Fruits · IFCT 2017
Black berry: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, black berry gives 54 kcal, 10.6 g carbohydrate, 4.3 g dietary fibre and 19.4 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. That is a lot of fibre for so few calories, ranking 16th of 43 fruits, and 100 g meets about 24 per cent of a man's and 30 per cent of a woman's daily vitamin C requirement. It also ranks 4th among fruits for vitamin E.
About black berry
IFCT 2017 lists black berry under the bramble genus, Rubus: the dark, clustered berry that grows wild on thorny canes along hill roads in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, the North East and the Nilgiris, and is now farmed on a small scale for city markets. Most blackberries sold in Indian cities are frozen or imported, and fresh ones appear in hill towns in early summer.
There is a naming tangle worth knowing. In Indian English, jamun is often called the Indian blackberry, and the regional names IFCT records for this entry, kala jamun in Hindi, kalojam in Bengali, naval pazham in Malayalam and neredupandu in Telugu, are jamun's names. Jamun has its own page and its own figures. If you are looking up the purple monsoon fruit eaten with black salt, that page is the one to read.
What black berry brings to a meal
- 01
Fibre for very few calories
Black berry has 4.3 g dietary fibre per 100 g against just 54 kcal. Much of the fibre comes from the tiny seeds and skins, which is why the berries feel more filling than their weight suggests.
- 02
A fair vitamin C source
At 19.4 mg per 100 g, it meets about 24 per cent of a man's and 30 per cent of a woman's daily vitamin C requirement, ranking 24th of 44 fruits.
- 03
Vitamin E among the top fruits
Its 0.49 mg vitamin E per 100 g ranks 4th of 44 fruits. The amount is small in absolute terms, but few fruits carry more.
- 04
Low in sugar for a fruit
Sugars make up 7.6 g of its 10.6 g carbohydrate per 100 g. With 82.9 g water, a bowl of berries is a light dessert that still tastes sweet and tart.
Black berry 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 | 54 kcal | 3% | 3% |
| Protein | 0.9 g | 2% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 10.6 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4.3 g | ||
| Free sugars | 7.6 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.6 g | ||
| Water | 82.9 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.23 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 80 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 24 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 0.63 mg | 3% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.11 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 31 mg | 7% | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 20 mg | ||
| Potassium | 205 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.05 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 19.4 mg | 24% | 30% |
| Beta-carotene | 52 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.01 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.4 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.05 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Folate (B9) | 23 µg | 8% | 10% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.49 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 1.8 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. Black berry: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/black-berry/
Where black berry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 19.4 mg | 24th of 44 | 64th of 130 |
| Beta-carotene | 52 µg | 11th of 41 | 78th of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 80 mg | 8th of 42 | 81st of 202 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.49 mg | 4th of 44 | 86th of 242 |
| Dietary fibre | 4.3 g | 16th of 43 | 96th of 182 |
How black berry is eaten
- Eaten fresh with a spoon of hung curd, or scattered over oats or ragi porridge.
- Simmered with a little sugar and lemon into a quick compote for pancakes or plain kheer.
- Made into jam in the hill towns of Himachal and the Nilgiris, where wild canes fruit along the roads.
- Blended with curd and a few ice cubes into a purple lassi.
- Folded into muffin or cake batter, where the berries hold their shape better if frozen first.
Before you plan around it
Blackberries are soft and pick up dust and residues on the canes, so rinse them gently just before eating rather than soaking them, which turns them mushy. Wild berries along roadsides may carry vehicle dust and sprays, so pick from clean, quiet places. Jam made from them is mostly sugar, so the fruit's fibre and vitamin C are best had fresh. If a recipe or label says black berry, check whether it means the bramble fruit or jamun, because their figures differ.
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 black berry
Is black berry the same as jamun?
Not botanically. IFCT 2017 gives this entry the bramble genus, Rubus, but records jamun's regional names for it, such as kala jamun and naval pazham, because jamun is often called the Indian blackberry. Jamun is a different fruit with its own entry and figures in the tables.
How much vitamin C is in black berry?
IFCT 2017 lists 19.4 mg vitamin C per 100 g, enough for about 24 per cent of a man's and 30 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Guava and amla carry far more, but black berry is a reasonable contributor.
Are blackberries good for weight loss?
They are a sensible choice. Per 100 g, black berry gives 54 kcal with 4.3 g fibre and 82.9 g water, so a bowl is filling for little energy. No single fruit causes weight loss; the overall diet and activity decide that.
Where are blackberries grown in India?
Wild brambles fruit in the Himalayan states, the North East and the Nilgiris, and small farms grow them for city markets. Fresh berries are seasonal and perishable, so most of what cities buy is frozen or imported.
Related foods and tables
Jamun
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Strawberry
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Phalsa
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Currants
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cherries
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Omega-3 (ALA) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by omega-3 (ala) per 100 g.
All fruits
44 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.