IFCT 2017 vs USDA: 29 Indian Foods Compared
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Get early access: join the waitlistFor 29 Indian foods that both tables list raw or dry, energy per 100 g in IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and in USDA SR Legacy differs by more than 10% on 17 of them and by more than 20% on 8; only 7 agree within 5%. The five cereals agree closely (all within 6.2%), while all six pulses are higher in USDA by 4.9% to 31.7%: whole chana is 287 kcal in IFCT and 378 kcal in USDA.
The short answer
For 29 Indian foods that both tables list raw or dry, energy per 100 g in IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and in USDA SR Legacy differs by more than 10% on 17 of them and by more than 20% on 8; only 7 agree within 5%. The five cereals agree closely (all within 6.2%), while all six pulses are higher in USDA by 4.9% to 31.7%: whole chana is 287 kcal in IFCT and 378 kcal in USDA. Our reading: the two books are not wrong against each other; they count energy and carbohydrate differently and sampled different foods, so for the same food name a gap of 10% or more is normal. The full 29-row table with every code and id is below, and as a CSV download.
Energy per 100 g, all 29 foods, biggest gap first
Each row is one IFCT 2017 row (Table 1, proximate principles) next to one USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy record, both raw or dry, per 100 g edible portion. IFCT prints energy in kJ; we divide by 4.184 to get kcal. The last column is (USDA kcal minus IFCT kcal) divided by IFCT kcal.
| Food | IFCT row | IFCT kcal | USDA id | USDA kcal | USDA vs IFCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Papaya, ripe | E049 | 23.9 | 169926 | 43 | +79.9% |
| Pomegranate, maroon seeds | E055 | 54.7 | 169134 | 83 | +51.6% |
| Bengal gram, whole (chana) | B002 | 287.0 | 173756 | 378 | +31.7% |
| Orange, pulp | E047 | 37.3 | 169097 | 47 | +26.1% |
| Red gram, whole (toor) | B022 | 273.9 | 172436 | 343 | +25.2% |
| Carrot, orange | F002 | 33.2 | 170393 | 41 | +23.4% |
| Beet root | F001 | 35.6 | 169145 | 43 | +20.7% |
| Linseeds (flaxseed) | H014 | 443.8 | 169414 | 534 | +20.3% |
| Green gram, whole (moong) | B011 | 293.7 | 174256 | 347 | +18.1% |
| Lentil, whole brown (masoor) | B014 | 299.0 | 172420 | 352 | +17.7% |
| Onion, big | G017 | 48.0 | 170000 | 40 | -16.7% |
| Apple, big | E001 | 62.4 | 171688 | 52 | -16.6% |
| Pineapple | E053 | 43.0 | 169124 | 50 | +16.2% |
| Banana, ripe, robusta | E012 | 105.2 | 173944 | 89 | -15.4% |
| Coconut kernel, fresh | H007 | 408.9 | 170169 | 354 | -13.4% |
| Rajmah, brown (kidney beans) | B019 | 297.6 | 175193 | 333 | +11.9% |
| Potato, brown skin, big | F006 | 69.8 | 170026 | 77 | +10.3% |
| Cauliflower | D036 | 22.9 | 169986 | 25 | +9.0% |
| Tomato, ripe, local | D076 | 19.6 | 170457 | 18 | -8.2% |
| Wheat flour, whole (atta) | A019 | 320.3 | 168893 | 340 | +6.2% |
| Spinach (palak) | C033 | 24.4 | 168462 | 23 | -5.7% |
| Cashew nut | H005 | 582.7 | 170162 | 553 | -5.1% |
| Almond | H001 | 609.2 | 170567 | 579 | -5.0% |
| Cowpea, brown (lobia) | B005 | 320.3 | 173758 | 336 | +4.9% |
| Rice, raw, brown | A013 | 353.7 | 169703 | 367 | +3.8% |
| Wheat flour, refined | A018 | 351.8 | 169761 | 364 | +3.5% |
| Rice, raw, milled (white) | A015 | 356.4 | 169756 | 365 | +2.4% |
| Jowar (sorghum) | A005 | 334.1 | 169716 | 329 | -1.5% |
| Brinjal, all varieties (baingan) | D031 | 25.3 | 169228 | 25 | -1.3% |
What the numbers say
- Cereals agree, pulses do not. The five cereals differ by at most 6.2% (white rice 356.4 kcal in IFCT, 365 in USDA). All six pulses are higher in USDA, by 4.9% to 31.7%.
- Most of the pulse gap is carbohydrate counting. IFCT prints available carbohydrate; USDA prints carbohydrate by difference, which includes fibre. Whole chana: 39.56 g in IFCT, 62.95 g in USDA, of which USDA lists 12.2 g as fibre.
- Fruit gaps go both ways. Papaya is 23.9 kcal in IFCT and 43 in USDA (+79.9%), but ripe robusta banana is 105.2 in IFCT against 89 and big apple 62.4 against 52, where IFCT is higher. Low-energy foods give large percentages from small kcal differences, so read the kcal columns too.
- Fibre is higher in IFCT for 23 of 29 foods, and the two differ by more than a quarter on 15. Protein differs by more than 10% on 18 foods and is higher in USDA on 15, so there is no single direction for protein.
Why pulses differ: the carbohydrate column
IFCT 2017 says its values for available carbohydrate "will differ with figures for carbohydrate by difference" (IFCT 2017, general information 3.2), and that energy is calculated with the Atwater system using Table 4 factors: 17 kJ per g for protein and for available carbohydrate and 37 kJ per g for fat. For whole chana, 18.77 g protein, 5.11 g fat and 39.56 g available carbohydrate at those factors come to 1181 kJ against 1201 kJ printed (our arithmetic). The USDA record counts 62.95 g carbohydrate by difference, including 12.2 g of fibre. The six pulses side by side, per 100 g:
| Pulse | IFCT available carbohydrate (g) | USDA carbohydrate by difference (g) | USDA fibre (g) | kcal IFCT vs USDA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengal gram, whole (chana) | 39.56 | 62.95 | 12.2 | 287.0 vs 378 |
| Green gram, whole (moong) | 46.13 | 62.62 | 16.3 | 293.7 vs 347 |
| Lentil, whole brown (masoor) | 48.47 | 63.35 | 10.7 | 299.0 vs 352 |
| Red gram, whole (toor) | 42.48 | 62.78 | 15.0 | 273.9 vs 343 |
| Rajmah, brown (kidney beans) | 48.83 | 60.01 | 24.9 | 297.6 vs 333 |
| Cowpea, brown (lobia) | 54.62 | 60.03 | 10.6 | 320.3 vs 336 |
Our reading: the table shows why the same pulse can be 300 kcal in one book and 350 in the other without either number being a mistake. It does not say which one a person should use, and we make no claim about how the body uses fibre.
Protein, fat, fibre and water for the same 29 rows
Each cell is IFCT / USDA, grams per 100 g. IFCT fibre is total dietary fibre; USDA fibre is the record's total dietary fibre value.
| Food | Protein | Fat | Fibre | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice, raw, milled (white) | 7.94 / 7.13 | 0.52 / 0.66 | 2.81 / 1.30 | 9.93 / 11.62 |
| Rice, raw, brown | 9.16 / 7.54 | 1.24 / 3.20 | 4.43 / 3.60 | 9.33 / 11.80 |
| Wheat flour, whole (atta) | 10.57 / 13.21 | 1.53 / 2.50 | 11.36 / 10.70 | 11.10 / 10.74 |
| Wheat flour, refined | 10.36 / 10.33 | 0.76 / 0.98 | 2.76 / 2.70 | 11.34 / 11.92 |
| Jowar (sorghum) | 9.97 / 10.62 | 1.73 / 3.46 | 10.22 / 6.70 | 9.01 / 12.40 |
| Bengal gram, whole (chana) | 18.77 / 20.47 | 5.11 / 6.04 | 25.22 / 12.20 | 8.56 / 7.68 |
| Green gram, whole (moong) | 22.53 / 23.86 | 1.14 / 1.15 | 17.04 / 16.30 | 9.95 / 9.05 |
| Lentil, whole brown (masoor) | 22.49 / 24.63 | 0.64 / 1.06 | 16.82 / 10.70 | 9.20 / 8.26 |
| Red gram, whole (toor) | 20.47 / 21.70 | 1.38 / 1.49 | 22.84 / 15.00 | 9.30 / 10.59 |
| Rajmah, brown (kidney beans) | 19.50 / 23.58 | 1.68 / 0.83 | 16.95 / 24.90 | 9.68 / 11.75 |
| Cowpea, brown (lobia) | 20.36 / 23.52 | 1.15 / 1.26 | 11.54 / 10.60 | 9.42 / 11.95 |
| Onion, big | 1.50 / 1.10 | 0.24 / 0.10 | 2.45 / 1.70 | 85.76 / 89.11 |
| Tomato, ripe, local | 0.90 / 0.88 | 0.47 / 0.20 | 1.77 / 1.20 | 93.62 / 94.52 |
| Potato, brown skin, big | 1.54 / 2.05 | 0.23 / 0.09 | 1.71 / 2.10 | 80.72 / 79.25 |
| Cauliflower | 2.15 / 1.92 | 0.44 / 0.28 | 3.71 / 2.00 | 90.76 / 92.07 |
| Carrot, orange | 0.95 / 0.93 | 0.47 / 0.24 | 4.18 / 2.80 | 87.69 / 88.29 |
| Spinach (palak) | 2.14 / 2.86 | 0.64 / 0.39 | 2.38 / 2.20 | 90.31 / 91.40 |
| Brinjal, all varieties (baingan) | 1.48 / 0.98 | 0.32 / 0.18 | 3.98 / 3.00 | 90.00 / 92.30 |
| Beet root | 1.95 / 1.61 | 0.14 / 0.17 | 3.31 / 2.80 | 86.95 / 87.58 |
| Banana, ripe, robusta | 1.23 / 1.09 | 0.33 / 0.33 | 1.94 / 2.60 | 71.93 / 74.91 |
| Apple, big | 0.29 / 0.26 | 0.64 / 0.17 | 2.59 / 2.40 | 83.01 / 85.56 |
| Papaya, ripe | 0.42 / 0.47 | 0.16 / 0.26 | 2.83 / 1.70 | 91.47 / 88.06 |
| Orange, pulp | 0.70 / 0.94 | 0.13 / 0.12 | 1.29 / 2.40 | 89.61 / 86.75 |
| Pineapple | 0.52 / 0.54 | 0.16 / 0.12 | 3.46 / 1.40 | 86.06 / 86.00 |
| Pomegranate, maroon seeds | 1.33 / 1.67 | 0.15 / 1.17 | 2.83 / 4.00 | 83.55 / 77.93 |
| Almond | 18.41 / 21.15 | 58.49 / 49.93 | 13.06 / 12.50 | 4.37 / 4.41 |
| Cashew nut | 18.78 / 18.22 | 45.20 / 43.85 | 3.86 / 3.30 | 4.44 / 5.20 |
| Coconut kernel, fresh | 3.84 / 3.33 | 41.38 / 33.49 | 10.42 / 9.00 | 36.14 / 46.99 |
| Linseeds (flaxseed) | 18.55 / 18.29 | 35.67 / 42.16 | 26.17 / 27.30 | 5.48 / 6.96 |
How we matched the foods
- Same food, same state. We kept only foods that both books list raw or dry, whole or milled as the IFCT row says, and matched each to the closest SR Legacy record by name. Where IFCT lists several varieties (tomato, banana, apple, potato, carrot) we used one row and named it in the table; another variety row would give a different value. Where SR Legacy has several wheat or bean records we used the generic one named in the table. The matching is NYUS's judgement.
- Not like for like by design: carbohydrate (available vs by difference) and the energy built on it, and dietary fibre methods. Water, protein and fat are measured values in both books.
- Sources: IFCT 2017 Table 1 rows read from the PDF text on 12 Nov 2026; USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 CSV release, nutrients 1008, 1062 (energy), 1003, 1004, 1005, 1079, 1051. Energy in IFCT is kJ; USDA kcal is as printed.
What this page leaves out
- Cooked foods, dishes and recipes: neither book gives a cooked dal or roti row here.
- Foods that only one book lists (paneer and milk products use a different IFCT column layout and are left out), and brands.
- Vitamins and minerals, a recommendation on which book to follow, and anything about weight, digestion or health.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Why does USDA list more calories than IFCT 2017 for chana, moong and other pulses?
For all six pulses compared here USDA SR Legacy is higher by 4.9% to 31.7%. A large part of the gap is how carbohydrate is counted: IFCT prints available carbohydrate (sugars plus starch, 39.56 g for whole chana, row B002), while USDA prints carbohydrate by difference, which includes fibre (62.95 g, record 173756). IFCT says its available-carbohydrate values will differ from carbohydrate by difference. IFCT's printed 1201 kJ for whole chana is close to 1181 kJ from its own Table 4 factors applied to protein, fat and available carbohydrate alone.
Which table should I use for Indian food?
This page does not rank them. IFCT 2017 is analytical data for foods sampled across India; USDA SR Legacy is the US reference table and its Indian-food coverage is by the closest match, so the match is our judgement and is stated per row. For any one food, use one table consistently and check the row yourself: every IFCT code and USDA id is on this page and in the CSV.
How are IFCT kilojoules converted to kcal here?
We divide IFCT kJ by 4.184 and print kcal to one decimal. IFCT itself says 1 kcal = 4.18 kJ, so a figure may differ by 0.1 kcal from one converted that way. USDA energy is the kcal value in the SR Legacy record, not converted.
Are these cooked values?
No. IFCT 2017 gives these foods raw or dry (poultry and egg excepted), and the USDA records used here are raw or dry too, per 100 g. Cooking adds water and changes the numbers per 100 g, so a cooked dal or roti plate cannot be read from this table.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 1 (proximate principles and dietary fibre), energy in kJ, per 100 g edible portion; general information 3.2 (available carbohydrate) and 3.6 with Table 4 (energy factors), PDF pages 28 and 38 to 75 as listed per row in the CSV.
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018 release). Records by FDC id as listed in the CSV, for example 173756 (chickpeas, raw).
The kcal conversion, the percentages, the counts in the text and the chana kJ check are NYUS's own arithmetic from those rows, and every sentence starting "Our reading" is NYUS opinion, not from a study.