Vegetables and mushrooms · IFCT 2017
Ash gourd (petha): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw ash gourd gives just 17 kcal, 0.8 g protein, 2.8 g carbohydrate and 3.4 g fibre, according to IFCT 2017, and it is 92.2 g water. Its most notable mineral is potassium, 372 mg per 100 g, which ranks 6th of 39 vegetables. Ash gourd is a mild, cooling vegetable used across India, from Kerala's olan to the candied petha of Agra.
About ash gourd (petha)
Ash gourd, Benincasa hispida, is the large, pale green gourd whose skin develops a chalky white bloom as it matures, which is where the name comes from. That waxy coat lets a whole gourd keep for months in a cool corner, and in many homes one hangs at the entrance as a ward against the evil eye. IFCT 2017 records names in 16 languages: petha in Hindi and Punjabi, chalkumra in Bengali, kumbalanga in Malayalam, venpoosani in Tamil, boodida gummadi in Telugu, budagumbala in Kannada, kohala in Marathi and kubhindo in Nepali.
Its flesh is white, watery and almost flavourless, so it takes on whatever it is cooked with. Kerala cooks it with red cowpeas in coconut milk for olan, a Sadya essential, and Tamil kitchens put it in mor kootu and mor kuzhambu. Bengal makes chalkumror ghonto, Andhra sun-dries it into boodida gummadi vadiyalu, and in Agra it is soaked in lime water and boiled in sugar syrup to make petha.
What ash gourd (petha) brings to a meal
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Among the lightest vegetables
At 17 kcal per 100 g, ash gourd sits near the very bottom of the tables for energy, and it carries only 0.1 g fat and 2.8 g carbohydrate. A generous bowl of kootu or olan adds bulk and fluid without much energy.
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Potassium ranks 6th in its group
Ash gourd holds 372 mg potassium per 100 g, 6th of 39 vegetables and 93rd of 243 foods. Potassium helps balance sodium and supports normal blood pressure.
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Almost no sodium
With 1 mg sodium per 100 g, ash gourd is naturally salt-free, which suits low-sodium cooking. Most of the salt in a dish of it comes from the cook.
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Some fibre and vitamin C
Per 100 g, ash gourd supplies 3.4 g fibre and 11.4 mg vitamin C, the latter 18 per cent of a woman's daily need. Its vitamin B6, 0.18 mg, is modest but useful.
Ash gourd (petha) 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 | 17 kcal | 1% | 1% |
| Protein | 0.8 g | 1% | 2% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 2.8 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 3.4 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.1 g | ||
| Water | 92.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.03 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.01 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.08 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 2 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 19 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Iron | 0.47 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Zinc | 0.13 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 20 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Phosphorus | 29 mg | ||
| Potassium | 372 mg | ||
| Sodium | 1 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.04 mg | ||
| Selenium | 1.1 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 11.4 mg | 14% | 18% |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.01 mg | 0% | 0% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.12 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.18 mg | 8% | 9% |
| Folate (B9) | 14 µg | 5% | 6% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.01 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 27.1 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. Ash gourd (petha): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/vegetables/ash-gourd/
Where ash gourd (petha) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 38 vegetables and mushrooms and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In vegetables and mushrooms | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 11.4 mg | 24th of 36 | 89th of 130 |
| Potassium | 372 mg | 6th of 39 | 93rd of 243 |
| Dietary fibre | 3.4 g | 18th of 39 | 118th of 182 |
| Folate (B9) | 14 µg | 35th of 39 | 150th of 197 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.03 mg | 24th of 39 | 161st of 239 |
How ash gourd (petha) is eaten
- Olan in Kerala: ash gourd and red cowpeas simmered in thin and thick coconut milk with green chilli and curry leaves.
- Poosanikai mor kootu in Tamil Nadu: cubes cooked in a curd and coconut gravy tempered with mustard seeds.
- Chalkumror ghonto in Bengal: ash gourd cooked with fried lentil bori, panch phoron and a little milk.
- Boodida gummadi vadiyalu in Andhra Pradesh: grated gourd mixed with urad batter and sun-dried into crisp wafers for frying.
- Agra petha: cubes soaked in lime water and cooked in sugar syrup until translucent, a sweet rather than a vegetable.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Before you plan around it
Petha the sweet is a different food from ash gourd the vegetable: boiling the cubes in syrup turns a 17 kcal vegetable into a sugar-dense confection, so eat it as a sweet. Raw ash gourd juice has become popular as a morning drink. It is light and hydrating, but juicing discards much of the fibre, and drinking large amounts can cause bloating or loose stools in some people. People with kidney disease on potassium restriction should ask their dietitian before drinking it daily.
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 ash gourd (petha)
Is ash gourd juice good for health?
Ash gourd juice is very low in calories and mostly water, with some potassium and vitamin C. It is a reasonable drink, but it does not have special powers, and juicing removes much of the 3.4 g fibre per 100 g found in the whole vegetable. Cooking it into kootu or olan keeps the fibre.
Is petha the same as ash gourd?
In Hindi, petha is the name for ash gourd itself, and also for the sweet made from it in Agra. The vegetable has 17 kcal per 100 g in IFCT 2017. The sweet is made by cooking the gourd in sugar syrup, so it is much higher in sugar and energy.
Is ash gourd good for weight loss?
It can help, because it is very low in energy, 17 kcal per 100 g, and high in water, so meals with ash gourd feel filling. Weight loss depends on the whole diet, though, and ash gourd cooked in coconut milk or made into petha carries more energy.
What is ash gourd called in Tamil and Malayalam?
IFCT 2017 records venpoosani in Tamil and kumbalanga in Malayalam. Other names include boodida gummadi in Telugu, budagumbala in Kannada, chalkumra in Bengali and kohala in Marathi.
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Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
All vegetables and mushrooms
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Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
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