Nutrient table · IFCT 2017 · ICMR-NIN 2020
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Per 100 g, drumstick (moringa) leaves are the richest beta-carotene source in IFCT 2017 at 17,542 µg, followed by agathi leaves at 12,582 µg, methi leaves at 9,245 µg and amaranth leaves at 8,553 µg. Carrot gives 5,423 µg and sweet potato 5,376 µg. The ICMR-NIN 2020 summary note sets no separate daily figure for beta-carotene.
What beta-carotene does, and where Indian diets stand
Beta-carotene is the orange-yellow pigment in carrots, sweet potato and ripe mango, and it is also present, hidden by green chlorophyll, in dark leafy greens. The body converts it into vitamin A as needed. Vitamin A keeps the eyes able to see in dim light, maintains the lining of the eyes, gut and airways, and supports normal immune function and growth.
For most Indian vegetarians, beta-carotene is the main source of vitamin A, since retinol, the ready-made form, comes only from animal foods such as liver, eggs, milk fat and fish. Vitamin A deficiency in young children has long been a public health concern in India, which is why green leafy vegetables feature so strongly in child feeding advice.
This table ranks the 160 foods in IFCT 2017 with a beta-carotene value, in micrograms per 100 g. Green leaves dominate: drumstick, agathi, methi, amaranth, curry leaves, colocasia, ponnaganni, gongura and more. Carrot and sweet potato are the only roots in the top 25, and dates and dried apricot represent the fruits.
All 160 foods ranked by beta-carotene
Per 100 g of the edible portion, highest first.
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.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Beta-carotene content of Indian foods. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/nutrients/beta-carotene/
The top vegetarian sources of beta-carotene
| Food | Group | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Drumstick leaves (moringa) | Green leafy vegetables | 17,542 µg |
| Agathi leaves | Green leafy vegetables | 12,582 µg |
| Fenugreek leaves (methi) | Green leafy vegetables | 9,245 µg |
| Amaranth leaves (chaulai) | Green leafy vegetables | 8,553 µg |
| Curry leaves | Spices, herbs and condiments | 7,663 µg |
| Colocasia leaves (arbi patta) | Green leafy vegetables | 5,758 µg |
| Carrot | Roots and tubers | 5,423 µg |
| Sweet potato | Roots and tubers | 5,376 µg |
| Ponnaganni | Green leafy vegetables | 5,288 µg |
| Gongura (gogu) leaves | Green leafy vegetables | 5,285 µg |
| Mint leaves | Spices, herbs and condiments | 4,602 µg |
| Betel leaves | Green leafy vegetables | 4,186 µg |
| Coriander leaves | Spices, herbs and condiments | 3,808 µg |
| Rumex leaves | Green leafy vegetables | 2,754 µg |
| Parsley | Green leafy vegetables | 2,710 µg |
Beta-carotene requirements for Indians
The ICMR-NIN 2020 summary note sets no separate daily figure for beta-carotene, so none is quoted on this page. Requirements are framed for vitamin A as a whole, and beta-carotene counts towards that need once the body converts it.
Conversion is less efficient than once thought and varies from person to person, so a generous, regular intake of coloured vegetables and greens matters more than any single number. Vitamin A doses for children are given through government programmes on a set schedule; adults should not take high-dose vitamin A without medical advice, especially in pregnancy.
From a table to a plate
Values are micrograms per 100 g of raw food. Beta-carotene is fat-soluble, so a little oil or ghee in the cooking, or eating greens as part of a meal that contains some fat, helps the body absorb it. Gentle cooking and mashing release more from carrots and greens than eating them raw. Long storage, drying in harsh sun and prolonged frying do cause losses, so fresher is better.
- Cook a green leafy vegetable every day: drumstick leaves in sambar, methi in thepla, amaranth in poriyal, colocasia leaves in patra.
- Always add a little fat, such as a tadka of oil or ghee, when cooking greens and carrots.
- Grate carrot into parathas, upma and raita, and roast sweet potato as a snack.
- Use curry leaves and mint generously in chutneys and tadkas.
- Offer young children mashed greens in khichdi and dal from the start of complementary feeding.
- Eat ripe mango and papaya in season as fruit sources of beta-carotene.
What people ask about beta-carotene
Which Indian food has the most beta-carotene?
Drumstick leaves lead IFCT 2017 at 17,542 µg per 100 g, then agathi leaves at 12,582 µg, methi leaves at 9,245 µg and amaranth leaves at 8,553 µg. Among foods that are not leaves, carrot at 5,423 µg and sweet potato at 5,376 µg are the richest.
Is beta-carotene the same as vitamin A?
Not quite. Beta-carotene is a plant pigment the body converts into vitamin A when it needs to. Retinol is the ready-made vitamin A found only in animal foods. Both count towards the daily vitamin A requirement.
Do I need fat to absorb beta-carotene?
Yes, some. Beta-carotene dissolves in fat, so greens and carrots cooked with a little oil, or eaten in a meal that includes dal with tadka or curd, deliver more than the same vegetables eaten completely fat-free.
Are carrots better than leafy greens for beta-carotene?
Per 100 g, several greens beat carrot: drumstick leaves have more than three times as much in IFCT 2017. Carrots are still an easy, reliable source at 5,423 µg per 100 g, and both belong on the plate.
Related reading and tables
Vitamin A: Deficiency, Indian Food Sources, and the Child Dose Programme
From the NNWA journal.
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