Protein in Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas): Full Guide
Kala chana (black chickpeas) contains roughly 18-22 g of protein per 100 g in its dry, raw form. Once soaked and boiled, that works out to about 8-10 g of protein per katori (around 150 g cooked). That makes kala chana one of the higher-protein everyday foods in the Indian vegetarian kitchen, alongside its fibre, iron and folate.
- Dry kala chana holds approximately 18-22 g of protein per 100 g; a boiled katori (~150 g) gives roughly 8-10 g.
- A typical serving of chana chaat or sundal (about 100 g cooked) delivers around 6-7 g of protein plus useful fibre.
- Kala chana is low in the amino acid methionine, so pairing it with rice, roti or curd rounds out the amino acid profile.
- ICMR-NIN suggests about 0.83 g of protein per kg body weight daily, so a 60 kg adult needs roughly 50 g a day.
- Reaching that target from chana alone is impractical; a whole-food diet plus a quality plant protein shake bridges the gap efficiently.
Butter Coffee — All-in-One Nutrition Shake
23.11g complete plant protein, 60+ superfoods, 26 vitamins & minerals, probiotics & digestive enzymes — in one daily shake.
How much protein is in kala chana?
Kala chana is the small, dark, rough-skinned desi variety of chickpea grown widely across India. In its dry form it carries approximately 18-22 g of protein per 100 g, which is broadly in line with values reported in the ICMR-NIN Nutritive Value of Indian Foods and the USDA FoodData Central database. As with all pulses, that dry-weight number is not what lands on your plate.
When you soak kala chana overnight and boil it, the grain roughly doubles in weight as it absorbs water. So a boiled katori of around 150 g contains approximately 8-10 g of protein, and a smaller 100 g helping of chana chaat comes in around 6-7 g. It is a genuinely useful contribution to a day's protein, especially for vegetarians and eggetarians who lean on pulses at most meals.
Kala chana protein: per 100 g and per katori compared
The table below sets kala chana next to other common Indian foods so you can see where it stands. Dry weight means the raw uncooked pulse; cooked and per-katori figures assume standard soaking and boiling with no added fat. All values are approximate and drawn from ICMR-NIN and USDA-type data.
| Food | Protein (raw/dry, per 100 g) | Protein (cooked, per 100 g) | Protein per katori (~150 g cooked) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kala chana (black chickpea) | ~18-22 g | ~7-9 g | ~8-10 g |
| Kabuli chana (white chickpea) | ~18-20 g | ~7-8 g | ~8-9 g |
| Roasted chana (chana dry-roasted) | ~18-20 g | eaten dry | ~9-10 g per 50 g handful is ~5 g |
| Rajma (kidney beans) | ~22-23 g | ~8-9 g | ~12-13 g |
| Moong dal (split green gram) | ~24 g | ~7-8 g | ~11-12 g |
| Paneer | ~18-20 g | eaten as is | ~9-10 g per 50 g |
| Soya chunks (dry) | ~52 g | ~18 g | varies with rehydration |
| Curd (dahi) | eaten as is | ~3-4 g | ~4-5 g per 150 g |
| Roti (1 medium, whole wheat) | — | — | ~2.5-3 g per roti |
Note: figures vary by roughly ±1-2 g depending on variety, soaking time, water ratio and cooking method. Treat them as realistic ranges, not exact lab values.
Kala chana vs kabuli chana: is there a protein difference?
Both belong to the same chickpea family and their protein content is very close — both sit around 18-20 g per 100 g dry. The desi kala chana has a thicker, darker seed coat, which means it carries more fibre and typically a lower glycaemic response, and it holds slightly more iron and certain B-group vitamins. Kabuli chana is larger, creamier and the one used in chole and hummus. For protein specifically, you can treat them as broadly interchangeable; kala chana simply edges ahead on fibre and micronutrient density.
Is the protein in kala chana complete?
Like most Indian pulses, kala chana is rich in the amino acid lysine but relatively low in methionine, so on its own it is not a complete protein. This is not a problem in a normal Indian meal. Cereals such as rice and wheat are the mirror image — higher in methionine, lower in lysine — so the everyday habit of eating chana with rice or roti creates a more complete amino acid profile. Adding a little curd or paneer does the same. The classic Sunday breakfast of chana with a couple of pooris, or a bowl of chana-chawal, is quietly doing solid protein work. Our complete guide to plant protein in India explains this complementary pairing in more detail.
How much kala chana would you need to hit your protein target?
ICMR-NIN recommends around 0.83 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for a healthy sedentary adult. For a 60 kg person that is roughly 50 g of protein daily, and active individuals or those building muscle often aim higher, around 1.2-1.6 g/kg.
At about 8-10 g of protein per boiled katori, you would need five to six katoris of kala chana a day to reach 50 g from this one food — far more than anyone realistically eats. In practice most people have one katori, or a plate of chana chaat, contributing 6-10 g. That is a healthy addition, but it shows why relying on any single food to close the protein gap does not work. A varied plate plus, on busy days, a convenient protein source is the practical answer. If you are mapping out your full daily intake, our whole-body nutrition guide lays out how protein, fibre and micronutrients fit together.
Beyond protein: why kala chana earns its place
Protein is only part of the story. A single katori of kala chana delivers a generous dose of dietary fibre, which supports fullness and steadier energy, plus plant iron and folate that matter in Indian diets where iron intake is often low. Its thick seed coat and resistant starch give it a gentler blood-sugar impact than many refined staples, which is why it features in a lot of diabetes-friendly Indian meal plans. As always, if you are managing diabetes, PCOS or kidney concerns, take individual advice from your doctor or a registered dietitian before making big dietary changes.
Simple ways to eat more kala chana
- Chana chaat: boiled kala chana with onion, tomato, lemon and chaat masala — a 100 g serving adds around 6-7 g protein and plenty of fibre.
- Sprouted chana: sprouting improves digestibility and reduces antinutrients like phytic acid, so your body absorbs the protein and minerals better.
- Sundal: the South Indian tempered chana snack, light and protein-forward.
- Chana curry with rice or roti: the cereal-pulse pairing that completes the amino acid profile.
- Roasted chana: a handful (about 50 g) is a portable snack giving roughly 9-10 g protein.
When kala chana alone is not enough
Kala chana is one of the smartest budget protein foods in India — cheap, filling and nutrient-dense. But as the maths above shows, whole foods alone often leave a daily protein gap, especially for people who are active, eating out a lot, travelling, or simply short on time to cook pulses from scratch. This is where a complete plant protein can help, not to replace real food but to fill in the days it cannot do everything.
KABO's Butter Coffee is an all-in-one plant-based nutrition shake built on a pea and brown-rice protein blend — the same complementary logic as chana with rice — delivering 23.11 g of plant protein per 54 g serving. It also brings 26 vitamins and minerals (including biotin, B12, vitamin D, iron and zinc), 8 billion CFU probiotics, digestive enzymes and 60+ superfoods, and it is dairy-free, lactose-free, FSSAI-licensed and made with no artificial sweeteners. If you want help deciding what to look for, see our guide on how to choose a plant protein in India.
Frequently asked questions
How much protein is in 100 g of kala chana?
Dry, raw kala chana contains approximately 18-22 g of protein per 100 g. Since you never eat it dry, remember that once soaked and boiled the same food comes to roughly 7-9 g of protein per 100 g cooked, because it absorbs a lot of water.
How much protein is in one katori of boiled kala chana?
A standard katori of boiled kala chana, around 150 g cooked, provides approximately 8-10 g of protein. A smaller 100 g helping such as a plate of chana chaat gives roughly 6-7 g.
Is kala chana a good source of protein?
Yes. At around 18-22 g per 100 g dry, kala chana is one of the higher-protein everyday vegetarian foods in India, and it also supplies fibre, iron and folate. It is low in methionine, so pairing it with rice, roti or curd improves the overall amino acid quality of the meal.
Which has more protein, kala chana or kabuli chana?
They are very similar, both around 18-20 g of protein per 100 g dry. Kala chana (the desi black chickpea) tends to have more fibre and a lower glycaemic response thanks to its thicker seed coat, while kabuli chana is larger and creamier. For protein alone they are effectively interchangeable.
Can I meet my daily protein needs from kala chana alone?
Not realistically. A 60 kg adult needs roughly 50 g of protein a day, and at 8-10 g per boiled katori that would mean five to six katoris daily from chana alone. It is best treated as one strong contributor within a varied diet, with dals, dairy, seeds or a protein supplement making up the rest.
Kala chana is a genuinely underrated Indian protein — affordable, high in fibre and easy to work into chaat, curry or a sprouted bowl. But no single food closes the daily protein gap on its own. On the days your meals cannot do it all, KABO's Butter Coffee adds 23.11 g of complete plant protein plus 26 vitamins and minerals in one shake. Explore KABO and see if it fits your routine.