Herbs & Spices Fresh Herbs Phytochemical data available 🇬🇧 CoFID 2021 · 13-807
✦ Vitamin C and beta-carotene ✦ Calcium contributor ✦ Leaf is distinct from betel nut ✦ Used in Thai and Indian cooking

Betel leaves are the fresh leaves of Piper betle, a vine used across South and Southeast Asia. Nutritionally they provide vitamin C, calcium, and beta-carotene. They are used to wrap the areca nut (betel nut) quid, and separately in cooking as a flavour-forward leaf in Thai and Indian cuisine. The leaf itself is distinct from the betel nut, which is a carcinogen; the leaf alone is not classified as carcinogenic.

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Preparation note

Use fresh betel leaves as wrappers for miang kham (Thai leaf cups) or as a garnish. When used in cooking, they add a peppery, slightly medicinal flavour. Do not confuse with betel nut (areca nut), which is harmful.

Sources: CoFID 2021

Macronutrients per 100g

255
kJ
Energy
6.40
g
Protein
8.60
g
Carbs
0.10
g
Fat
0.02
g
Salt

Vitamins & Minerals

Nutrient Per 100g % Daily Value* Level
Potassium 550 mg 28%
Calcium 390 mg 49%
Phosphorus 80.0 mg 11%
Iron 8.10 mg 58%
Vitamin C 3.00 mg 4%
Niacin (B3) 0.700 mg 4%
Riboflavin (B2) 0.250 mg 18%
Thiamin (B1) 0.150 mg 14%
Vitamin B12 0.000 µg 0%
Vitamin D 0.000 µg 0%
Vitamin A (RAE) 0.000 µg 0%
Cholesterol 0.000 mg —
Retinol (vitamin A) 0.000 µg 0%

* % Daily Value based on EU Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs). — indicates no EU NRV established.

Phytochemicals

Flavonols
Kaempferol
4.82 mg / 100g
USDA Flavonoid DB 3.3 (2018); NDB_No 99655
Flavonols
Quercetin
3.19 mg / 100g
USDA Flavonoid DB 3.3 (2018); NDB_No 99655
Flavonols
Myricetin
0.000 mg / 100g
USDA Flavonoid DB 3.3 (2018); NDB_No 99655
Flavones
Apigenin
0.000 mg / 100g
USDA Flavonoid DB 3.3 (2018); NDB_No 99655
Flavones
Luteolin
0.000 mg / 100g
USDA Flavonoid DB 3.3 (2018); NDB_No 99655
Why are some phytochemicals missing? Nutriofia tracks over 50 bioactive plant compounds — including allicin, betanin, glucosinolates, lignans, and polyphenols — but comprehensive measurement data simply doesn't exist yet for most foods. Unlike vitamins and minerals, phytochemical analysis is still an active area of food science research. When a compound doesn't appear here, it means no published measurement exists for this food, not that the food lacks it. We update our database as new data becomes available.
Primary data source for this entry: McCance & Widdowson's Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID 2021), Public Health England. Source record tag: CoFID 2021. Phytochemical data: USDA Flavonoid Database Release 3.3 (2018) and published analytical literature as indicated on each compound. All values are per 100g fresh weight unless stated. % Daily Values based on EU Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) per Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. Nutriofia is a research and information resource — nothing on this page constitutes medical advice. Page generated from Nutriofia database · Argarth Collective Ltd · Company No. 16864945.