Spices, herbs and condiments · IFCT 2017
Coriander leaves: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, fresh coriander leaves give just 31 kcal with 3808 micrograms of beta-carotene, 5.3 mg of iron and 146 mg of calcium, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. The beta-carotene ranks 13th of 160 foods, and the vitamin K1, 274 micrograms, is 2nd among spices and herbs. A garnish uses far less than 100 g, so a chutney is where these figures start to count.
About coriander leaves
Fresh coriander is the herb on top of nearly every Indian dish, from dal and sabzi to biryani and chaat. It is hara dhania in Hindi, dhone pata in Bengali, kothimbir in Marathi, kothamalli in Tamil and Malayalam, kothimiri in Telugu and kothambari in Kannada; IFCT 2017 records names in 16 languages. The plant grows quickly in winter across the plains and year-round in the south, and a bunch is often thrown in free by the vegetable seller.
Most of the time, a small handful is chopped over a finished dish. Where it is used by the cupful, it becomes a real vegetable: green chutney with mint and chilli, Maharashtra's kothimbir vadi, Andhra kothimeera pachadi, Hyderabadi green masala for chicken and fish, and Bengali dhone pata bata, the leaves ground with mustard oil and green chilli. The stems carry as much flavour as the leaves and belong in the chutney too.
What coriander leaves brings to a meal
- 01
Rich in beta-carotene
Coriander leaves carry 3808 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 g, ranking 13th of 160 foods and 3rd of 20 spices and herbs. The body turns beta-carotene into vitamin A for eyes and skin.
- 02
Vitamin K1
At 274 micrograms of vitamin K1 per 100 g, coriander leaves rank 2nd in their group, just behind curry leaves. Vitamin K is needed for normal blood clotting.
- 03
Iron and calcium
It gives 5.3 mg of iron per 100 g, 43rd of 242 foods, and 146 mg of calcium, 52nd of 242. Iron from leaves is absorbed less well than from meat, so lemon in the chutney helps.
- 04
Vitamin C, folate and potassium
Coriander has 23.9 mg of vitamin C, 2nd of 8 in its group, 51 micrograms of folate and 546 mg of potassium per 100 g.
Coriander leaves 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 | 31 kcal | 1% | 2% |
| Protein | 3.5 g | 6% | 8% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 1.9 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4.7 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.7 g | ||
| Water | 87 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.23 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.01 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.32 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 169 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 146 mg | 15% | 15% |
| Iron | 5.3 mg | 28% | 18% |
| Zinc | 0.68 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 73 mg | 17% | 20% |
| Phosphorus | 65 mg | ||
| Potassium | 546 mg | ||
| Sodium | 37 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.24 mg | ||
| Selenium | 0.4 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 23.9 mg | 30% | 37% |
| Beta-carotene | 3,808 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.09 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.73 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.19 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Folate (B9) | 51 µg | 17% | 23% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.42 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 274 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. Coriander leaves: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/spices-and-herbs/coriander-leaves/
Where coriander leaves sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 20 spices, herbs and condiments and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In spices, herbs and condiments | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 3,808 µg | 3rd of 20 | 13th of 160 |
| Iron | 5.3 mg | 15th of 21 | 43rd of 242 |
| Potassium | 546 mg | 13th of 21 | 50th of 243 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 169 mg | 9th of 21 | 51st of 202 |
| Calcium | 146 mg | 14th of 21 | 52nd of 242 |
How coriander leaves is eaten
- Green chutney: coriander and stems ground with mint, green chilli, ginger, lemon and a pinch of salt.
- Kothimbir vadi: Maharashtrian steamed and fried squares of chopped coriander in spiced gram flour.
- Dhone pata bata: Bengali coriander paste with green chilli, garlic and raw mustard oil, eaten with rice.
- Stir chopped leaves into dal, raita or poha after cooking; heat dulls both colour and vitamin C.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
A garnish of coriander weighs a few grams, so the per-100 g values here only matter when it is eaten in chutney, vadi or paste. Bunches carry soil and are often sprayed, so soak them, swish in several changes of water and rinse before using raw. People on blood-thinning medicines such as warfarin need a steady vitamin K intake, so large, sudden servings of green chutney are worth mentioning to their doctor. Some people find coriander tastes of soap; that is a genetic trait, not spoilage.
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 coriander leaves
Is coriander leaf good for iron?
IFCT 2017 lists 5.3 mg of iron per 100 g of coriander leaves, a good figure for a vegetable. It is plant iron, absorbed less well than iron from meat, and a garnish is small, so a lemon-rich chutney is the practical way to benefit.
Does coriander have vitamin A?
It has 3808 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 g, which the body converts to vitamin A. That ranks 13th of 160 foods in IFCT 2017.
Is coriander the same as cilantro?
Yes. Cilantro is the American name for the fresh leaves of the coriander plant. The dried seeds are sold as coriander seeds or dhania, which IFCT 2017 lists separately.
Related foods and tables
Coriander seeds
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Mint leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Curry leaves
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Parsley
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Fenugreek leaves (methi)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Beta-carotene content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by beta-carotene per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium per 100 g.
All spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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