Tamarind (Tamarindus indica)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Tamarindus indica is a leguminous tree (family Fabaceae) whose acidic brown pulp is widely used as a souring agent, condiment, and flavouring in South Asian, Southeast Asian, African, and Latin American cuisines. A marble-sized ball of pulp (approx. 10–15 g) is a traditional Indian cooking measure used to add tartness to curries, chutneys, and beverages.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Tamarind pulp is regarded as safe for general adult consumption and has a long history of food use with no ADI established; preliminary six-month safety studies in rats showed it was well tolerated up to 1000 mg/kg bw/day with no significant adverse effects. Its high tartaric acid content may erode tooth enamel with excessive habitual intake, and its natural laxative effect may cause gastrointestinal discomfort at very large doses. No IARC classification exists; it is not associated with carcinogenicity or significant toxicity at culinary use levels.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Tamarind pulp has a documented history of consumption in EU prior to May 1997 and is not classified as novel food under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Tamarind seed polysaccharide (xyloglucan) as a food ingredient was evaluated under novel food provisions. No E-number assigned to whole tamarind pulp; INS 914 refers to oxidised polyethylene, not tamarind.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Tamarind concentrate, tamarind powder, tamarind pulp/puree, and tamarind toffee are all standardised food products under FSSR. Tamarind seed gum (polysaccharide) was also approved as a food ingredient under FSS (Approval for Non-Specified Food and Food Ingredients) Regulations, 2017 as of January 3, 2025. Seedless tamarind is listed as a standardised food product. No maximum daily intake is specified for tamarind pulp used as a whole food/condiment.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Tamarind pulp and extract have a long history of safe consumption in food (21 CFR 170.30); tamarind seed kernel polysaccharide has been the subject of GRAS determinations for use as a food ingredient. No specific CFR entry restricts culinary use of tamarind pulp.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Kidney Disease — Tamarind pulp is high in tartaric and oxalic acids; individuals with calcium oxalate kidney stones or chronic kidney disease should limit intake to avoid aggravating urinary oxalate load.

Gout — The high fructose and organic-acid content of tamarind may mildly elevate uric acid excretion demands; individuals with gout should consume in moderation, though direct clinical evidence is limited.

Ibs — Tamarind's natural laxative effect (due to tartaric acid and dietary fibre) may trigger or worsen diarrhoea-predominant IBS symptoms at larger-than-culinary doses.

Diabetes — Animal studies indicate tamarind seed extract has hypoglycaemic properties; patients on anti-diabetic medication should consult a doctor to monitor for potential additive blood-glucose-lowering effects.

Other — Individuals taking aspirin or warfarin-type anticoagulants should exercise caution, as tamarind has reported antiplatelet activity in preclinical studies and may theoretically enhance bleeding risk.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FSSAI. FSSAI Appendix A: Food Category System — Traditional Foods Including Tamarind Products. fssai.gov.in
2PubMed. Evaluation on the Effects of Tamarindus Indica L. Fruit on Body Weight and Several Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Obese and Overweight Adult Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial, 2020. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
3PubMed. Tamarind: A diet-based strategy against lifestyle maladies, 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4PubMed. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic potential of Tamarindus indica Linn. (Fabaceae): a narrative review, 2019. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5PubMed. Chemopreventive effects of a Tamarindus indica fruit extract against colon carcinogenesis depends on the dietary cholesterol levels in hamsters, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations