1. Background: The ICMR-NIN "Red Book" (PDF 19) The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), through its National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), published the first Nutritive Value of Indian Foods in 1971. The 2020 revision (often informally called PDF 19 after its document numbering) is the most authoritative database of the chemical composition of Indian foods.
| Nutrient | Adult male (sedentary) | Adult female (sedentary) | Pregnancy (late) | |----------|------------------------|--------------------------|------------------| | Energy (kcal) | 2320 | 1900 | +350 | | Protein (g) | 54 | 46 | +23 | | Calcium (mg) | 1000 | 1000 | 1200 | | Iron (mg) | 17 | 21 | 35 | | Vitamin C (mg) | 40 | 40 | 60 | | Folate (µg) | 200 | 200 | 500 | | Vitamin B12 (µg) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
Iron from bajra (8.0 mg/100g) is less absorbable than iron from rohu fish (1.4 mg/100g) – but the fish iron is heme iron (15–25% absorption) vs. non-heme (2–5% absorption) from millet. 6. How to Use This Data for Meal Planning (ICMR’s RDA 2020) Combine with ICMR-NIN Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) 2020 (a separate PDF):
Ragi is a calcium powerhouse. Bajra has highest iron among common grains. 4.2 Green Leafy Vegetables (Calcium & Iron) | Leafy veg (100g) | Ca (mg) | Fe (mg) | Carotene (µg) | Vitamin C (mg) | |----------------|---------|---------|---------------|----------------| | Amaranth (chaulai) | 490 | 25.5 | 5520 | 99 | | Moringa (drumstick leaves) | 440 | 7.0 | 6780 | 220 | | Fenugreek (methi) | 395 | 16.5 | 2340 | 52 | | Spinach (palak) | 73 | 10.9 | 6780 | 27 | Note: Spinach has oxalates reducing Ca absorption; amaranth has less oxalate. 4.3 Pulses (Protein & Folate) | Pulse (100g raw) | Protein | Folate (µg) | Fe | Absorption issue | |-----------------|---------|-------------|----|------------------| | Bengal gram (chana) | 17.1 | 147 | 4.6 | Moderate phytate | | Red gram (toor/arhar) | 19.7 | 147 | 3.8 | High phytate | | Green gram (moong) | 21.0 | 159 | 4.5 | Lower phytate |
| Factor | Effect | |--------|--------| | Phytate (pulses, whole grains) | Reduces iron & zinc absorption 30–60% | | Oxalate (spinach, amaranth, tea) | Binds calcium | | Tannin (sorghum, tea, coffee) | Reduces iron | | Ascorbic acid (citrus, amla, guava) | Enhances iron absorption 2–6x |
1. Background: The ICMR-NIN "Red Book" (PDF 19) The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), through its National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), published the first Nutritive Value of Indian Foods in 1971. The 2020 revision (often informally called PDF 19 after its document numbering) is the most authoritative database of the chemical composition of Indian foods.
| Nutrient | Adult male (sedentary) | Adult female (sedentary) | Pregnancy (late) | |----------|------------------------|--------------------------|------------------| | Energy (kcal) | 2320 | 1900 | +350 | | Protein (g) | 54 | 46 | +23 | | Calcium (mg) | 1000 | 1000 | 1200 | | Iron (mg) | 17 | 21 | 35 | | Vitamin C (mg) | 40 | 40 | 60 | | Folate (µg) | 200 | 200 | 500 | | Vitamin B12 (µg) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | nutritive value of indian foods icmr pdf 19
Iron from bajra (8.0 mg/100g) is less absorbable than iron from rohu fish (1.4 mg/100g) – but the fish iron is heme iron (15–25% absorption) vs. non-heme (2–5% absorption) from millet. 6. How to Use This Data for Meal Planning (ICMR’s RDA 2020) Combine with ICMR-NIN Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) 2020 (a separate PDF): | Nutrient | Adult male (sedentary) | Adult
Ragi is a calcium powerhouse. Bajra has highest iron among common grains. 4.2 Green Leafy Vegetables (Calcium & Iron) | Leafy veg (100g) | Ca (mg) | Fe (mg) | Carotene (µg) | Vitamin C (mg) | |----------------|---------|---------|---------------|----------------| | Amaranth (chaulai) | 490 | 25.5 | 5520 | 99 | | Moringa (drumstick leaves) | 440 | 7.0 | 6780 | 220 | | Fenugreek (methi) | 395 | 16.5 | 2340 | 52 | | Spinach (palak) | 73 | 10.9 | 6780 | 27 | Note: Spinach has oxalates reducing Ca absorption; amaranth has less oxalate. 4.3 Pulses (Protein & Folate) | Pulse (100g raw) | Protein | Folate (µg) | Fe | Absorption issue | |-----------------|---------|-------------|----|------------------| | Bengal gram (chana) | 17.1 | 147 | 4.6 | Moderate phytate | | Red gram (toor/arhar) | 19.7 | 147 | 3.8 | High phytate | | Green gram (moong) | 21.0 | 159 | 4.5 | Lower phytate | How to Use This Data for Meal Planning
| Factor | Effect | |--------|--------| | Phytate (pulses, whole grains) | Reduces iron & zinc absorption 30–60% | | Oxalate (spinach, amaranth, tea) | Binds calcium | | Tannin (sorghum, tea, coffee) | Reduces iron | | Ascorbic acid (citrus, amla, guava) | Enhances iron absorption 2–6x |