Nutrient table · IFCT 2017 · ICMR-NIN 2020

Calories (energy) content of Indian foods

Per 100 g, cooking oils, ghee and vanaspati are the most energy-dense foods at 884 kcal, a figure calculated from their fat. Among whole foods, nuts and oilseeds lead: walnut gives 671 kcal, dry coconut 624 kcal and almond 609 kcal. Bottle gourd has just 11 kcal. ICMR-NIN 2020 puts a sedentary man's daily need at 2110 kcal and a woman's at 1660 kcal.

01The nutrient

What calories (energy) does, and where Indian diets stand

Energy is the fuel the body burns for everything from breathing and digestion to walking to work. Food supplies it through three nutrients: carbohydrate, protein and fat. Fat carries more than twice the energy of the other two, gram for gram, which is why nuts, seeds and cooking fats sit at the top of any calorie table, while watery gourds, greens and fruits sit at the bottom.

In India the energy problem runs in both directions. Many families still eat too little, especially young children and women doing heavy physical work. At the same time, city diets built on refined grains, fried snacks, mithai and generous ghee often deliver more than a desk job burns. Knowing which foods are dense and which are light helps with both problems.

This table lists energy in kilocalories per 100 g of edible portion for 257 foods in the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), published by ICMR's National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad. The first 14 places go to the cooking oils, ghee and vanaspati at 884 kcal each, calculated from their fat with IFCT's standard energy factor. Nuts and oilseeds fill the rest of the top 25, from walnut at 671 kcal down to sesame at 508 kcal. At the bottom sit the gourds: bottle gourd at 11 kcal, snake gourd at 12 kcal and ridge gourd at 13 kcal.

02The full table

All 257 foods ranked by calories (energy)

Per 100 g of the edible portion, highest first. The last two columns show the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers.

Indian foods ranked by calories (energy) per 100 g
Rank	Food	Group	Per 100 g	Man's daily need	Woman's daily need
1	Coconut oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
2	Corn oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
3	Cotton seed oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
4	Ghee	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
5	Groundnut oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
6	Mustard oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
7	Palm oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
8	Rice bran oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
9	Safflower oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
10	Safflower oil, blended	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
11	Sesame oil (gingelly)	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
12	Soyabean oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
13	Sunflower oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
14	Vanaspati	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal	42%	53%
15	Walnut	Nuts and oilseeds	671 kcal	32%	40%
16	Coconut	Nuts and oilseeds	624 kcal	30%	38%
17	Almond	Nuts and oilseeds	609 kcal	29%	37%
18	Pine nuts (chilgoza)	Nuts and oilseeds	594 kcal	28%	36%
19	Sunflower seeds	Nuts and oilseeds	586 kcal	28%	35%
20	Cashew nut	Nuts and oilseeds	583 kcal	28%	35%
21	Pistachio	Nuts and oilseeds	539 kcal	26%	32%
22	Peanuts (groundnut)	Nuts and oilseeds	520 kcal	25%	31%
23	Niger seeds	Nuts and oilseeds	512 kcal	24%	31%
24	Mustard seeds	Nuts and oilseeds	510 kcal	24%	31%
25	Sesame seeds (til)	Nuts and oilseeds	508 kcal	24%	31%
26	Safflower seeds	Nuts and oilseeds	473 kcal	22%	28%
27	Nutmeg	Spices, herbs and condiments	464 kcal	22%	28%
28	Garden cress seeds (halim)	Nuts and oilseeds	445 kcal	21%	27%
29	Flaxseeds (alsi)	Nuts and oilseeds	444 kcal	21%	27%
30	Poppy seeds	Spices, herbs and condiments	423 kcal	20%	25%
31	Soya bean	Pulses and legumes	381 kcal	18%	23%
32	Puffed rice (murmura)	Cereals and millets	362 kcal	17%	22%
33	Ajwain (carom seeds)	Spices, herbs and condiments	357 kcal	17%	22%
34	Amaranth seed (rajgira)	Cereals and millets	356 kcal	17%	21%
35	Mace	Spices, herbs and condiments	356 kcal	17%	21%
36	Rice	Cereals and millets	356 kcal	17%	21%
37	Jaggery	Sugars and natural drinks	354 kcal	17%	21%
38	Poha (rice flakes)	Cereals and millets	354 kcal	17%	21%
39	Bajra (pearl millet)	Cereals and millets	348 kcal	16%	21%
40	Samai (little millet)	Cereals and millets	346 kcal	16%	21%
41	Jowar (sorghum)	Cereals and millets	334 kcal	16%	20%
42	Maize (corn)	Cereals and millets	334 kcal	16%	20%
43	Asafoetida (hing)	Spices, herbs and condiments	332 kcal	16%	20%
44	Varagu millet	Cereals and millets	332 kcal	16%	20%
45	Red gram (toor or arhar)	Pulses and legumes	331 kcal	16%	20%
46	Horse gram (kulthi)	Pulses and legumes	330 kcal	16%	20%
47	Bengal gram (chana)	Pulses and legumes	329 kcal	16%	20%
48	Quinoa	Cereals and millets	328 kcal	16%	20%
49	Green gram (moong)	Pulses and legumes	326 kcal	15%	20%
50	Black gram (urad)	Pulses and legumes	324 kcal	15%	20%
51	Masoor dal (red lentil)	Pulses and legumes	322 kcal	15%	19%
52	Wheat (whole, suji and dalia)	Cereals and millets	322 kcal	15%	19%
53	Ragi (finger millet)	Cereals and millets	321 kcal	15%	19%
54	Cowpea (lobia)	Pulses and legumes	320 kcal	15%	19%
55	Dates	Fruits	320 kcal	15%	19%
56	Wheat flour (atta and maida)	Cereals and millets	320 kcal	15%	19%
57	Apricot (dried and processed)	Fruits	316 kcal	15%	19%
58	Barley	Cereals and millets	316 kcal	15%	19%
59	Khoa (mawa)	Milk and dairy	316 kcal	15%	19%
60	Moth bean (matki)	Pulses and legumes	309 kcal	15%	19%
61	Raisins	Fruits	306 kcal	15%	18%
62	Cumin seeds	Spices, herbs and condiments	304 kcal	14%	18%
63	Dried peas	Pulses and legumes	303 kcal	14%	18%
64	Rice bean	Pulses and legumes	302 kcal	14%	18%
65	Rajma (red kidney beans)	Pulses and legumes	299 kcal	14%	18%
66	Whole masoor (lentil)	Pulses and legumes	299 kcal	14%	18%
67	Tamarind	Fruits	288 kcal	14%	17%
68	Turmeric powder	Spices, herbs and condiments	281 kcal	13%	17%
69	Field bean (dry)	Pulses and legumes	276 kcal	13%	17%
70	Coriander seeds	Spices, herbs and condiments	269 kcal	13%	16%
71	Hilsa (ilish)	Fish and seafood	259 kcal	12%	16%
72	Paneer	Milk and dairy	258 kcal	12%	16%
73	Cardamom	Spices, herbs and condiments	255 kcal	12%	15%
74	Oyster mushroom (dried)	Vegetables and mushrooms	244 kcal	12%	15%
75	Pork	Meat, poultry and eggs	237 kcal	11%	14%
76	Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)	Spices, herbs and condiments	235 kcal	11%	14%
77	Black pepper	Spices, herbs and condiments	217 kcal	10%	13%
78	Pippali (long pepper)	Spices, herbs and condiments	217 kcal	10%	13%
79	Pangas	Fish and seafood	204 kcal	10%	12%
80	Sheep meat (lamb)	Meat, poultry and eggs	201 kcal	10%	12%
81	Goat meat (mutton)	Meat, poultry and eggs	188 kcal	9%	11%
82	Cloves	Spices, herbs and condiments	187 kcal	9%	11%
83	Country chicken (desi)	Meat, poultry and eggs	173 kcal	8%	10%
84	Salmon	Fish and seafood	172 kcal	8%	10%
85	Chicken (broiler)	Meat, poultry and eggs	168 kcal	8%	10%
86	Turkey	Meat, poultry and eggs	155 kcal	7%	9%
87	Rabbit	Meat, poultry and eggs	152 kcal	7%	9%
88	Sardine	Fish and seafood	152 kcal	7%	9%
89	Silan	Fish and seafood	151 kcal	7%	9%
90	Avocado	Fruits	144 kcal	7%	9%
91	Quail	Meat, poultry and eggs	138 kcal	7%	8%
92	Bael	Fruits	136 kcal	6%	8%
93	Seer fish (vanjaram)	Fish and seafood	136 kcal	6%	8%
94	Egg	Meat, poultry and eggs	135 kcal	6%	8%
95	Emu	Meat, poultry and eggs	133 kcal	6%	8%
96	Silver carp	Fish and seafood	133 kcal	6%	8%
97	Duck	Meat, poultry and eggs	131 kcal	6%	8%
98	Moon fish	Fish and seafood	126 kcal	6%	8%
99	Pigeon	Meat, poultry and eggs	126 kcal	6%	8%
100	Catfish	Fish and seafood	124 kcal	6%	7%
101	Chicken liver and gizzard	Meat, poultry and eggs	124 kcal	6%	7%
102	Garlic	Spices, herbs and condiments	124 kcal	6%	7%
103	Tender red gram (fresh toor)	Vegetables and mushrooms	124 kcal	6%	7%
104	Pomfret	Fish and seafood	123 kcal	6%	7%
105	Guinea fowl	Meat, poultry and eggs	112 kcal	5%	7%
106	Tuna	Fish and seafood	112 kcal	5%	7%
107	Sweet potato	Roots and tubers	109 kcal	5%	7%
108	Freshwater Eel	Fish and seafood	108 kcal	5%	7%
109	Milk fish	Fish and seafood	106 kcal	5%	6%
110	Banana	Fruits	105 kcal	5%	6%
111	Red snapper	Fish and seafood	104 kcal	5%	6%
112	Rohu	Fish and seafood	102 kcal	5%	6%
113	Mackerel	Fish and seafood	101 kcal	5%	6%
114	Custard apple (sitaphal)	Fruits	99 kcal	5%	6%
115	Chembali	Fish and seafood	97 kcal	5%	6%
116	Queen fish	Fish and seafood	96 kcal	5%	6%
117	Water Chestnut	Roots and tubers	96 kcal	5%	6%
118	Shark	Fish and seafood	95 kcal	5%	6%
119	Catla	Fish and seafood	94 kcal	4%	6%
120	Mullet	Fish and seafood	94 kcal	4%	6%
121	Matha	Fish and seafood	93 kcal	4%	6%
122	Karimeen (pearl spot)	Fish and seafood	92 kcal	4%	6%
123	Prawns	Fish and seafood	91 kcal	4%	5%
124	Black snapper	Fish and seafood	90 kcal	4%	5%
125	Parrot fish	Fish and seafood	90 kcal	4%	5%
126	Rani	Fish and seafood	90 kcal	4%	5%
127	Colocasia root (arbi)	Roots and tubers	89 kcal	4%	5%
128	Kalava	Fish and seafood	89 kcal	4%	5%
129	Anchovy	Fish and seafood	88 kcal	4%	5%
130	Sole fish	Fish and seafood	88 kcal	4%	5%
131	Yam (suran)	Roots and tubers	84 kcal	4%	5%
132	Tilapia	Fish and seafood	83 kcal	4%	5%
133	Crab	Fish and seafood	82 kcal	4%	5%
134	Fig	Fruits	82 kcal	4%	5%
135	Manila tamarind (jungle jalebi)	Fruits	82 kcal	4%	5%
136	Green peas (fresh)	Vegetables and mushrooms	81 kcal	4%	5%
137	Octopus	Fish and seafood	80 kcal	4%	5%
138	Plantain (raw banana)	Vegetables and mushrooms	80 kcal	4%	5%
139	Squid	Fish and seafood	80 kcal	4%	5%
140	Tapioca (cassava)	Roots and tubers	80 kcal	4%	5%
141	Lotus root (kamal kakdi)	Roots and tubers	79 kcal	4%	5%
142	Wood apple (kaitha)	Fruits	78 kcal	4%	5%
143	Baby corn	Vegetables and mushrooms	73 kcal	3%	4%
144	Chikoo (sapota)	Fruits	73 kcal	3%	4%
145	Milk	Milk and dairy	73 kcal	3%	4%
146	Parsley	Green leafy vegetables	73 kcal	3%	4%
147	Rambutan	Fruits	73 kcal	3%	4%
148	Jackfruit (ripe)	Fruits	72 kcal	3%	4%
149	Agathi leaves	Green leafy vegetables	71 kcal	3%	4%
150	Phalsa	Fruits	71 kcal	3%	4%
151	Tamarind leaves	Green leafy vegetables	71 kcal	3%	4%
152	Lobster	Fish and seafood	70 kcal	3%	4%
153	Potato	Roots and tubers	70 kcal	3%	4%
154	Bombay duck	Fish and seafood	69 kcal	3%	4%
155	Bhetki (barramundi)	Fish and seafood	68 kcal	3%	4%
156	Drumstick leaves (moringa)	Green leafy vegetables	67 kcal	3%	4%
157	Tiger prawns	Fish and seafood	65 kcal	3%	4%
158	Curry leaves	Spices, herbs and condiments	64 kcal	3%	4%
159	Apple	Fruits	62 kcal	3%	4%
160	Soursop	Fruits	62 kcal	3%	4%
161	Grapes	Fruits	61 kcal	3%	4%
162	Cherries	Fruits	60 kcal	3%	4%
163	Oyster	Fish and seafood	60 kcal	3%	4%
164	Clam	Fish and seafood	58 kcal	3%	3%
165	Shiitake mushroom	Vegetables and mushrooms	58 kcal	3%	3%
166	Sugarcane	Sugars and natural drinks	58 kcal	3%	3%
167	Plum	Fruits	57 kcal	3%	3%
168	Jamun	Fruits	56 kcal	3%	3%
169	Ginger	Spices, herbs and condiments	55 kcal	3%	3%
170	Pomegranate	Fruits	55 kcal	3%	3%
171	Black berry	Fruits	54 kcal	3%	3%
172	Currants	Fruits	54 kcal	3%	3%
173	Litchi	Fruits	54 kcal	3%	3%
174	Mangosteen	Fruits	52 kcal	2%	3%
175	Ponnaganni	Green leafy vegetables	51 kcal	2%	3%
176	Garden cress leaves	Green leafy vegetables	50 kcal	2%	3%
177	Pomelo	Fruits	50 kcal	2%	3%
178	Ber (Indian jujube)	Fruits	49 kcal	2%	3%
179	Raw mango	Vegetables and mushrooms	49 kcal	2%	3%
180	Betel leaves	Green leafy vegetables	48 kcal	2%	3%
181	Onion	Spices, herbs and condiments	48 kcal	2%	3%
182	Chillies (green and red)	Spices, herbs and condiments	46 kcal	2%	3%
183	Mud crab	Fish and seafood	45 kcal	2%	3%
184	Brussels sprouts	Green leafy vegetables	44 kcal	2%	3%
185	Pumpkin leaves	Green leafy vegetables	44 kcal	2%	3%
186	Colocasia leaves (arbi patta)	Green leafy vegetables	43 kcal	2%	3%
187	Knol-khol leaves	Green leafy vegetables	43 kcal	2%	3%
188	Pineapple	Fruits	43 kcal	2%	3%
189	Scarlet runner bean	Vegetables and mushrooms	43 kcal	2%	3%
190	Mango	Fruits	42 kcal	2%	3%
191	Mango ginger (amba haldi)	Spices, herbs and condiments	42 kcal	2%	3%
192	Cluster beans (gawar)	Vegetables and mushrooms	40 kcal	2%	2%
193	Peach	Fruits	40 kcal	2%	2%
194	Pear	Fruits	38 kcal	2%	2%
195	Lemon (juice)	Fruits	37 kcal	2%	2%
196	Mint leaves	Spices, herbs and condiments	37 kcal	2%	2%
197	Orange	Fruits	37 kcal	2%	2%
198	Beet root	Roots and tubers	36 kcal	2%	2%
199	Gongura (gogu) leaves	Green leafy vegetables	36 kcal	2%	2%
200	Beet greens	Green leafy vegetables	35 kcal	2%	2%
201	Cauliflower leaves	Green leafy vegetables	35 kcal	2%	2%
202	Fenugreek leaves (methi)	Green leafy vegetables	34 kcal	2%	2%
203	Karonda	Fruits	34 kcal	2%	2%
204	Carrot	Roots and tubers	33 kcal	2%	2%
205	Guava	Fruits	32 kcal	2%	2%
206	Radish	Roots and tubers	32 kcal	2%	2%
207	Amaranth leaves (chaulai)	Green leafy vegetables	31 kcal	1%	2%
208	Coriander leaves	Spices, herbs and condiments	31 kcal	1%	2%
209	Field beans (fresh pods)	Vegetables and mushrooms	31 kcal	1%	2%
210	Mustard leaves (sarson)	Green leafy vegetables	30 kcal	1%	2%
211	Broad beans	Vegetables and mushrooms	29 kcal	1%	2%
212	Drumstick (moringa pods)	Vegetables and mushrooms	29 kcal	1%	2%
213	Bathua leaves	Green leafy vegetables	28 kcal	1%	2%
214	Button mushroom	Vegetables and mushrooms	27 kcal	1%	2%
215	Okra (bhindi)	Vegetables and mushrooms	27 kcal	1%	2%
216	Sweet lime (mosambi)	Fruits	27 kcal	1%	2%
217	Amaranth spinosus	Green leafy vegetables	26 kcal	1%	2%
218	Radish leaves	Green leafy vegetables	26 kcal	1%	2%
219	Raw jackfruit	Vegetables and mushrooms	26 kcal	1%	2%
220	Spring onion	Vegetables and mushrooms	26 kcal	1%	2%
221	Star fruit	Fruits	26 kcal	1%	2%
222	Brinjal (baingan)	Vegetables and mushrooms	25 kcal	1%	2%
223	Pumpkin	Vegetables and mushrooms	25 kcal	1%	2%
224	Strawberry	Fruits	25 kcal	1%	2%
225	Amla (Indian gooseberry)	Fruits	24 kcal	1%	1%
226	Colocasia stem	Vegetables and mushrooms	24 kcal	1%	1%
227	French beans	Vegetables and mushrooms	24 kcal	1%	1%
228	Palm fruit (tadgola)	Fruits	24 kcal	1%	1%
229	Papaya	Fruits	24 kcal	1%	1%
230	Pointed gourd (parwal)	Vegetables and mushrooms	24 kcal	1%	1%
231	Raw papaya	Vegetables and mushrooms	24 kcal	1%	1%
232	Spinach	Green leafy vegetables	24 kcal	1%	1%
233	Cauliflower	Vegetables and mushrooms	23 kcal	1%	1%
234	Muskmelon	Fruits	23 kcal	1%	1%
235	Cabbage	Green leafy vegetables	22 kcal	1%	1%
236	Lettuce	Green leafy vegetables	22 kcal	1%	1%
237	Bitter gourd (karela)	Vegetables and mushrooms	21 kcal	1%	1%
238	Chicken mushroom	Vegetables and mushrooms	21 kcal	1%	1%
239	Basella leaves	Green leafy vegetables	20 kcal	1%	1%
240	Cucumber	Vegetables and mushrooms	20 kcal	1%	1%
241	Rumex leaves	Green leafy vegetables	20 kcal	1%	1%
242	Tomato	Vegetables and mushrooms	20 kcal	1%	1%
243	Watermelon	Fruits	20 kcal	1%	1%
244	Zucchini	Vegetables and mushrooms	20 kcal	1%	1%
245	Chow chow (chayote)	Vegetables and mushrooms	19 kcal	1%	1%
246	Ash gourd (petha)	Vegetables and mushrooms	17 kcal	1%	1%
247	Ivy gourd (kundru)	Vegetables and mushrooms	17 kcal	1%	1%
248	Bamboo shoot	Vegetables and mushrooms	16 kcal	1%	1%
249	Capsicum	Vegetables and mushrooms	16 kcal	1%	1%
250	Celery stalk	Vegetables and mushrooms	16 kcal	1%	1%
251	Knol-khol (kohlrabi)	Vegetables and mushrooms	16 kcal	1%	1%
252	Pak Choi leaves	Green leafy vegetables	16 kcal	1%	1%
253	Coconut water	Sugars and natural drinks	15 kcal	1%	1%
254	Tinda (round gourd)	Vegetables and mushrooms	14 kcal	1%	1%
255	Ridge gourd (turai)	Vegetables and mushrooms	13 kcal	1%	1%
256	Snake gourd	Vegetables and mushrooms	12 kcal	1%	1%
257	Bottle gourd (lauki)	Vegetables and mushrooms	11 kcal	1%	1%

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 needs: ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (brief note).

Cite this page

NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Calories (energy) content of Indian foods. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/nutrients/calories/

03Vegetarian sources

The top vegetarian sources of calories (energy)

Top vegetarian sources of calories (energy) per 100 g
Food	Group	Per 100 g
Coconut oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Corn oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Cotton seed oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Ghee	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Groundnut oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Mustard oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Palm oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Rice bran oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Safflower oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Safflower oil, blended	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Sesame oil (gingelly)	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Soyabean oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Sunflower oil	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Vanaspati	Cooking oils and fats	884 kcal
Walnut	Nuts and oilseeds	671 kcal

04How much you need

Calories (energy) requirements for Indians

The ICMR-NIN 2020 requirements set energy by body weight and by how active a person is. For a 65 kg man in sedentary work the estimated need is 2110 kcal a day, rising to 2710 kcal with moderate work and 3470 kcal with heavy work. For a 55 kg woman the matching figures are 1660, 2130 and 2720 kcal. Pregnancy adds 350 kcal a day on top.

Children and teenagers need a surprising amount of energy for their size, because growing itself costs fuel. The 2020 figures run from 1070 kcal a day at 1 to 3 years and 1360 kcal at 4 to 6 years to 1700 kcal at 7 to 9 years. By 16 to 18 years, boys need about 3320 kcal and girls about 2500 kcal.

Calories (energy) requirement by age group, ICMR-NIN 2020
Group	Per day
Adult man, sedentary	2110 kcal
Adult man, moderate work	2710 kcal
Adult man, heavy work	3470 kcal
Adult woman, sedentary	1660 kcal
Adult woman, moderate work	2130 kcal
Adult woman, heavy work	2720 kcal
Pregnant woman	+350 kcal
Children 1 to 3 years	1070 kcal
Children 4 to 6 years	1360 kcal
Children 7 to 9 years	1700 kcal
Boys 10 to 12 years	2220 kcal
Girls 10 to 12 years	2060 kcal
Boys 13 to 15 years	2860 kcal
Girls 13 to 15 years	2400 kcal
Boys 16 to 18 years	3320 kcal
Girls 16 to 18 years	2500 kcal

Source: ICMR-NIN Expert Group. Nutrient Requirements for Indians: Recommended Dietary Allowances and Estimated Average Requirements, 2020.

05Using the table

From a table to a plate

Every figure is for 100 g of the raw, edible part of the food, so it is a way to compare foods, not a serving size. Nobody eats 100 g of walnuts or oil at a sitting, while 100 g of raw rice cooks up into more than one plate. Cooking adds water, not energy, so cooked rice or dal carries fewer kcal per 100 g than the raw grain, though the pot as a whole is unchanged. The oil or ghee used in the kadhai is not part of a dal's or vegetable's own figure, so count it separately.

Count the cooking fat. A tadka of oil or ghee can add more energy to a bowl of dal than the dal itself, so measure it with a spoon rather than pouring.
Treat nuts and seeds as a small handful or a garnish, not a bowlful, since almond, cashew and walnut sit just below the cooking fats in this table.
Fill half the plate with vegetables, salad and leafy greens, which carry very little energy for the space they take up and slow the meal down.
For children or older adults who need to gain weight, energy-dense foods such as peanuts, til chikki, dry coconut and a little ghee on roti pack more fuel into small meals.
Swap part of the white rice or maida for whole grains and dal: the kcal per 100 g are similar, but the extra fibre and protein make the meal more filling.
Keep an eye on sweets and fried namkeen, which combine sugar or refined flour with fat and are very easy to overeat.

06Questions

What people ask about calories (energy)

Which Indian food has the most calories per 100 g?

Cooking oils, ghee and vanaspati are the densest at 884 kcal per 100 g, calculated from their fat, since they are almost pure fat. Among whole foods in IFCT 2017, walnut leads at 671 kcal, followed by dry coconut at 624 kcal and almond at 609 kcal.

How many calories does an adult need per day in India?

ICMR-NIN 2020 estimates 2110 kcal a day for a 65 kg man in sedentary work and 1660 kcal for a 55 kg woman. Moderate work raises this to 2710 and 2130 kcal. Individual needs vary, so a dietitian can set a personal target.

Why do oils show 884 kcal per 100 g?

Oils, ghee and vanaspati are almost entirely fat, and fat is the most concentrated source of energy in food. IFCT 2017 reports their fat content, and the 884 kcal shown here is calculated from it. Even a single tablespoon adds a noticeable amount to a dish.

Are rice and poha high in calories?

Raw rice and poha are dry grains, so per 100 g they sit in the same range as other cereals, well below nuts and oils. Cooked rice absorbs plenty of water, so each 100 g on the plate carries far less energy than the dry grain.

Is jaggery lower in calories than sugar?

Not in any useful way. Jaggery is mostly sugar, so it is nearly as energy-dense as white sugar. It keeps small amounts of minerals that refined sugar loses, but for energy it should be counted like any other sweetener.

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