Vegetables and mushrooms · IFCT 2017
Cluster beans (gawar): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw cluster beans give 40 kcal, 3.5 g protein, 4.8 g fibre, 3.9 mg iron and 121 mg calcium, according to IFCT 2017. Both the iron and the calcium rank 1st of 39 vegetables, and magnesium, at 82 mg, ranks 2nd. Gawar is the slim, flat bean of Rajasthan, Gujarat and the Deccan, and the same plant gives guar gum.
About cluster beans (gawar)
Cluster beans, Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, grow in tight bunches on upright, drought-tolerant plants, which is why they thrive in the dry lands of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana and the Deccan. Rajasthan grows most of the world's guar crop, mostly for its seeds, which are ground into guar gum, a thickener used in food and industry. The tender pods are the vegetable. IFCT 2017 records names in 13 languages: gaur-ki-phalli in Hindi, govar in Gujarati, govari in Marathi, kothavaranga in Tamil, goruchikkudu in Telugu, gori koyi in Kannada and jhar sim in Bengali.
The pods taste mildly bitter and grassy, and each region has a way to balance that. Rajasthan cooks gawar ki sabzi dry with ajwain and amchur, and Gujarat makes gavar dhokli, the beans simmered with soft wheat dumplings. Maharashtra adds peanuts and goda masala, Tamil Nadu makes kothavarangai paruppu usili with crumbled steamed lentils, and Andhra pairs it with coconut or toor dal.
What cluster beans (gawar) brings to a meal
- 01
Top vegetable for iron
Cluster beans carry 3.9 mg iron per 100 g, ranking 1st of 39 vegetables and 67th of 242 foods. A 100 g serving of gawar gives a man 21 per cent of his iron need and a woman 13 per cent.
- 02
Top vegetable for calcium
The 121 mg calcium per 100 g also ranks 1st among vegetables, about 12 per cent of the adult requirement. Few pod vegetables come close.
- 03
Magnesium and protein
Gawar supplies 82 mg magnesium, 2nd of 39 vegetables, and 3.5 g protein per 100 g, 6th. The magnesium meets 22 per cent of a woman's daily requirement.
- 04
Fibre and vitamin E
With 4.8 g fibre and 0.77 mg vitamin E per 100 g, cluster beans are filling and slightly richer in vitamin E than most vegetables, ranking 6th of 38 for it.
Cluster beans (gawar) 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 | 40 kcal | 2% | 2% |
| Protein | 3.5 g | 6% | 8% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 4.9 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 4.8 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.1 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.4 g | ||
| Water | 84.7 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.11 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.03 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.15 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 63 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 121 mg | 12% | 12% |
| Iron | 3.9 mg | 21% | 13% |
| Zinc | 0.61 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Magnesium | 82 mg | 19% | 22% |
| Phosphorus | 45 mg | ||
| Potassium | 301 mg | ||
| Sodium | 4 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.14 mg | ||
| Selenium | 1.6 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 18 mg | 23% | 28% |
| Beta-carotene | 241 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.05 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.03 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.71 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.12 mg | 5% | 6% |
| Folate (B9) | 41 µg | 14% | 19% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.77 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 23.7 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. Cluster beans (gawar): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/vegetables/cluster-beans-gawar/
Where cluster beans (gawar) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 38 vegetables and mushrooms and every food in the tables.
How cluster beans (gawar) is eaten
- Gawar ki sabzi in Rajasthan: chopped beans cooked dry with ajwain, hing, red chilli and amchur.
- Gavar dhokli in Gujarat: beans simmered in a sweet and sour gravy with soft, spiced wheat dumplings.
- Gavarichi bhaji in Maharashtra: beans cooked with crushed peanuts, goda masala and a little jaggery.
- Kothavarangai paruppu usili in Tamil Nadu: blanched beans stir-fried with crumbled steamed toor and chana dal.
- Goruchikkudu kura in Andhra Pradesh: beans cooked with coconut and a tempering of mustard and urad dal.
Before you plan around it
Cluster beans are rich in soluble fibre, related to the guar gum their seeds yield, and many people find they cause gas and bloating, especially in large servings. Cooking them with hing, ajwain or ginger, as Rajasthani and Gujarati cooks do, helps. Snap off both ends and pull away any strings; older, swollen pods are tough and bitter, so choose slim, bright green ones. Guar gum sold as a fibre supplement is a concentrated product and should be taken with plenty of water, and only after checking with a doctor if you take regular medicines.
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 cluster beans (gawar)
Is gawar good for health?
Yes. IFCT 2017 lists 3.9 mg iron, 121 mg calcium, 82 mg magnesium and 4.8 g fibre per 100 g of cluster beans, placing them 1st among vegetables for iron and calcium. They are also low in energy, at 40 kcal per 100 g.
Why is cluster bean bitter?
Gawar pods contain natural bitter compounds that are stronger in older, larger pods. Choose young, slim beans, blanch them briefly, and cook them with jaggery, peanuts, amchur or coconut to balance the taste.
Is guar gum made from cluster beans?
Yes. Guar gum is made from the seeds of the cluster bean plant, which are ground to release a thickening fibre used in ice cream, sauces and many processed foods. The tender pods eaten as gawar sabzi are the young, green form of the same plant.
Does gawar cause gas?
It can, because of its soluble fibre. Eating moderate portions, cooking the beans well and tempering them with hing, ajwain or ginger reduces gas for most people.
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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.
Magnesium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by magnesium per 100 g.
All vegetables and mushrooms
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Learn to use this data
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