Across India · Sweet
Gulab jamun
Also called gulab jamoon, khoya gulab jamun, mawa jamun, kala jamun (darker variety), jamun
Soft balls of khoya (milk solids) and a little flour, deep-fried until golden and soaked in warm cardamom and rose sugar syrup. One of India's most popular sweets at festivals and weddings.
The short answer
Gulab jamun has about 158 kcal in a regular serving (2 gulab jamuns, about 50 g), with 3.3 g of protein and 0.1 g of fibre. It rates 1.0/5 (poor fit) for weight management: it has little fibre for its calories and it packs a lot of calories into each gram.
Reviewed by Deepu Oommen on 6 Nov 2026 · How we review
- Calories per serving
- 158 kcal
- 2 gulab jamuns (about 50 g)
- For weight management
- 1.0 / 5Rated 1 out of 5. Poor fit for weight management
- Protein and fibre
- 3.3 g · 0.1 g
- per serving
- Brisk walking
- About 30 min
- uses similar energy (70 kg adult)
What's in gulab jamun?
Raw weights for one serving (2 gulab jamuns, about 50 g), from the standard recipe
- Khoya (mawa), 15 g
- Maida (refined wheat flour), 2 g
- Milk, 5 g
- Paneer, 2 g
- Oil taken up in frying, 4 g
- Sugar from the syrup, 14 g
How is gulab jamun made?
Preparation 5 min · Cooking 35 min
- 1Boil sugar and water into a sticky syrup, then add rose water, cardamom and lemon juice and keep it warm.
- 2Mix grated khoya, flour, cardamom and baking powder, and knead gently with a little milk into a smooth, crack-free dough.
- 3Divide into 14 to 16 small portions and roll them into smooth balls.
- 4Deep-fry on medium-low heat, stirring, until evenly golden brown.
- 5Drain, cool for a few minutes, then soak in the warm syrup for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.
Gulab jamun nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving (2 gulab jamuns, about 50 g) | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 158 kcal | 317 kcal |
| Protein | 3.3 g | 6.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 19 g | 37.9 g |
| Fat | 8.1 g | 16.1 g |
| Fibre | 0.1 g | 0.1 g |
| Added sugar | 14.4 g |
Calculated from a standard recipe (based on a recipe by Swasthi's Recipes: Khoya Gulab Jamun, serves 16) using IFCT 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and USDA FoodData Central values for the raw ingredients, divided by the weight of the cooked dish (423 g for the whole recipe). Salt and dry spices are left out. The regular serving is the average portion in three chefs' recipes: Swasthi's Recipes, Khoya Gulab Jamun 26 g, Hebbar's Kitchen, Gulab Jamun (with khoya / milk powder) 54 g and Archana's Kitchen, Gulab Jamun with Khoya 83 g. Food composition: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. How we calculate nutrition facts. Home and restaurant versions vary with the oil, rice and portion used.
Is gulab jamun good for weight management?
It rates 1.0/5, a poor fit, because it has little fibre for its calories and it packs a lot of calories into each gram.
- Calories per gram (35% of the rating)3.17 kcal · 24/100
- Protein per 100 kcal (25% of the rating)2.1 g · 21/100
- Fibre per 100 kcal (20% of the rating)0.0 g · 1/100
- Portion (20% of the rating)158 of 150 kcal (sweet) · 44/100
Each part is scored against fixed limits, then weighted. A higher rating does not mean a food causes weight loss. How the rating works
Lighter ways to have gulab jamun
- Have one gulab jamun instead of two, and squeeze off the extra syrup
- Save it for festivals and occasions rather than an everyday dessert
- Have it after a light meal and skip other sweets that day
- Pair it with a bowl of fruit to make a small portion feel enough
- Choose a small piece of plain curd with fruit as an everyday sweet instead
Common questions about gulab jamun
How many calories are in gulab jamun?
About 158 kcal in 2 gulab jamuns, about 50 g, or 317 kcal per 100 g.
Is gulab jamun good for weight management?
It rates 1.0/5, a poor fit: it has little fibre for its calories and it packs a lot of calories into each gram. See the lighter ways to have it on this page.
How much protein is in gulab jamun?
About 3.3 g in 2 gulab jamuns, about 50 g, which is 2.1 g for every 100 kcal.
How much walking uses the energy in gulab jamun?
About 30 min of brisk walking for a 70 kg adult uses similar energy to one regular serving.
How many calories are in a gulab jamun?
One medium jamun with its syrup gives a large share of a sweet's daily allowance. Squeezing off the syrup removes a little of the sugar.
Is gulab jamun made with khoya better than the milk-powder kind?
The calories are similar; both are fried and soaked in sugar syrup.
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Information, not medical advice. Values are estimates for a typical recipe. Found an error? Tell us.