Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Jeera: Calories and Protein
The base of most Indian cooking is onion, garlic, ginger and the masala box, and the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017, ICMR-NIN) list each one as its own row. To keep every figure solid, this page uses only the rows IFCT averaged over 2 or more regions, and says how many regions each row has. The kJ to kcal conversion, the protein per 100 kcal and the serving sums are our arithmetic, shown below.
The short answer
Among the 10 fresh rows, raw big onion has 48 kcal and 1.50 g of protein per 100 g, garlic (big clove) 124 kcal and 6.92 g, and fresh ginger 55 kcal and 2.22 g. Dry spices are far denser: among the 15 dry rows energy runs from 187 kcal (cloves) to 464 kcal (nutmeg) per 100 g, and protein from 5.86 g (cloves) to 25.41 g (fenugreek seeds).
But nobody eats 100 g of jeera. At 5 g, which is our weight for a teaspoon, cumin seeds give about 15 kcal and 0.70 g of protein, so a spice on its own adds little. The oil in a tadka is not in this table.
How the rows were chosen
IFCT 2017 has 33 rows in group G, condiments and spices. This page uses 25, each an average of 3 to 6 regions: 10 fresh rows (green chilli, coriander leaves, curry leaves, garlic, ginger, mango ginger, mint, onion) and 15 dry spice rows. Left out are the single-region rows (green chilli variety 6 and 7, Kashmir garlic) and the seven green chilli variety rows G001 to G007, since the all-varieties row G008 covers green chilli. IFCT 2017 says all its data except poultry and egg is for raw food (PDF p. 27), so these are raw ingredients.
Fresh onion, garlic, ginger and herbs, per 100 g
IFCT 2017, Table 1 (Proximate Principles), per 100 g edible portion, sorted from the most protein to the least. IFCT prints energy in kilojoules (kJ); we converted with 1 kcal = 4.184 kJ. "Protein per 100 kcal" is the protein divided by the unrounded kcal, times 100. "Regions" is how many regions the average comes from.
| Ingredient (IFCT row) | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii) | 7.41 g | 64 kcal (266 kJ) | 11.7 g | 6 | G010 |
| Garlic, big clove (Allium sativum) | 6.92 g | 124 kcal (518 kJ) | 5.6 g | 6 | G011 |
| Garlic, small clove (Allium sativum) | 6.75 g | 123 kcal (514 kJ) | 5.5 g | 3 | G012 |
| Mint leaves (Mentha spicata) | 4.66 g | 37 kcal (155 kJ) | 12.6 g | 4 | G016 |
| Coriander leaves (Coriandrum sativum) | 3.52 g | 31 kcal (130 kJ) | 11.3 g | 6 | G009 |
| Chillies, green - all varieties (Capsicum annum) | 2.36 g | 42 kcal (177 kJ) | 5.6 g | 6 | G008 |
| Ginger, fresh (Zingiber officinale) | 2.22 g | 55 kcal (230 kJ) | 4.0 g | 6 | G014 |
| Onion, small (Allium cepa) | 1.82 g | 57 kcal (237 kJ) | 3.2 g | 5 | G018 |
| Onion, big (Allium cepa) | 1.50 g | 48 kcal (201 kJ) | 3.1 g | 6 | G017 |
| Mango ginger (Curcuma amada) | 1.45 g | 42 kcal (177 kJ) | 3.4 g | 3 | G015 |
Curry leaves have the most protein of the fresh rows (7.41 g) and mango ginger the least (1.45 g). Garlic has the most energy (124 kcal) against 48 kcal for big onion, and coriander leaves the least (31 kcal). Per 100 kcal, mint gives the most protein (12.6 g), because it has just 37 kcal per 100 g. Small onion has 1.82 g against 1.50 g for big onion, and the small-clove garlic row (6.75 g, 3 regions) sits close to the big clove (6.92 g).
Dry masala and whole spices, per 100 g
The same table for the 15 dry spice rows, sorted the same way. These are dry weights.
| Ingredient (IFCT row) | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Regions | IFCT code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum graecum) | 25.41 g | 235 kcal (983 kJ) | 10.8 g | 6 | G026 |
| Poppy seeds (Papaver somniferum) | 20.31 g | 423 kcal (1768 kJ) | 4.8 g | 6 | G032 |
| Omum (Trachyspermum ammi) | 15.89 g | 357 kcal (1495 kJ) | 4.4 g | 6 | G029 |
| Cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum) | 13.91 g | 304 kcal (1274 kJ) | 4.6 g | 6 | G025 |
| Chillies, red (Capsicum annum) | 12.69 g | 237 kcal (990 kJ) | 5.4 g | 6 | G022 |
| Coriander seeds (Coriandrum sativum) | 10.66 g | 269 kcal (1125 kJ) | 4.0 g | 6 | G024 |
| Pippali (Piper longum) | 10.53 g | 217 kcal (906 kJ) | 4.9 g | 6 | G030 |
| Pepper, black (Piper nigrum) | 10.12 g | 217 kcal (910 kJ) | 4.7 g | 6 | G031 |
| Cardamom, green (Elettaria cardamomum) | 8.10 g | 255 kcal (1067 kJ) | 3.2 g | 6 | G020 |
| Turmeric powder (Curcuma domestica) | 7.66 g | 281 kcal (1174 kJ) | 2.7 g | 6 | G033 |
| Cardamom, black (Elettaria cardamomum) | 6.69 g | 271 kcal (1132 kJ) | 2.5 g | 4 | G021 |
| Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida) | 6.34 g | 332 kcal (1387 kJ) | 1.9 g | 6 | G019 |
| Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) | 6.30 g | 464 kcal (1940 kJ) | 1.4 g | 6 | G028 |
| Mace (Myristica fragrans) | 6.24 g | 356 kcal (1488 kJ) | 1.8 g | 6 | G027 |
| Cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) | 5.86 g | 187 kcal (781 kJ) | 3.1 g | 6 | G023 |
Fenugreek seeds have the most protein (25.41 g) and cloves the least (5.86 g). Nutmeg is the densest row for energy (464 kcal) and fat (36.52 g), and cloves the lightest (187 kcal). Per 100 kcal, fenugreek seeds give the most protein of the dry rows (10.8 g).
10, 50, 100 g of five fresh ingredients
Each cell is the IFCT value times the grams, divided by 100, as protein and kcal. The weights are ours and they are raw.
| Raw ingredient | big onion (G017) | garlic (big clove) (G011) | ginger fresh (G014) | curry leaves (G010) | chillies green - all varieties (G008) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 g | ~0.2 g protein, ~5 kcal | ~0.7 g protein, ~12 kcal | ~0.2 g protein, ~5 kcal | ~0.7 g protein, ~6 kcal | ~0.2 g protein, ~4 kcal |
| 50 g | ~0.8 g protein, ~24 kcal | ~3.5 g protein, ~62 kcal | ~1.1 g protein, ~27 kcal | ~3.7 g protein, ~32 kcal | ~1.2 g protein, ~21 kcal |
| 100 g | ~1.5 g protein, ~48 kcal | ~6.9 g protein, ~124 kcal | ~2.2 g protein, ~55 kcal | ~7.4 g protein, ~64 kcal | ~2.4 g protein, ~42 kcal |
The amounts scale in a straight line, so 100 g has ten times the 10 g figure.
2, 5, 10 g of five dry spices
A pinch to a spoon is the real amount, so these cells use smaller, our own weights. Protein is shown to 0.01 g.
| Dry spice | cumin seeds (G025) | turmeric powder (G033) | fenugreek seeds (G026) | omum (G029) | black pepper (G031) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 g | ~0.28 g protein, ~6 kcal | ~0.15 g protein, ~6 kcal | ~0.51 g protein, ~5 kcal | ~0.32 g protein, ~7 kcal | ~0.20 g protein, ~4 kcal |
| 5 g | ~0.70 g protein, ~15 kcal | ~0.38 g protein, ~14 kcal | ~1.27 g protein, ~12 kcal | ~0.79 g protein, ~18 kcal | ~0.51 g protein, ~11 kcal |
| 10 g | ~1.39 g protein, ~30 kcal | ~0.77 g protein, ~28 kcal | ~2.54 g protein, ~23 kcal | ~1.59 g protein, ~36 kcal | ~1.01 g protein, ~22 kcal |
Even 10 g of the densest spice here is a small number of kcal, which is why a pinch of masala does not move a day's total.
Raw ingredients are not a cooked tadka
IFCT 2017 figures are for raw onion, garlic, ginger, herbs and dry spices. Frying them in oil, as in a tadka or a gravy base, adds the oil's energy and changes the weight, and IFCT 2017 has no cooked-masala row, so this page gives no cooked figure.
Three common mistakes
- Using the per 100 g spice numbers for a teaspoon. Nutmeg is 464 kcal per 100 g, but 5 g is about 23 kcal.
- Counting a masala for its protein. Fenugreek has 25.41 g of protein per 100 g, but 5 g gives only about 1.27 g.
- Forgetting the oil. The tables above are without oil, and a tadka is cooked in it.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
How many calories are in onion, garlic and ginger?
By IFCT 2017, 100 g of raw big onion has 48 kcal and 1.50 g of protein, 100 g of garlic (big clove) 124 kcal and 6.92 g, and 100 g of fresh ginger 55 kcal and 2.22 g. These are raw values, not a cooked gravy.
How many calories are in 1 teaspoon of jeera?
IFCT 2017 gives cumin seeds (G025, 6 regions) at 304 kcal and 13.91 g of protein per 100 g. Taking 5 g as a teaspoon, which is our weight, that is about 15 kcal and 0.70 g of protein.
Which spice has the most protein?
Among the 15 dry spice rows sampled in 2 or more regions, fenugreek seeds (methi dana, G026) have the most, 25.41 g per 100 g, then poppy seeds at 20.31 g and ajwain (omum) at 15.89 g. Cloves have the least, 5.86 g. Spices are eaten in tiny amounts, so this is not a protein source.
How much protein and how many calories are in 5 g of turmeric or black pepper?
By our arithmetic from IFCT 2017, 5 g of turmeric powder has about 0.38 g of protein and 14 kcal, and 5 g of black pepper about 0.51 g and 11 kcal. The 5 g weight is ours and these are dry-spice values.
Why are some chilli and garlic rows not in the table?
This page keeps one row per ingredient with 2 or more regions. IFCT 2017 has 33 rows in its condiments and spices group G; 25 are used here. Left out are single-region rows (green chilli variety 6 and 7, Kashmir garlic) and the seven green chilli variety rows G001 to G007, because the all-varieties row G008 already covers green chilli.
Sources (read 26 October 2026)
- Longvah T. et al., Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), ICMR-NIN, Table 1, per 100 g edible portion, group G rows with 2 or more regions: G008, G009 on PDF p. 53; G010, G011, G012, G014, G015, G016, G017, G018, G019, G020, G021, G022, G023, G024, G025, G026, G027, G028, G029 on PDF p. 54; G030, G031, G032, G033 on PDF p. 55. The statement that all data except poultry and egg is for raw food: p. 27.
- Energy kcal = kJ ÷ 4.184, rounded half-up; protein per 100 kcal and the 10, 50, 100 g and 2, 5, 10 g amounts are NYUS arithmetic on those rows.