Meat, poultry and eggs · IFCT 2017
Emu: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, skinless emu meat gives 133 kcal, 22.6 g protein and 4.6 g fat, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. That protein figure is the highest of all 14 meat, poultry and egg foods in the tables and ranks 14th of 257 foods overall. Emu also brings 3.95 mg of iron and 2.91 mg of zinc per 100 g, with very little saturated fat.
About emu
The emu is a large flightless bird from Australia that Indian farmers began raising for meat, oil and leather, mostly in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka. Many farms closed when buyers did not appear in the numbers promised, so emu meat is now a niche product sold frozen by a few farms and specialist meat shops rather than an everyday market meat.
Although it is a bird, emu has deep red, beef-like meat with almost no marbling, because the bird stores its fat in a separate layer rather than through the muscle. IFCT 2017 measured the skinless meat at just 0.2 g of saturated fat per 100 g, the lowest in its group. In Indian kitchens it is usually minced for keema or cut small for a dry pepper fry or a mutton-style curry.
What emu brings to a meal
- 01
Top protein in its group
At 22.6 g per 100 g, emu ranks 1st for protein among the 14 meat, poultry and egg foods and 14th of 257 foods overall. That meets about 42 per cent of a sedentary man's daily requirement and 49 per cent of a woman's.
- 02
Red meat iron
Emu gives 3.95 mg of iron per 100 g, 3rd of 14 in its group and 64th of 242 foods, covering 21 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 14 per cent of a woman's. Most of it is haem iron, which is well absorbed.
- 03
Zinc and copper
Its 2.91 mg of zinc ranks 35th of 243 foods and meets 17 per cent of a man's requirement and 22 per cent of a woman's. Emu also has 0.65 mg of copper, 2nd only to duck in its group.
- 04
Very low saturated fat
Total fat is 4.6 g per 100 g, and saturated fat only 0.2 g, the least of any meat or poultry in IFCT 2017. Niacin, at 3.26 mg, meets 18 per cent of a man's requirement.
Emu 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 | 133 kcal | 6% | 8% |
| Protein | 22.6 g | 42% | 49% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 0 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 0 g | ||
| Total fat | 4.6 g | ||
| Water | 71.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.2 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.24 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.14 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 8 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (EPA) | 6 mg | ||
| Omega-3 (DHA) | 5 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 73 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 7 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Iron | 3.95 mg | 21% | 14% |
| Zinc | 2.91 mg | 17% | 22% |
| Magnesium | 25 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 243 mg | ||
| Potassium | 275 mg | ||
| Sodium | 48 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.65 mg | ||
| Selenium | 21.3 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Retinol | 3 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.1 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.17 mg | 7% | 7% |
| Niacin (B3) | 3.26 mg | 18% | 23% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.35 mg | 15% | 18% |
| Folate (B9) | 7 µg | 2% | 3% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.4 mg | ||
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. Emu: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/meat-poultry-and-eggs/emu/
Where emu sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 meat, poultry and eggs and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In meat, poultry and eggs | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 22.6 g | 1st of 14 | 14th of 243 |
| Iron | 3.95 mg | 3rd of 14 | 63rd of 242 |
| Zinc | 2.91 mg | 5th of 14 | 35th of 243 |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.17 mg | 7th of 14 | 34th of 241 |
How emu is eaten
- Emu keema: minced with onion, ginger, garlic and garam masala, cooked like mutton keema with green peas.
- Pepper fry: thin strips seared fast with crushed pepper and curry leaves, in the style of a Chettinad dry fry.
- Cook emu steaks or cubes quickly to medium or braise them slowly; anything in between turns dry and chewy.
- A little curd or raw papaya in the marinade helps tenderise this very lean meat.
Before you plan around it
Emu is so lean that it dries out easily, so recipes that rely on the meat's own fat, such as a slow roast, need added oil or a gravy. It is an uncommon meat in India, so buy only from licensed farms or shops that sell it frozen with a clear label, and thaw it in the refrigerator. Like other red meats, it should be cooked through when minced. People with high cholesterol can note that it has 73 mg per 100 g, similar to other poultry.
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 emu
Is emu meat red meat or white meat?
Emu is a bird, but its meat is dark red and cooks like lean mutton or beef. The colour comes from myoglobin in its leg muscles. Nutritionally it sits with poultry for fat, at 4.6 g per 100 g, and with red meat for iron, at 3.95 mg.
How much protein is in emu meat?
IFCT 2017 lists 22.6 g of protein per 100 g of skinless emu meat, the highest of any meat, poultry or egg food in the tables, for 133 kcal. That covers about 42 per cent of a man's daily protein requirement.
Is emu meat good for people watching cholesterol?
It is one of the leanest meats in IFCT 2017, with 0.2 g saturated fat per 100 g, which helps. It still contains 73 mg of cholesterol, like other meats, so people with heart disease should plan portions with their doctor or dietitian.
Related foods and tables
Goat meat (mutton)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Chicken (broiler)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Turkey
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rabbit
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Duck
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Zinc content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by zinc per 100 g.
All meat, poultry and eggs
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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