Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Basella leaves: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw basella leaves give only 20 kcal, with 153 mg magnesium, 90 micrograms of folate, 63.4 mg vitamin C and 4.2 mg iron, according to IFCT 2017. The magnesium ranks 3rd of 26 green leafy vegetables. Basella is a soft, slightly slippery climbing green, better known as poi in Bengal and Odisha and bachhali in Andhra Pradesh.
About basella leaves
Basella is a fleshy climber with thick, glossy leaves, often called Malabar spinach, although it is not a spinach at all. It grows on fences and bamboo frames in backyards across Bengal, Odisha, Assam, the Konkan and the south, and it thrives in heat and rain when true spinach bolts. IFCT 2017 records names in 10 languages: pui shaak in Bengali, puroi sak in Assamese, poi saaga in Odia, bachhali in Telugu, basale soppu in Kannada, vallicheera in Malayalam and mayalu in Marathi.
The leaves and stems release a gentle mucilage as they cook, a little like okra, which thickens a curry and gives it body. Bengali cooks pair pui shaak with pumpkin, potato and prawns in a chorchori, or cook it with a fish head. In Mangaluru, basale is simmered with coconut gravy, and in Andhra bachhali kura goes into dal with tamarind.
What basella leaves brings to a meal
- 01
Magnesium in a light leaf
Basella carries 153 mg magnesium per 100 g, ranking 3rd of 26 leafy vegetables and 37th of 242 foods. In 100 g of basella, that is 35 per cent of a man's magnesium need and 41 per cent of a woman's.
- 02
Folate for women
The 90 micrograms of folate per 100 g ranks 33rd of 197 foods and meets 41 per cent of a woman's daily requirement. Folate matters most before and during early pregnancy, which makes greens like basella worth eating regularly.
- 03
Vitamin C and iron together
100 g of raw leaves holds 63.4 mg vitamin C and 4.2 mg iron. The vitamin C, 98 per cent of a woman's daily need, helps the body absorb the iron in the same dish, provided the leaves are not overcooked.
- 04
Calcium is modest
Despite the spinach name, basella has 94 mg calcium per 100 g, ranking 21st of 26 leafy vegetables. Count it for magnesium, folate and vitamin C rather than for calcium.
Basella leaves 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 | 20 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 1.6 g | 3% | 4% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 2.2 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.5 g | ||
| Water | 92.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 123 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 94 mg | 9% | 9% |
| Iron | 4.2 mg | 22% | 14% |
| Zinc | 0.39 mg | 2% | 3% |
| Magnesium | 153 mg | 35% | 41% |
| Phosphorus | 37 mg | ||
| Potassium | 337 mg | ||
| Sodium | 19 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.12 mg | ||
| Selenium | 6.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 63.4 mg | 79% | 98% |
| Beta-carotene | 2,473 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.06 mg | 3% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.46 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.18 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Folate (B9) | 90 µg | 30% | 41% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.15 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 236 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. Basella leaves: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/basella-leaves/
Where basella leaves sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 25 green leafy vegetables and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In green leafy vegetables | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnesium | 153 mg | 3rd of 26 | 37th of 242 |
| Vitamin C | 63.4 mg | 10th of 26 | 20th of 130 |
| Folate (B9) | 90 µg | 8th of 26 | 33rd of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 2,473 µg | 14th of 26 | 20th of 160 |
How basella leaves is eaten
- Pui shaak chorchori in Bengal: leaves and stems cooked with pumpkin, potato and small prawns, finished with panch phoron.
- Poi saaga in Odisha: a light curry with potato, badi and a little mustard paste.
- Basale gassi in Mangaluru: thick stems and leaves simmered in a coconut and red chilli gravy, sometimes with jackfruit seeds.
- Bachhali kura pappu in Andhra Pradesh: chopped leaves cooked into toor dal with tamarind and garlic.
- Vallicheera thoran in Kerala: finely cut leaves stir-fried with grated coconut and shallots.
Before you plan around it
The slippery texture is natural and is not a sign the leaves have gone off; cooking them with a sour ingredient such as tamarind, mustard paste or tomato tones it down. Basella contains some oxalate, though it is rarely eaten in the large amounts that make that a concern. The bigger point is that its local name can mislead: IFCT 2017 records it as palak in Hindi and Punjabi, the same word used for spinach, so ask for poi or Malabar spinach when buying it.
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 basella leaves
Is basella the same as spinach?
No. Basella is a climbing vine from a different plant family, and true spinach is a low-growing herb. They look different and taste different. The confusion comes from the English name Malabar spinach and from IFCT 2017 recording palak as basella's Hindi name.
Why does poi saag become slimy?
Basella leaves and stems contain mucilage, a soluble fibre that turns gel-like in hot water, as okra does. Many cooks like the body it gives to curries. Adding tamarind, tomato or mustard paste, or stir-frying quickly instead of boiling, keeps the slipperiness down.
Is basella good for iron?
It has 4.2 mg iron per 100 g, 22 per cent of a man's requirement and 14 per cent of a woman's, which is respectable for a green. Its own vitamin C, 63.4 mg per 100 g, helps the iron get absorbed when the leaves are cooked briefly.
How many calories does basella have?
Raw basella has 20 kcal per 100 g and is 92.7 g water, among the lightest leafy vegetables in IFCT 2017. Most of the calories in a basella curry come from the oil, coconut or potatoes cooked with it.
Related foods and tables
Spinach
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Amaranth leaves (chaulai)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Pumpkin
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Colocasia leaves (arbi patta)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Okra (bhindi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Magnesium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by magnesium per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
All green leafy vegetables
26 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.