Spices, herbs and condiments · IFCT 2017
Curry leaves: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, fresh curry leaves give 659 mg of calcium, 8.67 mg of iron, 16.8 g of fibre and 7663 micrograms of beta-carotene, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. The calcium ranks 7th of 242 foods, and the beta-carotene and folate rank 1st among spices and herbs. A sprig in a tadka weighs very little, however, so the leaves only add up when ground into chutney or podi.
About curry leaves
Curry leaves come from a small tree, Murraya koenigii, that grows in almost every South Indian backyard and many North Indian pots. They are kariveppilai in Tamil, karivepaku in Telugu, karibevu in Kannada and kadi patta in Hindi and Punjabi; IFCT 2017 records names in 17 languages, including girinimba in Sanskrit and narasingha paat in Assamese. The leaves have nothing to do with curry powder.
A sprig spluttered in hot oil with mustard seeds starts sambar, rasam, poha, upma, aviyal and most South Indian and Gujarati dishes, and it is often picked out and left at the side of the plate. Eaten that way, it contributes flavour more than nutrition. Ground into karuveppilai podi, curry leaf chutney or Tamil karuveppilai kuzhambu, the leaves are eaten by the spoonful and become a real source of minerals.
What curry leaves brings to a meal
- 01
Very high calcium
Curry leaves carry 659 mg of calcium per 100 g, ranking 7th of 242 foods in IFCT 2017. 100 g would meet 66 per cent of an adult's daily requirement, though a tadka uses only a few grams.
- 02
Beta-carotene and folate leaders
With 7663 micrograms of beta-carotene, 5th of 160 foods, and 117 micrograms of folate, 19th of 197, curry leaves rank 1st among the spices and herbs for both.
- 03
Iron and magnesium
They give 8.67 mg of iron per 100 g, 18th of 242 foods, and 182 mg of magnesium, 31st of 242. Iron from leaves needs vitamin C alongside for better absorption.
- 04
Fibre, vitamin K and omega-3
Curry leaves have 16.8 g of fibre per 100 g, 19th of 256 foods, 275 micrograms of vitamin K1, the most in their group, and 417 mg of alpha-linolenic acid.
Curry 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 | 64 kcal | 3% | 4% |
| Protein | 7.4 g | 14% | 16% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 4.5 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 16.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.6 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.1 g | ||
| Water | 65.3 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.27 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.04 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.57 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 417 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 659 mg | 66% | 66% |
| Iron | 8.67 mg | 46% | 30% |
| Zinc | 1.18 mg | 7% | 9% |
| Magnesium | 182 mg | 41% | 49% |
| Phosphorus | 83 mg | ||
| Potassium | 584 mg | ||
| Sodium | 19 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.46 mg | ||
| Selenium | 17.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 6 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Beta-carotene | 7,663 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.07 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.13 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.85 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.57 mg | 24% | 30% |
| Folate (B9) | 117 µg | 39% | 53% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.71 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 275 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. Curry leaves: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/spices-and-herbs/curry-leaves/
Where curry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 16.8 g | 12th of 21 | 18th of 182 |
| Iron | 8.67 mg | 10th of 21 | 18th of 242 |
| Calcium | 659 mg | 5th of 21 | 7th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 182 mg | 12th of 21 | 31st of 242 |
| Folate (B9) | 117 µg | 1st of 21 | 19th of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 7,663 µg | 1st of 20 | 5th of 160 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 417 mg | 3rd of 21 | 19th of 202 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 1.71 mg | 2nd of 21 | 26th of 242 |
How curry leaves is eaten
- Tadka: a sprig crackled in oil with mustard seeds and dried red chilli to begin sambar, rasam, poha or dal.
- Karuveppilai podi: leaves roasted with urad dal, chana dal, pepper and garlic, ground and eaten with rice and ghee.
- Curry leaf chutney: fresh leaves ground with coconut, green chilli, tamarind and a little jaggery.
- Karuveppilai kuzhambu: a Tamil tamarind gravy built on a thick paste of curry leaves, pepper and cumin.
- Crush the leaves lightly before adding them so more flavour is released.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Before you plan around it
The striking per-100 g figures here assume eating a large amount of leaves, which only happens in podi, chutney or kuzhambu. Some of the calcium and iron in leaves is bound by plant compounds and is less available than the numbers suggest. Market curry leaves have often shown pesticide residues in tests in Kerala, so wash them well, or grow a plant at home. Dried leaves lose much of their aroma, so use them fresh or freeze them.
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 curry leaves
Are curry leaves high in calcium?
Yes. IFCT 2017 lists 659 mg of calcium per 100 g of curry leaves, 7th of 242 foods. A sprig in tadka is only a few grams, so podi and chutney are the ways to eat enough to matter.
Are curry leaves good for iron?
They carry 8.67 mg of iron per 100 g. It is plant iron, absorbed less well than from meat, so pairing curry leaf chutney with tamarind, lemon or amla helps.
Is it better to eat curry leaves or remove them?
Eating them adds fibre, calcium, iron and beta-carotene, so there is no reason to pick them out, except that whole tough leaves are unpleasant to chew. Chopping or grinding them makes them easy to eat.
Can curry leaves help with hair growth?
Curry leaves are a popular home remedy for hair, but hair loss has many causes, from thyroid problems to iron deficiency. A doctor can find the cause; the leaves are simply a nutritious food.
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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
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Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.