Book a free consultation callMenu

Foods / Cereals and millets

Poha (rice flakes): Nutrition and who it suits

Poha is fine in a portion for weight loss and menopause, and best kept small for PCOS and diabetes. 100 g has 354 kcal, 7.4 g of protein and 3.5 g of fibre. One serving is one plate of poha (40 g dry), about 141 kcal.

Poha (rice flakes)

Numbers worked out by Poshan Labs from IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN), using the rules on How the ratings work. Last updated 26 October 2026.

Nutrition per 100 g

NutrientPer 100 g
Energy354 kcal
Protein7.4 g
Carbohydrate76.8 g
Fibre3.5 g
Sugars0.3 g
Fat1.1 g
Magnesium77.9 mg
Iron4.5 mg
Zinc1.5 mg

Where its calories come from

88%
  • Protein 9%
  • Carbohydrate 88%
  • Fat 3%

Worked out from the protein, carbohydrate and fat above, at 4, 4 and 9 kcal a gram.

How many calories in one serving of poha?

About 141 kcal for one plate of poha (40 g dry), and about 282 kcal if you have two.

That counts the poha alone, weighed dry. Cooked as 1 plate vegetable poha, with its oil and vegetables, it comes to about 222 kcal: see the calories in vegetable poha.

One serving, against your day

How much of an adult woman's daily need one serving (40 g) fills.

8%Magnesium
31.2 mg
6%Protein
3 g
6%Iron
1.8 mg
5%Zinc
0.6 mg
2%Potassium
59.2 mg
2%Folate
3.4 µg

Source

Source: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), food code A011. Daily need is from ICMR-NIN Nutrient Requirements for Indians 2020, adult woman, moderate activity.

The first call is free

Tell Puja what's going on and she will tell you honestly whether she can help.

Book a free consultation callAsk a quick question

Is poha good for weight loss, PCOS, diabetes and menopause?

Weight loss

Eat in moderation

141 kcal in a 40 g serving, without much fibre or protein to fill you up.

PCOS and PCOD

Limit

About 30.7 g of carbohydrate in a 40 g serving, with very little fibre to slow it.

Diabetes

Limit

About 30.7 g of carbohydrate in a 40 g serving, with very little fibre to slow it.

Menopause

Fine as part of a meal

3 g of protein in a 40 g serving, not enough to call it a good source, but fine as part of a meal.

Weight lossEat in moderation141 kcal in a 40 g serving, without much fibre or protein to fill you up.
PCOS and diabetesLimitAbout 30.7 g of carbohydrate in a 40 g serving, with very little fibre to slow it.
MenopauseFine as part of a meal3 g of protein in a 40 g serving, not enough to call it a good source, but fine as part of a meal.

These ratings come from the numbers alone. On a free call, Puja looks at what fits your reports. How the ratings work.

Good to know

  • Poha is flattened rice: grains softened, pressed flat and dried, so they need only a quick rinse instead of proper cooking.
  • On its own it is mostly starch with little protein. Add peas, carrot, capsicum and onion, and bring in protein with peanuts, sprouts, a side of dahi or an egg.
  • Go easy on sugar and sev on top, and keep the poha itself to about a katori.

Better swaps for PCOS and diabetes

The same kind of food, rated a good choice for that goal by the same rules.

Instead of poha, for PCOS and diabetes: BajraJowarMaize (dry corn)Oats (Jai)

How to eat it

Dishes on this site that use poha, each with its calories per portion:

Also called

Assamese: Chira, Chiura; Bengali: Chide, Chira; Gujarati: Paunva; Hindi: Poha; Kannada: Avalakki; Kashmiri: Chevri; Malayalam: Aval; Marathi: Pohe; Odia: Chudaa, Chuda; Punjabi: Chirwre; Tamil: Aval; Telugu: Atukulu, Attukulu.

Related

Brown riceAmaranth seed (Ramdana)Little millet (Samai, Kutki)Rice puffed (Muramure)Dalia (broken wheat)Suji (semolina)

A sample diet chart that uses it, one for each goal (1,500 calories): Menopause, non-veg

Try the thali calorie calculator or the protein calculator.

Words on this page: fibreproteincalorieglycemic index

Not sure it suits you?

Every body reacts differently. Send Puja a message and talk it through on a free call.

Book a free consultation callAsk about poha