Spices, herbs and condiments · IFCT 2017
Cumin seeds: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, cumin seeds give 304 kcal, 442 mg magnesium, 20.58 mg iron, 878 mg calcium and 30.4 g fibre, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. That magnesium ranks 1st of all 242 foods in the tables, and the iron 3rd. A tadka uses a teaspoon or less, however, so jeera seasons a meal far more than it nourishes it.
About cumin seeds
Cumin is the seed most Indian cooks reach for first. It is jeera or jira in Hindi, jire in Bengali, jiru in Gujarati, jeerakam in Tamil and Malayalam, jeelakarra in Telugu and zyur in Kashmiri; IFCT 2017 records names in 17 languages. Gujarat and Rajasthan grow almost all of India's cumin, and the market town of Unjha in north Gujarat trades it by the truckload. Kashmir's shahi jeera, black cumin, is a different, finer plant.
Jeera crackled in hot ghee is the opening sound of countless dals, jeera rice and sabzis. Roasted and ground, it seasons raita, chaas, chaat and jaljeera. It is one of the five seeds of Bengal's panch phoron, a backbone of garam masala and sambar powder, and the jeera water simmered in many homes after a heavy meal.
What cumin seeds brings to a meal
- 01
Most magnesium of any food
Cumin seeds carry 442 mg of magnesium per 100 g, ranking 1st of 242 foods in IFCT 2017. 100 g would meet the full daily requirement for a sedentary man, but a teaspoon gives only a small part of it.
- 02
Iron and calcium on paper
At 20.58 mg of iron and 878 mg of calcium per 100 g, cumin ranks 3rd and 5th of 242 foods. In a tadka, those become modest additions.
- 03
Potassium and zinc
It lists 1886 mg of potassium per 100 g, 2nd of 243 foods, and 4.29 mg of zinc, 11th of 243.
- 04
Fibre and protein
Cumin has 30.4 g of fibre per 100 g, 7th of 256 foods, and 13.9 g of protein, 4th of 21 spices and herbs.
Cumin 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 | 304 kcal | 14% | 18% |
| Protein | 13.9 g | 26% | 30% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 22.6 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 30.4 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.4 g | ||
| Total fat | 16.6 g | ||
| Water | 10.6 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.62 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 8.38 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 4.31 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 44 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 878 mg | 88% | 88% |
| Iron | 20.58 mg | 108% | 71% |
| Zinc | 4.29 mg | 25% | 33% |
| Magnesium | 442 mg | 100% | 119% |
| Phosphorus | 382 mg | ||
| Potassium | 1,886 mg | ||
| Sodium | 125 mg | ||
| Copper | 1.14 mg | ||
| Selenium | 4 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 89 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.52 mg | 29% | 31% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.13 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.87 mg | 16% | 21% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.39 mg | 16% | 21% |
| Folate (B9) | 28 µg | 9% | 13% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.49 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 146 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. Cumin seeds: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/spices-and-herbs/cumin-seeds/
Where cumin seeds 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 30.4 g | 6th of 21 | 7th of 182 |
| Iron | 20.58 mg | 3rd of 21 | 3rd of 242 |
| Calcium | 878 mg | 3rd of 21 | 5th of 242 |
| Zinc | 4.29 mg | 3rd of 21 | 11th of 243 |
| Magnesium | 442 mg | 1st of 21 | 1st of 242 |
| Potassium | 1,886 mg | 2nd of 21 | 2nd of 243 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.49 mg | 4th of 21 | 31st of 242 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.52 mg | 4th of 21 | 13th of 239 |
How cumin seeds is eaten
- Jeera tadka: cumin crackled in ghee with dried red chilli and hing, poured over dal.
- Jeera rice: basmati cooked with cumin, bay leaf and a little ghee.
- Bhuna jeera powder: seeds dry-roasted and ground, sprinkled on raita, chaas and fruit chaat.
- Panch phoron: cumin with fenugreek, nigella, fennel and mustard seeds, the Bengali five-spice.
- Jaljeera: roasted cumin, mint, black salt and tamarind stirred into cold water.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Aam Panna
North Indian · Beverage
Aloo Gobi (Potato & Cauliflower Dry Curry)
North Indian · Side dish
Aloo Matar
North Indian · Main course
Assamese Masor Tenga (Tangy Fish Curry)
Northeast Indian · Main course
Avial (Kerala Mixed Vegetable Curry in Coconut-Yoghurt Sauce)
South Indian · Main course
Baingan Bharta
North Indian · Main course
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Before you plan around it
Every number here is per 100 g of a spice used by the pinch or teaspoon, so cumin's mineral ranking is real but its contribution to a meal is small. Jeera water is a popular home drink after rich food; it is harmless, but claims that it melts fat or fixes health problems are not supported. Loose powder can be adulterated with grass seeds or husk, so buy whole seeds and roast and grind them as needed. Store them airtight.
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 cumin seeds
Is jeera high in iron?
Per 100 g, yes: IFCT 2017 lists 20.58 mg of iron, 3rd of 242 foods. A teaspoon in a dal adds a modest amount; iron-rich foods such as dal, greens and meat do the main work.
Does jeera water help with weight loss?
There is no good evidence that jeera water burns fat. It is a pleasant, calorie-free drink, and swapping it for sugary drinks helps, but weight loss depends on the whole diet and activity.
What is the difference between jeera and shahi jeera?
Jeera is common cumin, Cuminum cyminum. Shahi jeera, or black cumin, is a darker, thinner seed from a different plant grown in Kashmir and used in biryani and Kashmiri dishes. IFCT 2017's figures are for common cumin.
Related foods and tables
Coriander seeds
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Ajwain (carom seeds)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Black pepper
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Asafoetida (hing)
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 spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.