly gummy pulp with seeds set in sticky sacs. The fruit ripens from late spring into early summer, just when north India wants a cooling drink.
The leaves are offered to Shiva, and the fruit is part of summer ritual too: in Odisha, bela pana, a drink of bael pulp with curd, chhena and jaggery, is made for Pana Sankranti, the Odia new year. In Bengal and the Hindi belt, bel sherbet is sold from carts through the hot months. Bael is also made into murabba and dried slices, which many families keep for upset stomachs, though that is tradition rather than tested medicine.
What bael brings to a meal
- 01
Potassium near the top of fruits
At 409 mg potassium per 100 g, bael ranks 4th of 44 fruits and 80th of 243 foods. Potassium helps balance the sodium in a salty meal, which suits a summer drink taken after a day of sweating.
- 02
A fibre-rich pulp
Bael has 6.3 g dietary fibre per 100 g, 7th among fruits. Much of it is the soluble, gummy kind that gives the pulp its sticky texture and makes sherbet thick.
- 03
Folate and vitamin E
100 g gives 55 micrograms of folate, about 18 per cent of a man's and 25 per cent of a woman's daily requirement, ranking 4th among fruits. Its 0.6 mg vitamin E ranks 2nd of 44 fruits.
- 04
More energy than it looks
With only 61.4 g water per 100 g, bael gives 136 kcal and 16.4 g sugars, 6th among fruits for energy. Sherbet sweetened with sugar or jaggery adds more on top of that.
Bael 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 | 136 kcal | 6% | 8% |
| Protein | 2.6 g | 5% | 6% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 28.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 6.3 g | ||
| Free sugars | 16.4 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Water | 61.4 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.19 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.11 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.15 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 66 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 48 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Iron | 0.23 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.14 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 34 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Phosphorus | 37 mg | ||
| Potassium | 409 mg | ||
| Sodium | 2 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.15 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.7 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 7.5 mg | 9% | 12% |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.25 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.03 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Folate (B9) | 55 µg | 18% | 25% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.6 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 4.5 µg | ||
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. Bael: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/bael/
Where bael sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 43 fruits and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In fruits | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folate (B9) | 55 µg | 4th of 44 | 57th of 197 |
| Dietary fibre | 6.3 g | 7th of 43 | 64th of 182 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.6 mg | 2nd of 44 | 73rd of 242 |
| Potassium | 409 mg | 4th of 44 | 80th of 243 |
| Energy | 136 kcal | 6th of 44 | 92nd of 257 |
How bael is eaten
- Bel sherbet: the pulp soaked in water, rubbed through a sieve to remove seeds and fibre, then sweetened with jaggery and a pinch of black salt.
- Bela pana for Pana Sankranti in Odisha, blended with curd, chhena, ripe banana, jaggery and crushed black pepper.
- Bael murabba: slices simmered in sugar syrup and kept in glass jars through the year.
- Dried bael slices, sold by grocers, soaked overnight to make a drink when the fresh fruit is out of season.
Before you plan around it
Bael is mostly drunk as sherbet, and the sugar added to it often outweighs the fruit's own 16.4 g of sugars per 100 g, so sweeten it lightly. Its 409 mg potassium per 100 g matters for people with kidney disease who have been told to limit potassium. Unripe bael is strongly astringent and can be binding, so people prone to constipation may prefer fully ripe pulp. Loose motions in young children need oral rehydration solution and a doctor, not a home drink alone.
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 bael
What is bael fruit called in English?
Bael is sometimes called Bengal quince or stone apple in English. It is also loosely called wood apple, but IFCT 2017 lists wood apple separately as a different fruit, known as kaitha or kavath. In Hindi and Bengali bael is bel; in Tamil and Malayalam it is vilwa pazham.
Is bel sherbet good to drink in summer?
It is a traditional summer drink across north and east India. Per 100 g, the pulp brings 409 mg potassium and 61.4 g water, and its 6.3 g fibre makes it filling. Keep the added sugar low, since the pulp is already sweet.
Can people with diabetes drink bael juice?
Bael pulp carries 28.2 g carbohydrate and 16.4 g sugars per 100 g before anything is added. An unsweetened small glass can fit a meal plan, but sugared sherbet is a sweet drink. People with diabetes should plan it with their doctor or dietitian.
When is bael in season?
Bael ripens from late spring into early summer across the plains, peaking in the hottest weeks of the year. Outside the season, dried bael slices and bael murabba are sold in grocery and ayurvedic shops.
Related foods and tables
Wood apple (kaitha)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Tamarind
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jamun
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Banana
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Amla (Indian gooseberry)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Vitamin E content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin e per 100 g.
All fruits
44 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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