High-Calorie Indian Vegetarian Foods: 28 Foods Ranked by Calories (IFCT 2017)
People search for high-calorie Indian foods for many reasons, and most lists give no source. This guide ranks 28 Indian vegetarian foods by energy per 100 g using Table 1 of the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), then shows what a serving we chose holds. It sets no calorie or weight target and gives no advice on gaining weight.
The short answer
By IFCT 2017, the most energy-dense foods here are walnut at 671 kcal per 100 g, dry coconut kernel at 624 kcal and almond at 609 kcal, then sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, pistachios and raw peanuts at 520 to 586 kcal. Rice, atta and most dals are close together at 320 to 356 kcal, paneer is 305 kcal, and whole milk is 73 to 107 kcal. Our reading: per 100 g the nuts and seeds lead by a wide margin, but a handful weighs 30 g, so look at the serving table too.
28 foods ranked by energy per 100 g
Each row is one IFCT 2017 Table 1 row (proximate principles), per 100 g edible portion as listed in the book, mean value. Energy is the book's kilojoules divided by 4.184, to the nearest kcal. Nuts, seeds, grains, pulses and dried fruit are dry or raw; milk is as sold. Where IFCT lists several varieties we use one row and name it. IFCT 2017 Table 1 has no oil or ghee row, so none is ranked.
| Food (IFCT 2017 Table 1 row) | Energy per 100 g | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut (H021) | 671 kcal | 14.92 g | 64.27 g | 10.14 g |
| Coconut, kernel, dry (H006) | 624 kcal | 7.27 g | 63.26 g | 8.01 g |
| Almond (H001) | 609 kcal | 18.41 g | 58.49 g | 3.04 g |
| Sunflower seeds (H020) | 586 kcal | 23.53 g | 51.85 g | 6.85 g |
| Cashew nut (H005) | 583 kcal | 18.78 g | 45.20 g | 25.46 g |
| Pistachio nuts (H018) | 539 kcal | 23.35 g | 42.49 g | 15.82 g |
| Ground nut (peanut), raw (H012) | 520 kcal | 23.65 g | 39.63 g | 17.27 g |
| Gingelly seeds, white (white sesame, til) (H011) | 520 kcal | 21.70 g | 43.05 g | 10.83 g |
| Linseeds (flaxseed, alsi) (H014) | 444 kcal | 18.55 g | 35.67 g | 10.99 g |
| Coconut, kernel, fresh (H007) | 409 kcal | 3.84 g | 41.38 g | 6.30 g |
| Soybean, brown, dry (B024) | 381 kcal | 35.58 g | 19.82 g | 12.79 g |
| Rice, raw, milled (white rice) (A015) | 356 kcal | 7.94 g | 0.52 g | 78.24 g |
| Rice flakes (poha, dry) (A011) | 354 kcal | 7.44 g | 1.14 g | 76.75 g |
| Rice, raw, brown (A013) | 354 kcal | 9.16 g | 1.24 g | 74.80 g |
| Jaggery, cane (I001) | 354 kcal | 1.85 g | 0.16 g | 84.87 g |
| Bajra (pearl millet) (A003) | 348 kcal | 10.96 g | 5.43 g | 61.78 g |
| Red gram dal, dry (toor dal) (B021) | 331 kcal | 21.70 g | 1.56 g | 55.23 g |
| Bengal gram dal, dry (chana dal) (B001) | 329 kcal | 21.55 g | 5.31 g | 46.72 g |
| Ragi (the grain, raw) (A010) | 321 kcal | 7.16 g | 1.92 g | 66.82 g |
| Wheat flour, atta (A019) | 320 kcal | 10.57 g | 1.53 g | 64.17 g |
| Khoa (L004) | 316 kcal | 16.34 g | 20.62 g | 16.53 g |
| Dates, dry, dark brown (E018) | 311 kcal | 2.38 g | 0.35 g | 72.67 g |
| Paneer (L003) | 305 kcal | 18.86 g | 24.78 g | 2.41 g |
| Raisins, dried, golden (E058) | 297 kcal | 2.76 g | 0.35 g | 68.79 g |
| Green gram, whole, dry (whole moong) (B011) | 294 kcal | 22.53 g | 1.14 g | 46.13 g |
| Milk, whole, buffalo (L001) | 107 kcal | 3.68 g | 6.58 g | 8.39 g |
| Banana, ripe, robusta (E012) | 105 kcal | 1.23 g | 0.33 g | 23.63 g |
| Milk, whole, cow (L002) | 73 kcal | 3.26 g | 4.48 g | 4.94 g |
Energy in a serving, with weights we chose
IFCT lists food per 100 g, so a serving needs a weight, and these are ours. Each figure is the per-100 g value times the grams, divided by 100, to the nearest kcal and 0.1 g of protein. Grains are dry weights, before cooking.
| Serving (weights are ours) | Energy | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 30 g almonds (H001) | 183 kcal | 5.5 g |
| 30 g walnuts (H021) | 201 kcal | 4.5 g |
| 30 g cashew nuts (H005) | 175 kcal | 5.6 g |
| 30 g peanuts (raw) (H012) | 156 kcal | 7.1 g |
| 10 g white sesame (H011) | 52 kcal | 2.2 g |
| 20 g dry dates (E018) | 62 kcal | 0.5 g |
| 20 g jaggery (I001) | 71 kcal | 0.4 g |
| 50 g paneer (L003) | 153 kcal | 9.4 g |
| 200 g whole buffalo milk (L001) | 214 kcal | 7.4 g |
| 200 g whole cow milk (L002) | 146 kcal | 6.5 g |
| 40 g raw milled rice (A015) | 142 kcal | 3.2 g |
| 30 g wheat flour (atta) (A019) | 96 kcal | 3.2 g |
What the numbers say
- Nuts and seeds are the most energy-dense rows. Walnut 671 kcal, almond 609 kcal and raw peanuts 520 kcal per 100 g; 30 g of almonds holds about 183 kcal and 5.5 g of protein.
- Dry staples sit in one band. Raw milled rice 356 kcal, wheat flour 320 kcal and toor dal 331 kcal per 100 g; our calories and macros page shows what a cooked katori or roti works out to.
- Sweet foods are in the middle. Jaggery 354 kcal, dry dates 311 kcal and golden raisins 297 kcal per 100 g; 20 g of jaggery holds about 71 kcal.
- Milk and paneer. Whole buffalo milk is 107 kcal and cow milk 73 kcal per 100 g, so 200 g is about 214 and 146 kcal; see cow vs buffalo milk.
For nuts in more detail, see peanuts vs almonds vs cashews; for snack servings with protein, see high-protein vegetarian snacks.
What this page leaves out
- Cooked values and oils: IFCT 2017 Table 1 gives these foods raw or dry and has no oil, ghee or cooked-dish row, so a cooked plate differs from the table.
- Eggs, meat and fish (not part of a vegetarian list), and tofu, curd and packaged foods (no IFCT 2017 row for tofu or curd): none is ranked.
- A calorie target, and anything about gaining or losing weight, diets or health outcomes: the page adds up food data and makes no such claim.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which Indian vegetarian foods have the most calories?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 Table 1 gives walnut (H021) 671 kcal, dry coconut kernel (H006) 624 kcal and almond (H001) 609 kcal, followed by sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, pistachios and peanuts at 520 to 586 kcal. Nuts and seeds are eaten in small amounts, so a 30 g serving of almonds holds about 183 kcal by our arithmetic.
How many calories are in a handful of almonds, walnuts, cashews or peanuts?
With a 30 g handful as our weight, IFCT 2017 rows give about 183 kcal for almonds, 201 kcal for walnuts, 175 kcal for cashew nuts and 156 kcal for raw peanuts. The weight of a handful varies, so weigh yours; see also our peanuts, almonds and cashews comparison.
Are milk and paneer high in calories?
Per 100 g, IFCT 2017 lists whole buffalo milk (L001) at 107 kcal, whole cow milk (L002) at 73 kcal and paneer (L003) at 305 kcal. For servings we chose, 200 g of buffalo milk is about 214 kcal, 200 g of cow milk about 146 kcal and 50 g of paneer about 153 kcal.
How many calories should I eat to gain weight?
We have not looked up a calorie target for any age, goal or condition, so this guide gives none and makes no claim about weight gain or health. It lists the energy in the food as printed in IFCT 2017, not in a cooked meal. If you are underweight, have lost weight without trying, or have a medical condition, ask a doctor or registered dietitian what amount is right for you.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 1 (Proximate Principles and Dietary Fibre), energy (kJ, divided by 4.184), protein, total fat and carbohydrate per 100 g, rows opened and read from the PDF on 24 Oct 2026: PDF page 41: A003, A010, A011, A013, A015; PDF page 42: A019, B001, B011; PDF page 43: B021, B024; PDF page 49: E012; PDF page 50: E018; PDF page 51: E058; PDF page 55: H001, H005, H006, H007, H011, H012, H014; PDF page 56: H018, H020, H021, I001; PDF page 57: L001, L002, L003, L004.
The serving weights, the serving energy and protein figures, the kcal conversion and every sentence starting "Our reading" are NYUS's own arithmetic or opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.