Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Ponnaganni: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw ponnaganni leaves give 51 kcal, 5.3 g protein, 6.7 g fibre, 388 mg calcium and 103 mg vitamin C, according to IFCT 2017. The calcium ranks 2nd of 26 green leafy vegetables and 15th of 242 foods, and the vitamin C ranks 9th of 130 foods. Few people outside Tamil Nadu and Kerala know this small, glossy marsh green.
About ponnaganni
Ponnaganni is Alternanthera sessilis, a low, creeping plant with small, narrow leaves that grows along paddy bunds, canal banks and other damp ground, and is now cultivated in market gardens around Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore. Tamil kitchens call it ponnanganni keerai and cook it often. IFCT 2017 records names in 12 languages, including ponnaganti koora in Telugu, honagone soppu in Kannada, ponnaganni cheera in Malayalam, matikaduri in Assamese and khanchari in Bengali.
There are two common types in Tamil markets: a green, wild-type leaf and a reddish cultivated form sold as seemai ponnanganni. The green type is what most traditional recipes use. Cooks make it into a simple poriyal with coconut, a kootu with moong dal, or a masiyal mashed with garlic. In Sri Lanka the same plant is mukunuwenna, chopped fine into a coconut mallum.
What ponnaganni brings to a meal
- 01
Calcium ranks 2nd in its group
Ponnaganni carries 388 mg calcium per 100 g, 15th of 242 foods in IFCT 2017. That is about 39 per cent of the ICMR-NIN 2020 adult requirement in 100 g of raw leaves.
- 02
Vitamin C above the daily need
100 g supplies 103 mg vitamin C, 129 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 158 per cent of a woman's. A quick poriyal keeps more of it than a long-cooked kootu.
- 03
Beta-carotene and fibre
Ponnaganni's 5288 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 g puts it 9th of 160 foods. Its 6.7 g fibre ranks 4th among leafy vegetables, which makes ponnaganni more filling than most greens.
- 04
Vitamin K1 at 574 micrograms
Ponnaganni has 574 micrograms of vitamin K1 per 100 g, the highest of the 26 green leafy vegetables in the tables. Vitamin K helps blood clot and supports bone; people on warfarin should keep their intake steady.
Ponnaganni 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 | 51 kcal | 2% | 3% |
| Protein | 5.3 g | 10% | 12% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 5.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 6.7 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.4 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.7 g | ||
| Water | 79.4 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.03 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.25 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 143 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 388 mg | 39% | 39% |
| Iron | 3.88 mg | 20% | 13% |
| Zinc | 0.99 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Magnesium | 80 mg | 18% | 22% |
| Phosphorus | 58 mg | ||
| Potassium | 457 mg | ||
| Sodium | 39 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.21 mg | ||
| Selenium | 17.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 103 mg | 129% | 158% |
| Beta-carotene | 5,288 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.02 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.32 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.19 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Folate (B9) | 48 µg | 16% | 22% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.52 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 574 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. Ponnaganni: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/ponnaganni/
Where ponnaganni 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 388 mg | 2nd of 26 | 15th of 242 |
| Vitamin C | 103 mg | 4th of 26 | 9th of 130 |
| Beta-carotene | 5,288 µg | 6th of 26 | 9th of 160 |
How ponnaganni is eaten
- Ponnanganni keerai poriyal: leaves stir-fried with shallots, urad dal, dried red chilli and grated coconut.
- Ponnanganni kootu: leaves simmered with moong dal, cumin and a coconut paste, served with rice and ghee.
- Keerai masiyal: boiled leaves mashed with garlic, green chilli and a cumin tempering.
- Ponnaganti koora pappu in Andhra Pradesh: leaves cooked into toor dal with tamarind.
- Mallum style: leaves chopped very fine and tossed with fresh coconut, onion, green chilli and lime.
Before you plan around it
Ponnaganni is linked in Tamil tradition with good eyesight, and its beta-carotene does support normal vision, but no green can restore sight that has been lost to cataract, glaucoma or other eye disease; those need an eye doctor. Because the plant grows near water, wild-picked bunches can carry contamination from canals and drains. Buy cultivated bunches where possible, and wash the leaves in several changes of water before cooking. Its vitamin K1 content is high, which matters for people taking blood thinners.
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 ponnaganni
Is ponnanganni keerai good for eyes?
It is a rich source of beta-carotene, 5288 micrograms per 100 g in IFCT 2017, which the body turns into vitamin A, needed for normal vision and especially for seeing in dim light. That supports the tradition, but it does not mean the leaf can correct eye conditions or replace glasses or treatment.
What is ponnaganni called in English and Hindi?
In English it is called sessile joyweed or dwarf copperleaf, and its botanical name is Alternanthera sessilis. IFCT 2017 records saranthi sag in Hindi and Marathi, kunte ki bhaji in Urdu, honagone soppu in Kannada and ponnaganti koora in Telugu.
Is ponnaganni high in calcium?
Yes. IFCT 2017 lists 388 mg calcium per 100 g of ponnaganni, 2nd only to agathi among leafy vegetables. Plant calcium is absorbed less efficiently than calcium from milk, but a regular serving still contributes usefully to the day's intake.
How do you cook ponnanganni keerai?
Strip the leaves from the woody stems, wash them well, and chop them. Temper mustard seeds, urad dal and shallots in a little oil, add the leaves with salt, cover for a few minutes until wilted, and finish with grated coconut. It pairs well with sambar rice or rasam rice.
Related foods and tables
Agathi leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Amaranth leaves (chaulai)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Drumstick leaves (moringa)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Basella leaves
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Curry leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
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.
All green leafy vegetables
26 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
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