Betel Leaves (Paan) Nutrition Calculator — Fresh & Dried

Fresh betel leaves (Piper betle) deliver 5.5mg iron per 100g (31% DV) — more than double the iron in raw spinach (2.7mg) and higher than most leafy greens ^[1][2]. Combined with 207mg calcium (16% DV) and 660mg potassium (14% DV), the mineral density per calorie is exceptionally high at just 44 kcal.

The IFCT 2017 and published reviews report iron ranging from 5.0-7.0mg and calcium from 207-390mg across varieties ^[2][3]. For consistent journaling, a single betel leaf (~4g) provides approximately 0.22mg iron — small per leaf but nutritionally significant when multiple leaves are consumed.

Betel leaves contain 4,186-4,686mcg beta-carotene per 100g fresh, converting to approximately 367mcg vitamin A RAE (41% DV) ^[1][2]. At just 44 kcal, this translates to 8.3mcg vitamin A per calorie — lower than carrot (835mcg RAE at 41 kcal = 20.4mcg/kcal) but notable for a leaf typically consumed in small quantities.

The carotenoid content is preserved better in fresh consumption than in dried form, where beta-carotene ranges from 5,440-6,693mcg per 100g but at 287 kcal. For vitamin A journaling, fresh leaves offer the most efficient delivery per calorie ^[2].

Dried betel leaf powder concentrates calcium to 1,300mg per 100g (100% DV) — a 6.3x increase from fresh (207mg), consistent with ~85% water removal ^[2]. Iron concentrates to 32.0mg per 100g (178% DV) — among the highest iron levels in any dried leafy product. Even 1 teaspoon of dried powder (3g) provides 39mg calcium and 0.96mg iron.

This concentration occurs because fresh betel leaves are ~85% water. Drying removes the water while preserving most minerals. The dried form also retains vitamin C at 34mg per 100g — actually higher than the fresh vitamin C per dry-weight equivalent, possibly due to bound forms being released during dehydration ^[3].

A single betel leaf (~4g) provides just 1.8 kcal with 8.3mg calcium and 0.22mg iron. At 6 leaves (24g), the totals rise to 10.6 kcal, 49.7mg calcium (4% DV), and 1.32mg iron (7% DV) — nutritionally meaningful without significant calorie contribution ^[1].

Traditional paan preparation adds slaked lime (chuna), which contributes additional calcium (~240mg per gram of lime paste). When tracking a complete paan with lime, the calcium from both the leaf and lime paste should be logged separately for accuracy.

Betel leaves contain 21mg vitamin C per 100g fresh (23% DV) along with 0.7mg niacin and trace essential oils comprising chavicol, eugenol, and terpenes ^[2][3]. The fat content at 0.8g per 100g is slightly higher than most leafy greens, partly from essential oil components.

The essential oil content (0.08-0.2%) distinguishes betel from typical greens — these volatile aromatic compounds contribute to the leaf's characteristic pungent flavor but do not significantly alter the macronutrient profile. For calorie logging, the standard 44 kcal per 100g accounts for this oil content ^[3].