Green leafy vegetables · IFCT 2017
Tamarind leaves: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, tender tamarind leaves give 71 kcal, 5.8 g protein, 10.0 g carbohydrate and 10.7 g fibre, according to IFCT 2017. The fibre ranks 1st of 26 green leafy vegetables and 40th of 256 foods overall, and the leaves add 92 micrograms of folate. They are a short spring treat, the chintha chiguru of Andhra Pradesh, gathered when the trees put out new leaves.
About tamarind leaves
Tamarind trees line roads and village squares across the Deccan and the south, and for a few weeks in spring, after the old leaves drop, they put out a flush of soft, copper-green new leaves. These are picked and cooked for their gentle sourness, milder and fresher than the tamarind pulp. IFCT 2017 records names in 13 languages, including chinta chiguru in Telugu, hunise chiguru in Kannada, puliam ilaigal in Tamil and Malayalam, chinchecha pala in Marathi, tetul pata in Bengali and imli patte in Hindi.
Andhra and Telangana cooks make the most of them. Chintha chiguru pappu cooks the leaves into toor dal, chintha chiguru pachadi grinds them with roasted chillies, and in coastal Andhra they are cooked with prawns or mutton. Tamil cooks make a puliyilai thuvaiyal, and in Odisha and Bengal the tender leaves are occasionally added to a light curry for sourness.
What tamarind leaves brings to a meal
- 01
Most fibre of any leafy green
Tender tamarind leaves carry 10.7 g dietary fibre per 100 g, ranking 1st of 26 leafy vegetables. Fibre slows digestion, helps keep bowel movements regular and adds to the feeling of fullness.
- 02
Protein ranks 3rd in its group
At 5.8 g protein per 100 g, the leaves rank 3rd among leafy vegetables, about 11 per cent of a man's daily requirement. Cooked into toor dal, they add to a meal that is already protein-rich.
- 03
Folate and vitamin K1
100 g supplies 92 micrograms of folate, 31st of 197 foods and 42 per cent of a woman's daily need, and 249 micrograms of vitamin K1, needed for normal blood clotting.
- 04
A denser, starchier leaf
With 71 kcal and 10.0 g carbohydrate per 100 g, tamarind leaves rank 1st for carbohydrate among leafy greens and 3rd for energy. Their 0.56 mg copper is also high for a vegetable.
Tamarind 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 | 71 kcal | 3% | 4% |
| Protein | 5.8 g | 11% | 13% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 10 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 10.7 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.5 g | ||
| Water | 71.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.18 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.31 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 230 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 67 mg | 7% | 7% |
| Iron | 2.84 mg | 15% | 10% |
| Zinc | 0.93 mg | 5% | 7% |
| Magnesium | 42 mg | 10% | 11% |
| Phosphorus | 87 mg | ||
| Potassium | 465 mg | ||
| Sodium | 13 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.56 mg | ||
| Selenium | 2.4 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 28.2 mg | 35% | 43% |
| Beta-carotene | 168 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.12 mg | 7% | 7% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.79 mg | 4% | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.14 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Folate (B9) | 92 µg | 31% | 42% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.69 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 249 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. Tamarind leaves: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/green-leafy-vegetables/tamarind-leaves/
Where tamarind 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5.8 g | 3rd of 26 | 120th of 243 |
| Dietary fibre | 10.7 g | 1st of 26 | 40th of 182 |
| Folate (B9) | 92 µg | 7th of 26 | 31st of 197 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 230 mg | 10th of 26 | 38th of 202 |
| Energy | 71 kcal | 3rd of 26 | 151st of 257 |
How tamarind leaves is eaten
- Chintha chiguru pappu: tender leaves cooked into toor dal with green chilli and a garlic and mustard tempering.
- Chintha chiguru pachadi: leaves roasted lightly and ground with red chillies, garlic and salt.
- Chintha chiguru royyalu in coastal Andhra: prawns cooked with the tender leaves, onion and spices.
- Puliyilai thuvaiyal in Tamil Nadu: leaves ground with roasted urad dal, coconut and dried chilli.
- Added to a mutton curry in place of tamarind pulp for a softer, leafy sourness.
Before you plan around it
Only the soft, light-coloured new leaves are eaten; mature tamarind leaves are tough and very sour. The season is short, around March and April in most of the south, and the leaves wilt within a day, so pick or buy them fresh and pluck them from the stalks straight away. Their sourness comes from natural fruit acids, and very sour dishes can sting mouth ulcers or upset people with acid reflux. As a fibre-rich food, they are best introduced in modest portions by anyone unused to them.
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 tamarind leaves
Can tamarind leaves be eaten?
Yes, the tender new leaves are a traditional seasonal vegetable in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. IFCT 2017 lists them with 10.7 g fibre and 5.8 g protein per 100 g. Mature leaves are too tough and sour to cook.
What is chintha chiguru?
Chintha chiguru is the Telugu name for tender tamarind leaves. They appear for a few weeks in spring and are cooked into dal, ground into pachadi, or cooked with prawns and mutton, adding a mild, fresh sourness.
Are tamarind leaves high in fibre?
Yes. At 10.7 g per 100 g, tamarind leaves have the highest fibre of any green leafy vegetable in IFCT 2017, ranking 40th of 256 foods overall. That makes them more filling than most greens.
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Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre 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.
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