Iron in Moong Dal: Sprouting, Soaking and the Difference
Last reviewed: · What changed: Answers to common questions added.
Moong is the lightest dal and also the one most often eaten sprouted, which changes its iron story. Raw moong dal carries roughly 3.5–4.5 mg of iron per 100 g, a katori gives about 1–1.3 mg, and sprouted whole moong delivers more usable iron than the cooked dal because sprouting removes the phytate that blocks it.
- Moong dal has about 3.5–4.5 mg iron per 100 g raw, below rajma and masoor.
- A katori of moong dal gives roughly 1–1.3 mg; a katori of sprouts a little more, better absorbed.
- Sprouting is the single biggest improvement you can make to moong's iron.
- Moong chilla with tomato chutney is an iron meal; moong dal with curd is not.
- If you are symptomatic, test ferritin; the dal maintains, it does not treat.
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Where moong sits
Moong is the dal recommended to the unwell, the elderly and the very young because it digests easily. On iron it sits at the lower end of the dal range, which is why pairing it with other legumes across the week matters more than for rajma or masoor.
| Food | Iron per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Moong dal (split, yellow), raw | ~3.5–4.5 mg |
| Whole moong (green), raw | ~4–5 mg |
| Masoor dal, raw | ~6–7 mg |
| Rajma (kidney beans), raw | ~5–8 mg |
| Kala chana, raw | ~5–6 mg |
| Toor (arhar) dal, raw | ~2.5–3.5 mg |
| Urad dal, raw | ~3.5–4.5 mg |
| Soya chunks, defatted | ~8–10 mg |
| Palak (spinach), raw | ~2.5–3 mg |
Whole green moong, with its skin, carries a little more than the split yellow dal. It is also the form that sprouts, which is where the real gain lies.
A katori of dal, a katori of sprouts
| Serving | approximate iron |
|---|---|
| 1 katori moong dal (~30 g dry) | ~1–1.3 mg |
| 1 katori sprouted moong (~50 g) | ~1.3–1.8 mg, better absorbed |
| 2 moong dal chillas (~50 g dal) | ~1.8–2.2 mg |
| 1 bowl moong khichdi (~30 g dal + rice) | ~1.2–1.5 mg |
| 1 katori masoor dal, for comparison | ~2–2.5 mg |
The numbers are modest against an RDA of 29 mg for women and 19 mg for men, which is the case for every dal. Moong's protein, about 7 g per katori, is covered in protein in moong dal, and matters here because haemoglobin is built from protein as well as iron.
Sprouting: the difference
Raw legumes carry phytate, which binds iron and zinc and prevents absorption. Sprouting breaks phytate down more effectively than soaking or cooking, which is why a katori of moong sprouts can deliver more usable iron than a katori of cooked dal despite similar figures on the table.
Sprouting also produces a little vitamin C in the seed, and the salad it usually becomes — with onion, tomato and lemon — adds more. The traditional moong sprout chaat is close to the ideal iron snack.
| What you do | effect on non-haem iron absorption |
|---|---|
| Add a vitamin C source to the meal (lemon, amla, tomato, capsicum) | Increases, often two- to three-fold |
| Tea or coffee within an hour of the meal | Decreases sharply - tannins bind iron |
| Large calcium dose with the meal (milk, curd, supplement) | Decreases |
| Soaking, sprouting or fermenting the grain or dal | Increases - phytate is reduced |
| Eating it with a little meat, fish or egg | Increases - the 'meat factor' |
| Cooking in an iron kadhai | Small increase, variable |
The curd question
Moong dal is often served with curd or made into a kadhi, and both bring a large calcium dose to the same meal, which reduces iron absorption. That does not make either a bad meal; it makes them meals for other purposes.
The fix is to decide what each moong meal is for. Moong chilla with tomato chutney, sprouts with lemon, dal with a tamarind rasam on the side: iron meals. Dal with curd, moong kadhi: comfort meals, and fine as such.
When to stop reading about food
Tiredness, pallor, breathlessness on stairs, restless legs and hair fall are reasons to ask for haemoglobin and ferritin. Iron deficiency on a vegetarian diet explains why dal-eaters are at particular risk despite eating iron every day.
| Group | ICMR-NIN RDA for iron (2020) |
|---|---|
| Adult women, 19–50 | 29 mg/day |
| Adult men | 19 mg/day |
| Pregnancy | 27 mg/day |
| Lactation | 23 mg/day |
| Women after menopause | 19 mg/day |
A low ferritin needs prescribed iron for months; moong is what keeps the result afterwards. Do not self-supplement, because iron overload is harmful and thalassaemia trait is common in India.
A moong routine that delivers
- Sprout whole moong twice a week; eat it with tomato, onion and lemon.
- Make chilla on the days you make dal, and pair it with chutney rather than curd.
- Keep chai an hour away from the iron meals.
- Rotate with rajma, masoor and chana so the week's iron is not resting on the lightest dal.
- Save moong with curd for the days you are unwell; that is what it is best at.
Where KABO fits in
Moong is the dal given to the unwell, and it is worth being clear that neither it nor a nutrition shake treats anaemia. A blood test, a cause found and prescribed iron come first.
A KABO serving provides 25 g of complete plant protein, 26 vitamins and minerals and 60+ real ingredients. For someone recovering, whose appetite is small and whose dal is light, that is a dense, easy meal that supplies the protein haemoglobin is built from, with the vitamin C that helps the dal's iron absorb.
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Read next
- How Much Protein Is in Moong Dal? (Per 100g, Cooked & Raw)
- Fibre in Moong Dal: The Gentle Dal, and Its One Weakness
- Iron in Rajma: How to Actually Absorb It
- Iron in Chana: Kala, Kabuli and Which Does More
- B12, Iron and Copper: The Nutrients Behind Hair Colour
- B12, Vitamin D and Iron: The Three Gaps an Indian Vegetarian Plate Leaves
Frequently asked questions
How much iron is in moong dal?
About 3.5 to 4.5 mg per 100 g raw for the split yellow dal, and roughly 4 to 5 mg for whole green moong. A katori of cooked dal, using about 30 g dry, gives around 1 to 1.3 mg. It sits at the lower end of the dal range.
Is sprouted moong better for iron than cooked dal?
For absorption, yes. Sprouting breaks down phytate, which otherwise binds the iron in raw legumes, so more of the same iron is taken up. A katori of sprouts with lemon is one of the better plant iron snacks available.
Does moong dal help with anaemia?
It contributes iron and protein, both needed to make haemoglobin, but it does not treat diagnosed anaemia. That needs a blood test and usually prescribed iron for several months. Moong helps maintain stores afterwards.
Should I eat moong dal with curd?
Not when iron is the goal, because the calcium in curd reduces iron absorption at that meal. Pair the dal with tomato, lemon or a tamarind rasam instead, and have curd at a different meal.
Which dal has the most iron?
Among common dals, masoor and rajma lead at roughly 6 to 8 mg per 100 g raw, followed by chana at about 5 to 6 mg. Moong and urad are around 3.5 to 4.5 mg. Soya chunks, though not a dal, carry about 8 to 10 mg.
How much iron is in 100 g of moong dal?
Raw moong dal (split, yellow) has about 3.5–4.5 mg of iron per 100 g. Values vary with variety and preparation.
How much iron is in 100 g of raw whole moong (green)?
Raw whole moong (green) has about 4–5 mg of iron per 100 g, according to the table on this page.
How much iron is in 1 katori moong dal (~30 g dry)?
About 1–1.3 mg of iron, according to the serving table on this page.
How much iron is in 1 katori sprouted moong (~50 g)?
About 1.3–1.8 mg of iron, according to the serving table on this page.
How much iron is in 2 moong dal chillas (~50 g dal)?
About 1.8–2.2 mg of iron, according to the serving table on this page.
How much iron is in 1 bowl moong khichdi (~30 g dal + rice)?
About 1.2–1.5 mg of iron, according to the serving table on this page.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables (2017). nin.res.in
- ICMR-NIN, Nutrient Requirements for Indians (RDA 2020) and Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024. nin.res.in
- Hurrell R, Egli I, "Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values", American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010;91(5):1461S-1467S.