Calories in a Teaspoon of Jeera, Haldi, Mirch, Methi

By NYUS Inc. · Published 27 October 2026

A teaspoon of a spice weighs only a few grams, so the calories per 100 g and the calories per teaspoon look very different. This guide gives both, from two datasets kept apart. The SR Legacy table of USDA FoodData Central prints a teaspoon and a tablespoon weight on eleven spice records. IFCT 2017, the Indian Food Composition Tables from ICMR-NIN, has rows for eleven dry spices and six fresh seasonings, each with its region count, but prints no spoon weights, so its figures are per 100 g only. IFCT prints energy in kilojoules, so the kcal for those rows are our conversion. Our existing onion, garlic, ginger and jeera guide ranks the same IFCT rows by protein; this page gives energy instead.

The short answer

By the SR Legacy records, 1 teaspoon of whole cumin seed (2.1 g) is about 7.9 kcal, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric (3 g) about 9.4 kcal, 1 teaspoon of red or cayenne pepper (1.8 g) about 5.7 kcal, 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seed (3.7 g) about 12.0 kcal and 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper (2.3 g) about 5.8 kcal. By IFCT 2017 Table 1 (per 100 g, 6 regions each), cumin seeds (G025) are 304 kcal, turmeric powder (G033) 281, red chillies (G022) 237, fenugreek seeds (G026) 235 and black pepper (G031) 217. Our reading: per teaspoon each of these five spices is 12 kcal or less by the SR Legacy weights, and the weight of the teaspoon matters more than the spice.

SR Legacy: per teaspoon

Each figure is our arithmetic: kcal per 100 g times the grams in the teaspoon, divided by 100, shown to 0.1 kcal. Every teaspoon weight is printed on the SR Legacy record page, none is ours. The record names are the dataset's own.

The sums: cumin 375 × 2.1 / 100 = 7.875, so 7.9 kcal; turmeric 312 × 3 / 100 = 9.36, so 9.4 kcal; red/cayenne pepper 318 × 1.8 / 100 = 5.724, so 5.7 kcal; fenugreek 323 × 3.7 / 100 = 11.951, so 12.0 kcal; black pepper 251 × 2.3 / 100 = 5.773, so 5.8 kcal; coriander seed 298 × 1.8 / 100 = 5.364, so 5.4 kcal; cardamom 311 × 2 / 100 = 6.22, so 6.2 kcal; cloves 274 × 2.1 / 100 = 5.754, so 5.8 kcal; fennel 345 × 2 / 100 = 6.9, so 6.9 kcal; ginger 335 × 1.8 / 100 = 6.03, so 6.0 kcal; cinnamon 247 × 2.6 / 100 = 6.422, so 6.4 kcal. Protein, fat and carbohydrate are the same arithmetic on the per 100 g figures, rounded to 0.1 g with half rounding up.

SR Legacy: tablespoons and other printed weights

The sums: cumin 375 × 6 / 100 = 22.5, so 22.5 kcal; turmeric 312 × 9.4 / 100 = 29.328, so 29.3 kcal; red/cayenne pepper 318 × 5.3 / 100 = 16.854, so 16.9 kcal; fenugreek 323 × 11.1 / 100 = 35.853, so 35.9 kcal; black pepper 251 × 6.9 / 100 = 17.319, so 17.3 kcal; coriander seed 298 × 5 / 100 = 14.9, so 14.9 kcal; cardamom 311 × 5.8 / 100 = 18.038, so 18.0 kcal; cloves 274 × 6.5 / 100 = 17.81, so 17.8 kcal; fennel 345 × 5.8 / 100 = 20.01, so 20.0 kcal; ginger 335 × 5.2 / 100 = 17.42, so 17.4 kcal; cinnamon 247 × 7.8 / 100 = 19.266, so 19.3 kcal; black pepper whole tsp 251 × 2.9 / 100 = 7.279, so 7.3 kcal.

IFCT 2017: dry spices, per 100 g

IFCT 2017, Table 1 (Proximate Principles), per 100 g edible portion. IFCT 2017 says all its data except poultry and egg pertains to raw food (PDF p. 27). "Regions" is how many regions the row averages; every row below averages 4 to 6 regions and none is a single-region row. IFCT prints no teaspoon or tablespoon weight, so we do not convert these rows to a spoon. Energy is IFCT's kJ value; kcal is our conversion at 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ, rounded to the nearest kcal with half rounding up. The names are IFCT's own; IFCT has no cinnamon or fennel row.

IFCT 2017: fresh chillies, leaves, ginger and garlic, per 100 g

The conversions for both IFCT tables: G025 1274 / 4.184 = 304.49, so 304 kcal; G033 1174 / 4.184 = 280.59, so 281 kcal; G022 990 / 4.184 = 236.62, so 237 kcal; G026 983 / 4.184 = 234.94, so 235 kcal; G031 910 / 4.184 = 217.50, so 217 kcal; G024 1125 / 4.184 = 268.88, so 269 kcal; G020 1067 / 4.184 = 255.02, so 255 kcal; G021 1132 / 4.184 = 270.55, so 271 kcal; G023 781 / 4.184 = 186.66, so 187 kcal; G029 1495 / 4.184 = 357.31, so 357 kcal; G019 1387 / 4.184 = 331.50, so 332 kcal; G008 177 / 4.184 = 42.30, so 42 kcal; G009 130 / 4.184 = 31.07, so 31 kcal; G010 266 / 4.184 = 63.58, so 64 kcal; G016 155 / 4.184 = 37.05, so 37 kcal; G014 230 / 4.184 = 54.97, so 55 kcal; G011 518 / 4.184 = 123.80, so 124 kcal.

What stands out in the numbers

• IFCT per 100 g, dry spices: G019 (asafoetida) 1387 kJ, G025 (cumin) 1274 kJ, G033 (turmeric) 1174 kJ and G024 (coriander seeds) 1125 kJ, down to G023 (cloves) 781 kJ.
• SR Legacy per 100 g: 170923 (cumin) 375 kcal, 171323 (fennel) 345, 170926 (ginger) 335, 171324 (fenugreek) 323, 170932 (red or cayenne pepper) 318, 172231 (turmeric) 312, 170919 (cardamom) 311, 170922 (coriander seed) 298, 171321 (cloves) 274, 170931 (black pepper) 251 and 171320 (cinnamon) 247.
• Teaspoon weights differ: SR Legacy 171324 (fenugreek) prints 3.7 g and 172231 (turmeric) 3 g, against 1.8 g for 170922 (coriander seed), 170932 (red or cayenne pepper) and 170926 (ginger).
• Fresh rows, IFCT per 100 g: G009 (coriander leaves) 31 kcal, G008 (green chillies, all varieties) 42, G016 (mint leaves, 4 regions) 37, G014 (fresh ginger) 55, G010 (curry leaves) 64 and G011 (garlic, big clove) 124.

Why these are reference rows, not your masala box

• Single spices, no blends. No row here is garam masala, sambar powder, chaat masala or any mix, so this page gives no number for those.
• Name matching is the record's. SR Legacy 170932 is named "Spices, pepper, red or cayenne", and we do not say which Indian chilli powder it matches; the same goes for whole and ground forms, which the record names state.
• The records' own notes. The record pages mark the energy and carbohydrate of all eleven SR Legacy records "Calculated"; the protein and fat of 172231, 171321 and 170926 "Analytical"; the protein of 170931 and 171320 "Analytical"; the fat of 171320 "Aggregated data involving combinations of data with different source codes when at least one code is not 1, 6, 12, or 13", and carry no note on the other protein and fat values.
• Teaspoons are the record's. A heaped or level spoon you use may weigh more or less; weigh when you can.
• For a packaged product, the pack wins. This page uses no pack labels.

How to log it so the numbers hold

• Log by weight or by printed teaspoon. 2 teaspoons of whole cumin seed (our example count, not a dataset value) is 2 × 2.1 g = 4.2 g, and on SR Legacy 170923 that is 375 × 4.2 / 100 = 15.75, so 16 kcal by our arithmetic.
• Log the oil separately. Our spoon guide gives a level teaspoon of oil or ghee.
• See what the rest of the plate adds. Our food diary guide shows how to log a day.
• Do not mix datasets inside one day. If you log a spice from IFCT 2017, keep to that row for the same dish.

Where NYUS fits (our app)

We make NYUS, so read this as ours. NYUS is an AI fitness and nutrition coach in early access on Android, with no ads and no data selling. You log foods yourself by searching 8,900+ Indian and global foods or by barcode, and a weekly check-in adjusts your calories, macros and step goal once enough is logged. Barcode coverage of Indian packaged foods is not complete, so search by name when a scan finds nothing.

What this page leaves out

• A calorie, protein or fat target, and any claim about what these foods do to your weight or health: we have not looked up one for any person, so we give none. If you have a medical condition, ask your doctor or dietitian.
• Any named brand, pack label or FSSAI figure: not used, so the page does not mix label numbers with the records above.
• Garam masala, sambar powder, chaat masala, curry powder, tadka and other blends or dishes: none is among the IFCT rows or SR Legacy records used, so no number here.
• Mustard seed, poppy seed, sesame and other seeds: not covered here; see our seeds guide.
• Nutrients beyond energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate, including fibre and sodium: not covered here.

Sources

• ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), Table 1 (Proximate Principles and Dietary Fibre), PDF p. 53 (G008, G009), p. 54 (G010, G011, G014, G016, G019 to G026, G029) and p. 55 (G031, G033), read 27 Oct 2026; the raw-food statement is on PDF p. 27.
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 170923 (Spices, cumin seed): Energy 375 kcal, protein 17.8 g, total fat 22.3 g, carbohydrate 44.2 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tsp whole 2.1 g, 1 tbsp whole 6 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 172231 (Spices, turmeric, ground): Energy 312 kcal, protein 9.68 g, total fat 3.25 g, carbohydrate 67.1 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tsp 3 g, 1 tbsp 9.4 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 170932 (Spices, pepper, red or cayenne): Energy 318 kcal, protein 12 g, total fat 17.3 g, carbohydrate 56.6 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tbsp 5.3 g, 1 tsp 1.8 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 171324 (Spices, fenugreek seed): Energy 323 kcal, protein 23 g, total fat 6.41 g, carbohydrate 58.4 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tsp 3.7 g, 1 tbsp 11.1 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 170931 (Spices, pepper, black): Energy 251 kcal, protein 10.4 g, total fat 3.26 g, carbohydrate 64 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tbsp ground 6.9 g, 1 dash 0.1 g, 1 tsp ground 2.3 g, 1 tsp whole 2.9 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 170922 (Spices, coriander seed): Energy 298 kcal, protein 12.4 g, total fat 17.8 g, carbohydrate 55 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tbsp 5 g, 1 tsp 1.8 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 170919 (Spices, cardamom): Energy 311 kcal, protein 10.8 g, total fat 6.7 g, carbohydrate 68.5 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tsp ground 2 g, 1 tbsp ground 5.8 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 171321 (Spices, cloves, ground): Energy 274 kcal, protein 5.97 g, total fat 13 g, carbohydrate 65.5 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tsp 2.1 g, 1 tbsp 6.5 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 171323 (Spices, fennel seed): Energy 345 kcal, protein 15.8 g, total fat 14.9 g, carbohydrate 52.3 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tbsp whole 5.8 g, 1 tsp whole 2 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 170926 (Spices, ginger, ground): Energy 335 kcal, protein 8.98 g, total fat 4.24 g, carbohydrate 71.6 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tbsp 5.2 g, 1 tsp 1.8 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy 171320 (Spices, cinnamon, ground): Energy 247 kcal, protein 3.99 g, total fat 1.24 g, carbohydrate 80.6 g per 100 g; portions: 1 tsp 2.6 g, 1 tbsp 7.8 g (read 27 Oct 2026).
• nyus.in, the NYUS landing page, read on 27 Oct 2026 for the app statements in the NYUS section and the CTA.

The kJ to kcal conversions, the per teaspoon figures, the sums, the rounding, the 2-teaspoon example count, the comparisons and every sentence starting "Our reading" are NYUS's own arithmetic or opinion, not from IFCT or USDA. The IFCT values and the SR Legacy spoon weights are as printed in those datasets. The names in the first column are the datasets' own row and record names.

Frequently asked questions