Vegetables and mushrooms · IFCT 2017
Raw jackfruit: nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, raw green jackfruit gives 26 kcal, 2.0 g protein, 3.5 g carbohydrate and 7.7 g fibre, according to IFCT 2017. The fibre ranks 3rd of 39 vegetables and 57th of 256 foods. Raw jackfruit is famous for its meaty texture in kathal ki sabzi and biryani, but nutritionally it is a light, fibre-rich vegetable, not a protein food.
About raw jackfruit
Jackfruit trees grow across Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Goa, Bengal, Assam, Odisha and the north-east, and long before the fruit ripens, the young green jackfruit is cut and cooked as a vegetable. IFCT 2017 records names in 16 languages, including kathal in Hindi, kanthal in Bengali, kothal in Assamese, phanas in Marathi and Gujarati, halasu in Kannada, chakka in Malayalam, panasa in Telugu and Odia and katahar in Nepali.
Its firm, stringy flesh soaks up masala and holds together in long cooking, which is why Bengal calls the curry echorer dalna or gaach patha, tree mutton. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar make kathal ki sabzi and kathal biryani, Kerala cooks idichakka thoran and chakka puzhukku, and Konkani and Mangalorean homes make kadgi chakko with coconut. The seeds are cooked too: IFCT lists mature seeds separately at 77 kcal, 5.8 g protein and 8.6 g fibre per 100 g, much denser than the flesh.
What raw jackfruit brings to a meal
- 01
Fibre ranks 3rd of 39
Raw jackfruit carries 7.7 g dietary fibre per 100 g, more than most vegetables. Fibre gives the curry its satisfying chew and slows digestion.
- 02
Light, despite the meaty feel
At 26 kcal, 0.3 g fat and 3.5 g carbohydrate per 100 g, raw jackfruit is a light vegetable. The oil and masala in a kathal curry carry far more energy than the jackfruit.
- 03
Some vitamin C
Green jackfruit has 17.5 mg vitamin C per 100 g, which gives a woman 27 per cent of her daily requirement. Long, slow cooking in gravy lowers what reaches the plate.
- 04
The seeds are the protein
The flesh has 2.0 g protein per 100 g, but the mature seeds have 5.8 g and 11.8 g carbohydrate. Adding a few boiled seeds to the curry, as Kerala and Bengal cooks do, makes the dish more filling.
Raw jackfruit 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 | 26 kcal | 1% | 2% |
| Protein | 2 g | 4% | 4% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 3.5 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 7.7 g | ||
| Free sugars | 2 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.3 g | ||
| Water | 85.5 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.12 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.11 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 39 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 46 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Iron | 0.31 mg | 2% | 1% |
| Zinc | 0.17 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Magnesium | 27 mg | 6% | 7% |
| Phosphorus | 28 mg | ||
| Potassium | 327 mg | ||
| Sodium | 4 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.24 mg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 17.5 mg | 22% | 27% |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.05 mg | 3% | 3% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.05 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Niacin (B3) | 0.19 mg | 1% | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.04 mg | 2% | 2% |
| Folate (B9) | 36 µg | 12% | 16% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.05 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 22.3 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. Raw jackfruit: nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/vegetables/raw-jackfruit/
Where raw jackfruit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 7.7 g | 3rd of 39 | 56th of 182 |
| Vitamin C | 17.5 mg | 17th of 36 | 72nd of 130 |
| Folate (B9) | 36 µg | 18th of 39 | 89th of 197 |
| Calcium | 46 mg | 8th of 39 | 102nd of 242 |
| Potassium | 327 mg | 13th of 39 | 123rd of 243 |
Every form of raw jackfruit in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack fruit, raw (shown above) | 26 kcal | 2 g | 7.7 g | 0.31 mg | 46 mg |
| Seed, mature | 77 kcal | 5.8 g | 8.6 g | 0.37 mg | 38 mg |
How raw jackfruit is eaten
- Kathal ki sabzi in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar: chunks fried and simmered in an onion, tomato and garam masala gravy.
- Echorer dalna in Bengal: young jackfruit cooked with potatoes, ginger, cumin and a little ghee.
- Idichakka thoran in Kerala: boiled tender jackfruit pounded coarse and stir-fried with coconut and shallots.
- Kadgi chakko in Konkani homes: tender jackfruit pieces cooked with grated coconut and dried red chilli.
- Kathal biryani: marinated jackfruit layered with basmati rice and fried onions and cooked on dum.
Before you plan around it
Raw jackfruit is sold as a vegan meat substitute, but its protein, 2.0 g per 100 g, is a fraction of that in chicken, paneer or dal, so build the meal around a protein source as well. Cutting it releases a sticky white latex that clings to knives and hands; oil both before you start, or buy pre-cut pieces. Jackfruit seeds must be boiled or roasted, never eaten raw. Some people who are allergic to birch pollen or latex react to jackfruit and should take care.
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 raw jackfruit
Is raw jackfruit good for diabetes?
Raw jackfruit is low in carbohydrate, 3.5 g per 100 g in IFCT 2017, and high in fibre, 7.7 g, so as a vegetable it suits a diabetes-friendly plate. Ripe jackfruit is a different food with much more sugar. Anyone on diabetes medicines should plan their meals with their doctor or dietitian.
Is raw jackfruit high in protein?
No. Raw jackfruit has 2.0 g protein per 100 g, similar to other vegetables. Its meaty texture is why it replaces mutton in curries, but for protein, pair it with dal, curd, paneer or the jackfruit seeds, which have 5.8 g per 100 g.
How do you cut raw jackfruit?
Oil your hands, knife and cutting board. Cut the jackfruit into large wedges, slice away the core and thick green skin, and chop the flesh into chunks. Boiling the pieces briefly in salted water with turmeric makes them easier to cook further.
Are jackfruit seeds edible?
Yes. Boiled or roasted, the seeds taste like chestnuts and are added to curries, especially in Kerala and Bengal. IFCT 2017 lists mature seeds at 77 kcal, 5.8 g protein and 8.6 g fibre per 100 g.
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Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Vitamin C content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by vitamin c per 100 g.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) per 100 g.
All vegetables and mushrooms
39 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.