Fruits · IFCT 2017
Star fruit: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, star fruit gives just 26 kcal, 4.5 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g dietary fibre and 33.6 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. For vitamin C, 100 g supplies about 42 per cent of a man's daily need and 52 per cent of a woman's. It is a light, tangy fruit for most people, but it is genuinely dangerous for anyone with kidney disease.
About star fruit
Star fruit, or carambola, is a waxy, ribbed, yellow-green fruit that cuts into perfect five-pointed stars. It grows in home gardens across the wetter parts of India: kamrakh in Hindi and Urdu, karambal in Marathi, kordoi in Assamese, karamanga in Odia, tamarattai in Tamil and caturappuli in Malayalam. Trees fruit in several flushes, with the biggest crop in the cooler months.
Most Indian star fruit is sour rather than sweet, and it is used as much like a vegetable souring agent as a fruit. Assam adds kordoi to masor tenga, the light, sour fish curry; Bengal makes a sweet and sour kamranga chutney; and children across the south eat slices dipped in salt and chilli. Sweeter varieties are now sold in city supermarkets for salads.
What star fruit brings to a meal
- 01
Good vitamin C for few calories
Star fruit has 33.6 mg vitamin C per 100 g, 17th of 44 fruits, with only 26 kcal. Per 100 g, that is about 42 per cent of the daily requirement for men and 52 per cent for women.
- 02
Light and watery
With 91.2 g water and 4.5 g carbohydrate per 100 g, star fruit ranks 38th of 44 fruits for energy. Its sugars are only 4.0 g.
- 03
Thiamine and vitamin E
Its 0.08 mg thiamine ranks 6th among fruits and 0.4 mg vitamin E ranks 8th. Neither covers much of the daily requirement, but both are above most fruit.
- 04
Fibre in the skin
Star fruit carries 2.8 g dietary fibre per 100 g. The waxy skin is eaten with the flesh, so none of it is lost to peeling.
Star fruit 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 | 26 kcal | 1% | 2% |
| Protein | 0.8 g | 1% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 4.5 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 2.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 4 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.4 g | ||
| Water | 91.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.02 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.03 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.19 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 40 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 5 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 0.45 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.24 mg | 1% | 2% |
| Magnesium | 12 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Phosphorus | 12 mg | ||
| Potassium | 159 mg | ||
| Sodium | 2 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.07 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.6 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 33.6 mg | 42% | 52% |
| Beta-carotene | 1 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.08 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.34 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.06 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Folate (B9) | 8 µg | 3% | 4% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.4 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 2 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. Star fruit: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/fruits/star-fruit/
Where star fruit 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 | 33.6 mg | 17th of 44 | 44th of 130 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.08 mg | 6th of 44 | 81st of 239 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.4 mg | 8th of 44 | 102nd of 242 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 40 mg | 20th of 42 | 123rd of 202 |
| Dietary fibre | 2.8 g | 26th of 43 | 136th of 182 |
How star fruit is eaten
- Kordoi in Assamese masor tenga, the light, sour fish curry with tomato and mustard.
- Kamranga chutney in Bengal, cooked with sugar, mustard seeds and dry red chilli.
- Sliced into stars and dipped in salt and red chilli, a school-gate snack across the south.
- Sweet varieties sliced into a fruit salad or used as a garnish for drinks.
- A quick pickle with mustard, fenugreek and red chilli in Kerala and Karnataka homes.
Before you plan around it
People with kidney disease, including those on dialysis, should not eat star fruit at all. It contains a nerve toxin that damaged kidneys cannot clear, and even small amounts have caused hiccups, confusion, seizures and deaths. Star fruit is also very high in oxalate; drinking large amounts of sour star fruit juice, especially on an empty stomach, has caused sudden kidney injury in people with healthy kidneys. For everyone else, eaten whole in normal amounts, it is a safe and light fruit.
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 star fruit
Is star fruit safe for kidney patients?
No. People with any kidney disease, including those on dialysis, should avoid star fruit completely. It contains a toxin that failing kidneys cannot remove, and it has caused serious nerve problems and deaths. Its high oxalate is a further risk.
How much vitamin C is in star fruit?
IFCT 2017 lists 33.6 mg vitamin C per 100 g of star fruit, about 42 per cent of a man's and 52 per cent of a woman's daily requirement, 17th among 44 fruits.
Can people with diabetes eat star fruit?
Star fruit is low in sugar, at 4.0 g per 100 g with 4.5 g carbohydrate. However, many people with long-standing diabetes have some kidney damage, which makes star fruit risky. Check your kidney function with your doctor before eating it.
What is star fruit called in Hindi?
Star fruit is kamrakh in Hindi and Urdu, according to IFCT 2017, which also records karambal in Marathi, kordoi in Assamese, karamanga in Odia and tamarattai in Tamil.
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Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by thiamine (vitamin b1) 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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