Know2eat

Tamarind

Tamarindus indica

What tamarind has been studied for

1 association assessed — none with dependable human evidence behind them yet. Strongest first.

  • 1 Insufficient
4 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About tamarind

The sticky brown pulp inside the brittle pod of a tropical legume tree, intensely sour from tartaric acid and used as a souring agent across South Asian, Southeast Asian, Mexican and Middle Eastern cooking. Eaten in small amounts as a seasoning rather than as fruit.

Also known as Indian date, Imli, Asam jawa, Tamarindo

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Insufficient

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

A very small number of human studies of tamarind pulp or seed extract report lipid changes, but they are tiny, poorly controlled and not replicated. The portions in which tamarind is actually eaten are also small enough to make a dietary effect unlikely.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

2 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Tamarind

Ask about Tamarind

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories239 kcal12%
Protein2.8 g6%
Total fat0.6 g1%
Carbohydrate62.5 g23%
Fibre5.1 g18%
Total sugars38.8 g—
Water31.4 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.272 g1%
Monounsaturated fat0.181 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.059 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.059 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A2 µg0%
Vitamin C3.5 mg4%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.1 mg1%
Vitamin K2.8 µg2%
Thiamin (B1)0.428 mg36%
Riboflavin (B2)0.152 mg12%
Niacin (B3)1.94 mg12%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.143 mg3%
Vitamin B60.066 mg4%
Folate14 µg4%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline8.6 mg2%
Minerals
Calcium74 mg6%
Iron2.8 mg16%
Magnesium92 mg22%
Phosphorus113 mg9%
Potassium628 mg13%
Sodium28 mg1%
Zinc0.1 mg1%
Copper0.086 mg10%
Selenium1.3 µg2%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene18 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash2.7 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Tamarinds, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 167763).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Interaction

    Alters absorption of some medicines

    Human pharmacokinetic studies report that tamarind pulp taken with aspirin or ibuprofen increases their absorption and peak blood levels, and it has also been shown to raise chloroquine bioavailability. That matters most for drugs with a narrow margin between useful and harmful doses.

  • Worth knowing

    Very acidic, and erosive to enamel

    Tamarind is high in tartaric acid, and tamarind candies and pastes are held in the mouth for a long time. Dental erosion from habitual tamarind sweets is documented.

  • Worth knowing

    Lead contamination in some imported candies

    Tamarind sweets sold in painted ceramic pots or wrapped in printed materials have repeatedly been recalled for lead contamination, and childhood lead poisoning has been traced to them. This is a manufacturing and packaging issue rather than a property of the fruit.

  • Too much

    Laxative at large doses

    Tamarind pulp has a long-standing use as a mild laxative, and large amounts produce loose stools. The seasoning-sized portions used in cooking do not.