Fruits · IFCT 2017
Jamun: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, ripe jamun gives 56 kcal, 12.3 g carbohydrate, 6.8 g sugars, 3.1 g dietary fibre and 16.5 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. The vitamin C covers about 21 per cent of a man's and 25 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Despite its reputation, jamun is low in iron, 0.33 mg per 100 g, and ranks 43rd of 44 fruits for potassium.
About jamun
Jamun is the purple-black fruit that drops from roadside trees across India with the first monsoon rains. It is jamun in Hindi and Punjabi, jambhool in Marathi, naval pazham in Malayalam, nagapazham in Tamil, neredupandu in Telugu and jamukoli in Odia. Sellers pile the glossy fruit on leaves and toss it with salt and black salt, and children come home with purple tongues. The season is short, rarely more than a few weeks in any one city.
A note on the data. IFCT 2017 lists this entry as jambu fruit and gives it the Latin name of the wax apple, a pale, watery cousin that Bengal calls jamrul, and the Bengali name it records, jaamrool, is the wax apple too. Every other regional name is jamun's. The figures are presented here as jamun, but the labelling in the source tables is not fully consistent.
What jamun brings to a meal
- 01
A fair vitamin C source
At 16.5 mg per 100 g, jamun meets about 21 per cent of a man's and 25 per cent of a woman's daily vitamin C requirement, 27th of 44 fruits.
- 02
Light for a sweet fruit
Jamun has 56 kcal and only 6.8 g sugars per 100 g, with 3.1 g fibre. Its sharp, puckering taste comes largely from tannins, which make it seem less sweet than it is.
- 03
Low in iron, despite the belief
Jamun is often said to build blood, but IFCT 2017 lists only 0.33 mg iron per 100 g, 26th of 43 fruits and about 2 per cent of a man's daily requirement.
- 04
Very low potassium
With 103 mg potassium per 100 g, jamun ranks 43rd of 44 fruits. That makes it one of the easier fruits for people who have been told to limit potassium.
Jamun 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 | 56 kcal | 3% | 3% |
| Protein | 0.8 g | 1% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 12.3 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 3.1 g | ||
| Free sugars | 6.8 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Water | 83.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.07 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 6 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 25 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Iron | 0.33 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.06 mg | 0% | 0% |
| Magnesium | 28 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 10 mg | ||
| Potassium | 103 mg | ||
| Sodium | 3 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.02 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 16.5 mg | 21% | 25% |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.14 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.03 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Folate (B9) | 8 µg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.04 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 7.9 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. Jamun: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/jamun/
Where jamun 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 | 16.5 mg | 27th of 44 | 75th of 130 |
| Dietary fibre | 3.1 g | 23rd of 43 | 124th of 182 |
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | 30th of 41 | 139th of 160 |
| Magnesium | 28 mg | 12th of 43 | 143rd of 242 |
| Calcium | 25 mg | 15th of 43 | 149th of 242 |
How jamun is eaten
- Eaten fresh, tossed in a bowl with salt and black salt and shaken until the skins soften.
- Jamun sherbet or kala khatta-style syrup, the pulp strained and mixed with black salt and roasted cumin.
- Jamun chutney, cooked down with jaggery, dry ginger and a little red chilli.
- Blended into a purple lassi or stirred through curd as a quick monsoon dessert.
- Jamun vinegar, made at home in parts of north India by fermenting the juice.
Before you plan around it
Jamun and its seed powder are widely promoted for diabetes. The fruit itself still carries 12.3 g carbohydrate per 100 g, so it is counted like any other fruit, and seed powder is no substitute for prescribed treatment; anyone with diabetes should speak to their doctor before using it. The juice stains clothes, hands and teeth deeply. Jamun is very astringent, and eating a large amount on an empty stomach can cause discomfort. Wash fallen fruit carefully before eating.
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 jamun
Is jamun good for diabetes?
Jamun is a reasonable fruit choice, with 12.3 g carbohydrate and 6.8 g sugars per 100 g, and 3.1 g fibre. Claims that it or its seed powder controls blood sugar are not a reason to change medication. People with diabetes should plan fruit and any herbal products with their doctor or dietitian.
Is jamun rich in iron?
Not according to IFCT 2017, which lists 0.33 mg iron per 100 g of jamun, 26th of 43 fruits. Its dark colour comes from plant pigments, not iron. Green leafy vegetables, pulses, millets and meat are far better iron sources.
When is jamun season?
Jamun ripens with the onset of the monsoon, usually from early summer into the first rains, and the season in any one place lasts only a few weeks. The fruit bruises quickly, so buy it on the day you plan to eat it.
What is jamun called in South India?
IFCT 2017 records naval pazham in Malayalam, nagapazham in Tamil, neredupandu in Telugu and neralai in Kannada. In Marathi it is jambhool, and in Odia jamukoli.
Related foods and tables
Black berry
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Phalsa
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Karonda
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Grapes
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ber (Indian jujube)
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.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene 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.