Nuts and oilseeds · IFCT 2017
Niger seeds: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, black niger seeds give 512 kcal, 18.9 g protein, 10.9 g fibre, 18.19 mg iron, 572 mg calcium and 140 micrograms of folate, according to IFCT 2017. The iron ranks 4th of 242 foods and 1st of 14 nuts and oilseeds, and the folate 13th of 197. This little-known tribal oilseed is one of the most mineral-dense foods in the tables.
About niger seeds
Niger seed is a small, slender, black oilseed from a yellow-flowered plant, Guizotia abyssinica, grown mostly by tribal and small farmers on poor hill soils in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is ram til in Bengali, kala til in Hindi, karale in Marathi, gurellu in Kannada, valasulu in Telugu and kattelu in Tamil. Most of the crop is pressed for oil, and a good share is exported as bird seed.
Where it is eaten, it is loved. North Karnataka makes gurellu chutney pudi, a dry powder of roasted niger seed, chilli and garlic for jowar rotti; Marathwada and Vidarbha make karale chutney the same way; and tribal Odisha cooks with its oil. IFCT 2017 lists a grey variety too, with more iron, 19.61 mg per 100 g, but less calcium, 375 mg. Note that the Malayalam name recorded, karim jeerakam, usually means nigella, a different seed.
What niger seeds brings to a meal
- 01
Iron among the very top
At 18.19 mg per 100 g, black niger seed ranks 4th of 242 foods and 1st among nuts and oilseeds for iron. The grey kind reaches 19.61 mg.
- 02
Calcium and magnesium
Niger seed carries 572 mg calcium and 346 mg magnesium per 100 g, ranking 9th and 6th of all foods. That calcium is about 57 per cent of an adult's daily requirement.
- 03
Folate leader among seeds
With 140 micrograms of folate per 100 g, niger seed ranks 1st of 14 nuts and oilseeds and 13th of 197 foods, about 47 per cent of a man's and 64 per cent of a woman's requirement.
- 04
Zinc, B6 and vitamin K1
100 g gives 4.98 mg zinc, 8th of 243 foods, 0.45 mg vitamin B6 and 110.0 micrograms of vitamin K1. Most of its fat, 21.93 g, is polyunsaturated.
Niger seeds 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 | 512 kcal | 24% | 31% |
| Protein | 18.9 g | 35% | 41% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 23 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 10.9 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.8 g | ||
| Total fat | 38.6 g | ||
| Water | 4.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 5.95 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 9.03 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 21.93 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 64 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 572 mg | 57% | 57% |
| Iron | 18.19 mg | 96% | 63% |
| Zinc | 4.98 mg | 29% | 38% |
| Magnesium | 346 mg | 79% | 94% |
| Phosphorus | 461 mg | ||
| Potassium | 716 mg | ||
| Sodium | 11 mg | ||
| Copper | 1.2 mg | ||
| Selenium | 39.3 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 2 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.46 mg | 26% | 27% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.23 mg | 9% | 10% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.14 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.45 mg | 19% | 24% |
| Folate (B9) | 140 µg | 47% | 64% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.59 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 110 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. Niger seeds: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/nuts-and-seeds/niger-seeds/
Where niger seeds sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 nuts and oilseeds and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In nuts and oilseeds | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 10.9 g | 7th of 14 | 38th of 182 |
| Iron | 18.19 mg | 1st of 14 | 4th of 242 |
| Calcium | 572 mg | 2nd of 14 | 9th of 242 |
| Zinc | 4.98 mg | 4th of 14 | 8th of 243 |
| Magnesium | 346 mg | 4th of 14 | 6th of 242 |
| Potassium | 716 mg | 4th of 14 | 30th of 243 |
| Folate (B9) | 140 µg | 1st of 14 | 13th of 197 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 2.59 mg | 10th of 14 | 17th of 242 |
Every form of niger seeds in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niger seeds, black (shown above) | 512 kcal | 18.9 g | 10.9 g | 18.19 mg | 572 mg |
| Gray | 509 kcal | 18.3 g | 11 g | 19.61 mg | 375 mg |
How niger seeds is eaten
- Gurellu chutney pudi: roasted niger seed ground with dry red chilli, garlic, tamarind and salt, eaten with jowar rotti and oil.
- Karale chutney in Marathwada, a coarse, nutty powder served with bhakri.
- Sprinkled over rice with a spoon of ghee or groundnut oil.
- Roasted and pounded with jaggery into small laddoos, much as til is used.
- Its oil, used for everyday cooking in parts of tribal Odisha and central India.
Before you plan around it
Niger seed is eaten a spoonful at a time, as a chutney powder, so the per 100 g figures describe a concentrated food. Its iron is plant iron, absorbed better alongside vitamin C or a squeeze of lime. Because it is high in polyunsaturated fat, the seeds and powder turn rancid quickly; roast small batches and store them airtight. Seeds sold loose as bird feed are not cleaned for human food, so buy from a grocer.
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 niger seeds
What are niger seeds called in Hindi?
IFCT 2017 records kala til in Hindi and ram til in Bengali, though niger is not a true sesame. It is karale in Marathi, gurellu in Kannada, valasulu in Telugu and kattelu in Tamil.
Are niger seeds good for anaemia?
They are among the richest iron sources in IFCT 2017, at 18.19 mg per 100 g of black seed. A spoonful of chutney powder adds a useful amount, especially eaten with lime or another vitamin C food. Anaemia still needs a doctor's diagnosis and treatment.
Are niger seeds the same as nigella seeds?
No. Niger seed is a slender black oilseed from a daisy-family plant, used for oil and chutney powders. Nigella, kalonji, is a spice with a sharp taste. Their names are often confused.
How do you use niger seeds?
Dry-roast them until they crackle, then grind with chilli, garlic and salt into a chutney powder, as North Karnataka and Marathwada do. Eat a spoonful with rotti, bhakri or rice.
Related foods and tables
Sesame seeds (til)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Flaxseeds (alsi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Garden cress seeds (halim)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Safflower seeds
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Jowar (sorghum)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Calcium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by calcium per 100 g.
All nuts and oilseeds
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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