Protein in Chana Dal: Per 100 g and Per Katori
Last reviewed: · What changed: Answers to common questions added.
Chana dal is among the higher-protein everyday dals: roughly 20–22 g per 100 g raw, and about 7–9 g per cooked katori. It also has one of the lowest glycemic loads of any Indian staple, which makes it useful well beyond its protein content.
- Raw chana dal: roughly 20–22 g protein per 100 g.
- A cooked katori delivers roughly 7–9 g, depending on thickness.
- It has a notably low glycemic index among Indian staples.
- High in fibre, which is also why it causes gas for some people.
- Soaking and thorough cooking reduce both the gas and the cooking time.
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The numbers
| Form | approximate protein |
|---|---|
| Raw chana dal, 100 g | about 20–22 g |
| Cooked, one katori (about 150 g) | about 7–9 g |
| A thick dal, one katori | towards 9–10 g |
| A thin, watery dal | closer to 5–6 g |
| Besan (gram flour), 100 g | about 20–22 g |
The thickness point is the one that matters in practice and is almost never mentioned. A dal cooked thick and a dal stretched with water contain very different amounts of protein per katori, even though both are described the same way on a plate.
Besan is simply ground chana dal, so the raw figures match. That is why besan and chana dal land in the same range.
Figures are approximate; ICMR-NIN's composition tables are the reference and varieties differ.
Against the other dals
| Dal | raw per 100 g | cooked katori |
|---|---|---|
| Chana dal | 20–22 g | 7–9 g |
| Moong dal | about 24 g | 7–9 g |
| Masoor dal | about 25 g | 9–12 g |
| Toor dal | about 22 g | 7–9 g |
| Urad dal | about 24 g | 7–9 g |
| Rajma (whole) | about 23 g | 12–13 g |
They are closer than the internet suggests. For practical meal planning, the everyday dals are interchangeable on protein, and the choice can be made on taste, digestibility and what the dish needs. protein in everyday Indian dals covers the comparison, and protein in masoor dal, protein in moong dal and protein in toor dal go food by food.
The whole legumes — rajma, chana, lobia — land higher per cooked katori because they hold their shape and you eat more actual legume per serving.
Where chana dal is genuinely distinctive
Two things set it apart from the other dals, and neither is protein.
The first is glycemic index. Chana dal has one of the lowest of any Indian staple, which makes it a useful choice for anyone managing blood sugar. the glycemic index of Indian foods puts it in context against rice and roti.
The second is fibre, which is high even by dal standards. That supports satiety and gut health, and it is also the reason some people find it heavy.
It is also the base of besan, which means the same nutrition turns up in cheela, dhokla, pakora and kadhi — a point worth knowing if you are counting protein across a day rather than per dish.
The gas question, which is specific to chana
Chana dal has a reputation for causing more gas than lighter dals, and the reputation is reasonably earned.
The mechanism is oligosaccharides — raffinose and stachyose — which human enzymes cannot break down, so gut bacteria ferment them. why dal makes you gassy covers it properly.
- Soak for 4–8 hours and discard the water; the oligosaccharides are water-soluble.
- Cook thoroughly — undercooked dal is considerably worse.
- Add hing, ajwain or ginger — traditional and genuinely carminative.
- Build up gradually — gut bacteria adapt over a few weeks of regular intake.
- Start with smaller portions rather than avoiding it entirely.
soaking nuts and dals overnight covers the soaking evidence. The counterintuitive conclusion is that the answer to dal-related gas is usually more dal, introduced slowly, rather than less.
Using it well
- Keep the dal thick — the single biggest lever on protein per katori.
- Chana dal with lauki or palak — protein plus volume.
- Add a tadka with lemon — vitamin C improves iron absorption from the dal.
- Besan cheela for breakfast — one of the better high-protein Indian breakfasts.
- Roasted chana dal as a snack — protein and fibre, no cooking.
- Pair with rice or roti — the amino acid complementarity is real.
On iron: dal is a meaningful non-haem iron source, and a squeeze of lemon measurably improves absorption while tea with the meal reduces it. Chai with meals covers that interaction.
Where KABO fits in
Chana dal at 7–9 g a katori, eaten daily, is one of the better protein habits available in India and costs very little. Nothing here replaces it.
The gap it leaves is the 20–30 g per meal that suits most adults — two katoris of dal is a lot of dal. A KABO serving adds 25 g of complete plant protein with 26 vitamins and minerals in about ninety seconds, which is the practical answer for the meals where cooking dal is not happening.
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Frequently asked questions
How much protein is in one katori of chana dal?
Roughly 7–9 g for a cooked katori, depending on how thick the dal is. Raw chana dal is around 20–22 g per 100 g.
Is chana dal higher in protein than moong dal?
They are close — moong is marginally higher raw, and per cooked katori they are effectively interchangeable. Choose on taste and digestibility rather than protein.
Why does chana dal cause gas?
Oligosaccharides that human enzymes cannot digest, which gut bacteria then ferment. Soaking and discarding the water, cooking thoroughly, and adding hing or ajwain all reduce it.
Is besan the same as chana dal?
Besan is ground chana dal, so the raw protein figures are effectively the same at roughly 20–22 g per 100 g.
How much protein is in 100 g of chana dal?
Chana dal has about 20–22 g of protein per 100 g (raw). Values vary with variety and preparation.
Is chana dal a good source of protein?
Chana dal is among the higher-protein everyday dals: roughly 20–22 g per 100 g raw, and about 7–9 g per cooked katori.
Chana dal me kitna protein hota hai?
Chana dal has about 20–22 g of protein per 100 g (raw), according to the table on this page.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables and Dietary Guidelines for Indians. nin.res.in
- World Health Organization, Healthy diet fact sheet. who.int
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov