💡 Quick Answer
Plain, dry-roasted makhana has about 347 kcal and 9.7 g protein per 100 g, so a 30 g handful gives roughly 105 kcal and 3 g protein. Roast the same handful in a teaspoon of ghee and it rises to about 150 kcal. Flavoured, oil-roasted packs are denser, at roughly 450-520 kcal per 100 g (an estimate; check your pack).
- Makhana is light: 30 g is about one medium bowl (a generous handful), so weigh it once to see what your portion really is.
- Each teaspoon of ghee or oil on it adds about 44 kcal and almost no protein.
- Protein is modest, about 3 g per 30 g, so it is a snack and not a protein source.
- Values vary by brand, so use the pack label whenever you have one.
Portion calculator
30 g of plain makhana ≈ 2.9 g protein · 104 kcal
Scaled from the figures on this page. Brands and recipes vary.
Makhana, also called fox nut or phool makhana, is the puffed seed of a water lily. It has become the default "healthy" snack in many Indian homes, and the question that comes up every time is the same: how many calories are in one handful, and does it count as protein? The honest answer is that plain makhana is a light, low-fat, starchy snack. What you add to it matters more than the makhana itself.
Where These Numbers Come From
USDA FoodData Central has no standard entry for makhana, so the base figures here come from a published review of Euryale ferox (Shukla, Sharma and Sharma, Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2024). It lists, per 100 g: carbohydrate 76.9 g, protein 9.7 g, moisture 12.8 g, minerals 0.5 g and fat 0.1 g. It gives no energy figure, so the 347 kcal used on this page is calculated from those macros (4 kcal per gram of carbohydrate and protein, 9 per gram of fat).
Published analyses do not agree closely. Published analyses differ, with some reporting noticeably higher protein, so treat 9.7 g as a typical figure rather than an exact one. Ghee is taken from USDA FoodData Central (876 kcal per 100 g, so 44 kcal per 5 g teaspoon).
Calories in Makhana: Per 100 g and Per Handful
| Plain makhana (dry-roasted, no oil) | Calories | Protein | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 g | ~35 kcal | ~1.0 g | ~7.7 g |
| 20 g | ~70 kcal | ~1.9 g | ~15.4 g |
| 30 g (about one medium bowl, a generous handful) | ~105 kcal | ~2.9 g | ~23.1 g |
| 50 g | ~175 kcal | ~4.8 g | ~38.5 g |
| 100 g | ~347 kcal | ~9.7 g | ~76.9 g |
Basis: composition from the 2024 review above, energy calculated. Plain means dry-roasted or air-popped with no added fat. Real packs vary with brand and moisture.
The number most people want is the middle row. A 30 g handful of plain makhana is about 105 kcal. There is no standard katori for makhana because the seeds are so light, so a "bowl" can be anywhere from 15 g to 40 g. Weigh a typical bowlful once on a kitchen scale, then you will know what your usual portion is.
Makhana Roasted in Ghee or Oil
Home-roasted makhana is almost always made with a little ghee, and the fat is where the calories jump. Assuming all the ghee ends up on the seeds:
| 30 g makhana roasted with | Calories | Protein | Added fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain, no ghee | ~105 kcal | ~2.9 g | 0 g |
| ½ tsp ghee (2.5 g) | ~125 kcal | ~2.9 g | 2.5 g |
| 1 tsp ghee (5 g) | ~150 kcal | ~2.9 g | 5 g |
| 2 tsp ghee (10 g) | ~190 kcal | ~2.9 g | 10 g |
One teaspoon of ghee on a 30 g handful takes it from about 105 to about 150 kcal, an extra 44 kcal for the same amount of makhana. If you roast a big batch, divide the fat by the number of handfuls: 2 tablespoons of ghee (about 30 g) over 200 g of makhana works out to roughly 6 tsp across about 6.7 handfuls, close to 1 tsp each.
Flavoured and Packaged Makhana
Ready-to-eat packs are usually roasted in oil and coated with seasoning, which makes them a different food from plain makhana. They are usually well above plain makhana in calories and fat per 100 g, and recipes differ a lot between brands, so go by the nutrition panel on your own pack rather than a general figure.
- A 30 g handful of a flavoured pack at roughly 450-520 kcal per 100 g (an estimate; check your pack) is about 135-155 kcal.
- Check whether the label serving is 20 g, 30 g or the whole pack. Many snack packs hold two servings.
- "Air-popped" or "dry roasted" on the front usually means a lower fat figure on the back.
How Much Protein Is in Makhana?
About 2.9 g in 30 g, or 9.7 g per 100 g. That is about half the protein of one egg. To reach 20 g of protein from makhana alone you would need about 200 g, which is close to 700 kcal of mostly carbohydrate. So enjoy it as a crunchy snack, and take your protein from elsewhere. Our protein in egg and protein in peanuts guides show which snacks carry more per bite, and high-protein snacks has ten ideas that suit a desk job.
A Simple Way to Roast Makhana at Home
- Weigh it. Start with 30 g per person, not "a handful from the box".
- Dry-roast first. Stir in a dry pan on low heat for 6-8 minutes until the seeds snap crisply between your fingers.
- Add fat last. Take the pan off the heat, add measured ghee, and toss for a minute. Measuring it at the end shows exactly how much you used.
- Season after it cools a little. Salt, black pepper, chaat masala or a pinch of haldi add almost no calories.
Makhana in Kheer, Curry and Chaat
Makhana also turns up in kheer, sabzi and chaat, and there the makhana is the smaller part of the calories. A bowl of makhana kheer is mostly milk and sugar, and a creamy makhana curry is mostly the gravy and oil. Log those dishes by their other ingredients, using about 3.5 kcal per gram for the makhana itself, rather than by the snack-pack figure.
How Makhana Fits Your Goal
Weight management: plain makhana is a reasonable between-meal snack because a 100 kcal portion is a big, crunchy volume. It does not replace a protein-rich meal, so pair it with a glass of milk or a katori of curd. Muscle gain: use it as a light carbohydrate snack around training and add protein beside it. For every common snack in one table, see the Indian food calories and protein chart, and use the calorie and macro calculator to work out how many snacks fit your day.
How to Make Makhana Higher in Protein
Makhana is a light snack, not a protein food: 30 g has about 3 g of protein. Pair it with something that does have protein. The figures below start from 30 g plain makhana (about 105 kcal and 2.9 g protein).
| Type | Plate | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veg | 30 g makhana + 150 g nonfat Greek yogurt or hung curd | ~195 kcal | ~18 g |
| Veg | 30 g makhana + 30 g peanuts | ~275 kcal | ~11 g |
| Veg | 30 g makhana in 200 ml whole milk | ~230 kcal | ~9 g |
| Non-veg | 30 g makhana + 2 boiled eggs | ~250 kcal | ~16 g |
If you are vegetarian: A bowl of Greek yogurt or hung curd next to the makhana gives the biggest lift. A mix of makhana and peanuts is the usual trail-mix version, though peanuts add far more calories. Makhana simmered in milk is the kheer-style option; leave out the sugar or count it.
If you eat eggs or chicken: As an evening snack plate, makhana with two boiled eggs comes to about 250 kcal and 16 g of protein.
Add-in values use the figures in our guides to eggs, chicken breast, paneer, soya chunks, curd, chana and peanuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make makhana a higher-protein snack?
Pair it with a protein food, because 30 g of makhana has only about 3 g of protein. With 150 g of nonfat Greek yogurt or hung curd it comes to about 195 kcal and 18 g protein, with 30 g of peanuts about 275 kcal and 11 g, and with two boiled eggs about 250 kcal and 16 g.
How many calories are in 100 g of makhana?
Plain makhana has about 347 kcal per 100 g, with about 9.7 g protein, 76.9 g carbohydrate and almost no fat. Flavoured, oil-roasted packs are higher, at roughly 450 to 520 kcal per 100 g (an estimate; check your pack).
How many calories are in a handful or bowl (30 g) of makhana?
A 30 g portion (about one medium bowl, a generous handful) of plain makhana has about 105 kcal. Roasted in 1 teaspoon of ghee it is about 150 kcal, and a flavoured oil-roasted pack gives an estimated 135 to 155 kcal for the same 30 g (check your pack).
How much protein is in 30 g of makhana?
About 3 g of protein in 30 g, based on 9.7 g per 100 g. Published values vary by brand and variety, so check your pack label.
How many calories are in makhana roasted in ghee?
Each teaspoon of ghee adds about 44 kcal. A 30 g handful roasted in half a teaspoon of ghee is about 125 kcal, with 1 teaspoon about 150 kcal, and with 2 teaspoons about 190 kcal.
Is makhana a good source of protein?
Not really. It has about 10 g of protein per 100 g, which is only about 3 g in a normal 30 g serving. It is a light, low-fat snack, so pair it with milk, curd, eggs or peanuts if you want protein.
Sources: Makhana composition from the review of Euryale ferox by Shukla, Sharma and Sharma (Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 2024); carbohydrate, protein, moisture and fat per 100 g, with energy calculated from those values; ghee from USDA FoodData Central. The flavoured-pack range is an estimate and varies by brand. All serving values on this page are calculated and approximate.
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