Protein in Dal: Toor, Moong, Masoor, Chana and Urad Compared
Updated 11 November 2026 ยท By the Thali Lens team
Dal is the main protein food in most vegetarian Indian homes. The label on the packet shows protein for raw dal. What you eat is cooked dal with a lot of water in it, so the number per katori is much lower.
| Dal | Per 100 g raw (g) | Per cooked katori, 150 g (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Toor (arhar) | 22 | 7 to 9 |
| Moong, yellow | 24 | 7 to 9 |
| Masoor | 24 | 8 to 9 |
| Chana dal | 21 | 8 to 9 |
| Urad | 24 | 8 to 9 |
| Rajma | 22 | 9 to 10 |
| Kabuli chana (chole) | 19 | 9 to 10 |
Why the katori number is lower
A katori of home-style dal contains only 30 to 40 g of raw dal. The rest is water, tomato and tadka. Thin dal has less protein per katori than thick dal. Rajma and chole score a little higher because the beans are eaten whole and the gravy is thicker.
Is dal enough protein?
Most adults need roughly 0.8 to 1 g of protein per kg of body weight each day. For a person of 60 kg that is 48 to 60 g. Two katoris of dal give about 16 g, so dal alone covers less than a third. Curd, milk, paneer, soya, peanuts, eggs, fish or chicken have to fill the rest.
Dal with rice or roti
Pulses are low in one essential amino acid, methionine, and cereals are low in another, lysine. Eaten together they cover each other. Dal-chawal, dal-roti, khichdi and idli-sambar all work this way.
Tadka and cream
One teaspoon of ghee in the tadka adds about 45 kcal. Dal tadka has around 180 kcal per katori. Dal makhani, finished with butter and cream, has about 230 kcal with the same protein.
Quick tips
- Cook dal thicker if you want more protein in the same bowl.
- Rotate dals through the week. Each has a slightly different mix of minerals and fibre.
- Soak rajma and chole overnight and cook them fully. They are easier to digest.
Related guides
- Paneer Nutrition: Calories, Protein and Fat per 100 g
- Calories in Dosa, Idli, Vada, Sambar and Chutney
- Calories in Biryani: Veg, Egg, Chicken and Mutton
- Indian food calorie chart
Values are typical estimates for home-style cooking and common serving sizes. Recipes and portions differ, so real values can be higher or lower. This page is general information, not medical advice.