Gongura Leaves Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Gongura leaves (Hibiscus sabdariffa leaves) contain 49 kcal per 100g raw with 1.73g protein, 9.7g carbohydrates, and 2.4g fiber. Their calorie density sits between spinach (23 kcal/100g) and drumstick pods (37 kcal/100g), placing them in the low-calorie range of Indian saag greens ^[1].

The leaves are 86% water by weight, which explains their low calorie density. After cooking and draining, they concentrate slightly to approximately 51 kcal per 100g cooked. The characteristic tartness comes from high concentrations of organic acids (primarily oxalic and malic acid), not from caloric components.

For food journaling, 1 cup of raw gongura leaves (~45g) contains just 22 kcal — a low-calorie base for chutneys and sabzis. The significant calories in gongura dishes typically come from the oil, tempering ingredients, and dal, not the leaves themselves.

The USDA FoodData Central entry for 'Roselle, raw' (FDC #169223) refers to the calyces (red flower sepals) of Hibiscus sabdariffa — the part used to make hibiscus tea and agua fresca — not the green leaves used in Andhra and Telangana cooking. The calyx has 0.96g protein per 100g, while the leaves have approximately 1.73g ^[2].

This distinction matters for food journaling because the nutritional profiles differ. Roselle calyces are consumed as a beverage ingredient (typically 2–3g per cup of tea), while gongura leaves are consumed as a vegetable (50–200g per serving). Applying calyx data to leaf-based dishes would misrepresent the calcium and fiber intake.

The leaf nutritional data in this calculator is sourced from the Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017) and peer-reviewed analyses of Hibiscus sabdariffa leaves, which are more relevant for Indian gongura preparations than the USDA roselle calyx entry.

A standard gongura pachadi (chutney) uses about 50–75g of leaves, which contribute approximately 25–37 kcal. But the preparation typically includes 1 tablespoon of oil for tempering (120 kcal), mustard seeds (15 kcal), dried red chilies (9 kcal), and sometimes sesame seeds (17 kcal). The tempering alone adds 130–160 kcal ^[3].

The total pachadi (~150g including all ingredients) ends up at approximately 160–200 kcal, with the gongura leaves contributing only 15–20% of the total calories. A 2-tablespoon serving of this chutney with rice would add about 40–50 kcal to a meal.

For accurate calorie tracking, log gongura pachadi by measuring the oil used during preparation. Reducing the tempering oil from 1 tablespoon to 1 teaspoon saves about 80 kcal — more than the calorie content of all the leaves combined.

Raw gongura leaves contain 171mg calcium per 100g — higher than spinach (99mg) but lower than amaranth leaves (215mg). They also contain 2.65mg iron per 100g, placing them between spinach (2.71mg) and bathua leaves (1.2mg raw) in the leafy green iron spectrum ^[1].

However, gongura's high oxalic acid content — the same compound responsible for its distinctive sour taste — may bind some of the calcium and iron, reducing their availability during digestion. This doesn't change the total mineral content you log, but it's worth noting in your journal if you track mineral intake from leafy greens.

A practical serving of gongura pappu (using 100g leaves in a dal dish) provides about 171mg calcium and 2.65mg iron from the leaves alone. The dal component (typically toor dal) adds another 55mg calcium and 5mg iron per 100g cooked, making the combined dish a notable contributor to daily mineral totals.

A standard bowl of plain toor dal (150g cooked, ~130 kcal) provides roughly 7g protein, 0.5g fiber, and minimal vitamin C. Adding 100g of gongura leaves (49 kcal) to the same dal increases the total to approximately 179 kcal while adding 2.4g fiber, 171mg calcium, 2.65mg iron, and 18mg vitamin C ^[3].

The fiber addition is particularly meaningful — gongura leaves nearly quintuple the fiber content of a plain dal serving. This changes the dish from a protein-dominant bowl to a more balanced combination of protein, fiber, and minerals without significantly increasing the calorie count.

For food journaling, log the gongura pappu as two components: the cooked dal by weight and the gongura leaves by raw weight (before adding to dal). This approach captures the nutritional contribution of each ingredient and allows you to adjust portions independently.