Pulses and legumes · IFCT 2017
Cowpea (lobia): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, dried brown cowpea gives 320 kcal, 20.4 g protein, 11.5 g dietary fibre and 231 micrograms of folate, according to IFCT 2017. Its folate ranks 6th of 197 foods, and 100 g meets more than a woman's whole daily requirement on paper. It also ranks 2nd among pulses for magnesium.
About cowpea (lobia)
Cowpea, the black-eyed bean, is grown across India's drylands and eaten under many names. IFCT 2017 records it as lobia in Hindi and Punjabi, chavli in Marathi, alasande in Kannada, karamani in Tamil, bobbarlu in Telugu, vella payaru in Malayalam, barbati in Bengali and chorap in Gujarati. The same plant gives the long green pods sold as barbati or lobia phali, which are cooked as a vegetable.
The dried bean turns up in very different dishes. Punjab and Delhi cook lobia masala in an onion and tomato gravy, Maharashtra makes chavli usal and amti, and Karnataka has alasande saaru and usli. In Tamil Nadu, karamani sundal tossed with coconut and mustard seeds is made for Navratri, while Kerala cooks the smaller red cowpea, vanpayar, with ash gourd and coconut milk in olan.
IFCT 2017 tests two colours. White cowpea has 21.2 g protein, 11.7 g fibre, 5.04 mg iron and 84 mg calcium per 100 g, against 20.4 g, 11.5 g, 5.9 mg and 82 mg for brown, so the two are close and either works in any recipe.
What cowpea (lobia) brings to a meal
- 01
Folate near the top
Brown cowpea has 231 micrograms of folate per 100 g, 6th of 197 foods. Uncooked, 100 g of lobia supplies about 77 per cent of a man's folate requirement and 105 per cent of a woman's.
- 02
Magnesium and potassium
At 213 mg magnesium and 1241 mg potassium per 100 g, cowpea ranks 2nd of 14 pulses for magnesium and 15th of 243 foods for potassium. The magnesium alone covers about 48 per cent of a man's need.
- 03
Good protein, low fat
Cowpea gives 20.4 g protein with only 1.1 g fat per 100 g, covering about 38 per cent of a man's daily protein and 45 per cent of a woman's.
- 04
Iron and plant omega-3
It carries 5.9 mg iron and 207 mg of plant omega-3 per 100 g, about 31 per cent of a man's daily iron. Lemon or tomato in the dish helps absorption.
Cowpea (lobia) 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 | 320 kcal | 15% | 19% |
| Protein | 20.4 g | 38% | 45% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 54.6 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 11.5 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.6 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.1 g | ||
| Water | 9.4 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.28 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.06 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.55 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 207 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 82 mg | 8% | 8% |
| Iron | 5.9 mg | 31% | 20% |
| Zinc | 3.41 mg | 20% | 26% |
| Magnesium | 213 mg | 48% | 58% |
| Phosphorus | 372 mg | ||
| Potassium | 1,241 mg | ||
| Sodium | 14 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.81 mg | ||
| Selenium | 23.9 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 7 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.33 mg | 18% | 19% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.09 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.64 mg | 9% | 12% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.3 mg | 13% | 16% |
| Folate (B9) | 231 µg | 77% | 105% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.33 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 1.8 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. Cowpea (lobia): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/pulses-and-legumes/cowpea-lobia/
Where cowpea (lobia) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 pulses and legumes and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In pulses and legumes | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 20.4 g | 9th of 14 | 33rd of 243 |
| Dietary fibre | 11.5 g | 10th of 14 | 34th of 182 |
| Iron | 5.9 mg | 8th of 14 | 36th of 242 |
| Zinc | 3.41 mg | 5th of 14 | 26th of 243 |
| Magnesium | 213 mg | 2nd of 14 | 20th of 242 |
| Potassium | 1,241 mg | 7th of 14 | 15th of 243 |
| Folate (B9) | 231 µg | 5th of 14 | 6th of 197 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.33 mg | 3rd of 14 | 113th of 242 |
Every form of cowpea (lobia) in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowpea, brown (shown above) | 320 kcal | 20.4 g | 11.5 g | 5.9 mg | 82 mg |
| White | 320 kcal | 21.2 g | 11.7 g | 5.04 mg | 84 mg |
How cowpea (lobia) is eaten
- Lobia masala: soaked cowpea pressure-cooked and simmered in an onion, tomato and garam masala gravy, eaten with rice.
- Chavli usal: Maharashtrian cowpea curry with goda masala and grated coconut.
- Karamani sundal: boiled cowpea tossed with mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli and fresh coconut.
- Alasande saaru: Karnataka cowpea curry served with ragi mudde or rice.
- Sprouted lobia: soaked beans left to sprout for a day, then added to salads or usal.
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Folate is sensitive to heat and leaches into cooking water, so boiling cowpea in a lot of water and draining it loses a large share of the 231 micrograms on paper. Pressure-cook it in just enough water and keep the liquid in the curry. Cowpea's complex sugars cause gas in some people; an overnight soak with the water discarded, and hing or ginger in the tadka, help. Like other pulses it contains phytate, which reduces iron absorption, so sprouting and a vitamin C food on the plate both help.
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 cowpea (lobia)
Is lobia high in protein?
Yes. IFCT 2017 lists 20.4 g protein per 100 g of dried brown cowpea and 21.2 g for white. Lobia's protein covers about 38 per cent of a man's daily need. Eaten with rice or roti, the meal's protein is more complete.
Is lobia good during pregnancy?
Cowpea is rich in folate, with 231 micrograms per 100 g in IFCT 2017, and folate matters before and during pregnancy. Food alone may not meet the extra need, so pregnant women should follow their doctor's advice on folic acid supplements.
What is the difference between lobia and rajma?
Both are dried beans, but they come from different plants. Lobia is cowpea, small and cream with a black eye; rajma is the larger kidney bean. Cowpea cooks faster and has a lighter texture in curries.
Do you need to soak lobia?
Soaking for a few hours or overnight shortens cooking time, gives an even texture and reduces gas. Lobia softens faster than rajma or chana, so it can be cooked without soaking in a pinch, but it takes longer.
Related foods and tables
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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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.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
All pulses and legumes
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
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