Nutrition & health

મખાના (Makhana) ખાવાના અદભુત ફાયદા — The Fox Nut, Honestly Weighed

Is makhana really a superfood, and how much should I eat in a day?

Makhana is almost fat-free, mostly starch, and carries 9–15 g of protein per 100 g. One small study found roasted makhana low-glycaemic. It is a light, useful snack; it is not the protein food the packets suggest. The numbers, and how much to eat.

By Pure Bites Kitchen & Nutrition Desk · Sourced nutrition, food safety and kitchen notes · Pure Bites, Surat

29 September 2026 · 5 min read

મખાના — the popped seed of a water lily grown in the ponds of Bihar — has gone from a vrat food to a shelf of flavoured packets in a few years. It deserves part of its reputation. It is very low in fat, light for its volume and, in one small study, slow to raise blood sugar. It is not high in protein, and most of the larger claims made for it have no human trials behind them. Here is what the published numbers support.

Makhana benefits at a glance

• Very low in fat — 0.1–1.5% by published analyses, so plain roasted makhana is mostly starch and air.
• Modest protein — 9–15 g per 100 g. A 25 g bowl gives 2–4 g, a fraction of what peanuts or chana give.
• Low glycaemic index in one study — 37 for roasted makhana, measured in human subjects.

What is in 100 g of makhana? Nutrition facts

7 makhana health benefits, with the evidence (ખાવાના ફાયદા)

• ઓછી ચરબી — Very low in fat. Under 1.5 g per 100 g. That is true of plain makhana only; a packet roasted in ghee or oil is a different food, and the label will show it.
• હલકો નાસ્તો — A light snack for its size. A 25 g portion fills a bowl for about 85 kcal by our arithmetic. For someone who wants something to crunch through a film, that is its real advantage.
• બ્લડ શુગર માટે — Slow on blood sugar, in one study. Roasted makhana measured a glycaemic index of 37, which is low. It is a single small study, so treat it as promising rather than settled.
• શેકવાથી ફાયદો — Roasting improves it. In the same study, roasting raised measured protein from 11.4% to 14.6%, total phenolics from 346 to 471 mg GAE per 100 g, and mineral content from 0.58% to 0.66%.
• પ્રોટીન — Some protein. 9–15 g per 100 g is much less than peanuts (25.8 g) or raw chickpeas (20.5 g). Useful, not a protein source to build a day on.
• ઉપવાસમાં — A sensible vrat food. It is a seed, not a grain, and needs no frying. Navratri fasting food compared sets it beside rajgira and sabudana.
• ઘઉં વગરનો નાસ્તો — A snack without wheat. Makhana is not one of the gluten-containing cereals that Indian labelling rules list. Flavoured packets can include other ingredients, so anyone avoiding gluten should still read the label.

How strong is the evidence for makhana?

How much makhana can you eat in a day?

There is no official Indian figure for makhana. A bowl of about 25–30 g is a reasonable snack portion: it looks generous and costs roughly 85–100 kcal. Because it is low in protein and fat it does not hold hunger for long, so pair it with a handful of peanuts or roasted chana if dinner is late. Makhana vs peanuts vs roasted chana compares the three per handful.

How to roast and eat makhana well

Makhana FAQ — common questions

Mix Chivda — the dry-roasted one The one snack in the range with no frying

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