Which Dal Has the Most Protein? Ten Dals Ranked (IFCT 2017)
Masoor, moong, urad, toor and chana dal all sit close together on protein. This guide ranks ten dals using the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017), all per 100 g of dry dal, and shows what the gap means in a 30 g or 60 g serving. The same dals are the base of the plates in our lunch and dinner guide and breakfast guide.
The short answer
By IFCT 2017, masoor dal has the most protein of the ten dals here at 24.35 g per 100 g dry, and whole toor the least at 20.47 g. The gap is 3.88 g per 100 g, or 1.2 g in a 30 g serving. Our reading: the gap between dals is smaller than the gap between a 30 g and a 60 g serving (6.5 g for toor dal), so the weight you cook changes the protein more than the type does.
Ten dals ranked by protein per 100 g
Each row is one IFCT 2017 Table 1 row, per 100 g as listed in the book; energy in kJ is converted at 4.184 kJ per kcal. Everything is raw and dry. The last column is our arithmetic: protein per 100 g times 0.3.
| Dal (IFCT 2017 row) | Protein per 100 g | Calories per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | Protein in 30 g dry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masoor dal (lentil dal) (B013) | 24.35 g | 322 kcal | 7.6 g | 7.3 g |
| Moong dal (green gram dal) (B010) | 23.88 g | 326 kcal | 7.3 g | 7.2 g |
| Urad dal (black gram dal) (B003) | 23.06 g | 324 kcal | 7.1 g | 6.9 g |
| Whole moong (green gram, whole) (B011) | 22.53 g | 294 kcal | 7.7 g | 6.8 g |
| Whole masoor (lentil, whole brown) (B014) | 22.49 g | 299 kcal | 7.5 g | 6.7 g |
| Whole urad (black gram, whole) (B004) | 21.97 g | 291 kcal | 7.5 g | 6.6 g |
| Kulthi (horse gram, whole) (B012) | 21.73 g | 330 kcal | 6.6 g | 6.5 g |
| Toor dal (red gram dal) (B021) | 21.70 g | 331 kcal | 6.6 g | 6.5 g |
| Chana dal (Bengal gram dal) (B001) | 21.55 g | 329 kcal | 6.5 g | 6.5 g |
| Whole toor (red gram, whole) (B022) | 20.47 g | 274 kcal | 7.5 g | 6.1 g |
Per 100 kcal, whole moong leads at 7.7 g and chana dal is lowest at 6.5 g. Chana dal has the most fat of the ten (5.31 g per 100 g against 0.75 g for masoor dal).
Split dal or whole: four pairs
The whole form of each pulse has less protein and fewer calories per 100 g than the split dal in IFCT 2017.
| Dal | Split (dal) protein per 100 g | Whole protein per 100 g | Split calories per 100 g | Whole calories per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masoor dal | 24.35 g | 22.49 g | 322 kcal | 299 kcal |
| Moong dal | 23.88 g | 22.53 g | 326 kcal | 294 kcal |
| Urad dal | 23.06 g | 21.97 g | 324 kcal | 291 kcal |
| Toor dal | 21.70 g | 20.47 g | 331 kcal | 274 kcal |
What the numbers say
- The ranking is tight. Masoor dal, moong dal and urad dal are within 1.29 g per 100 g of each other.
- A 30 g serving is about 6.5 g of protein for toor dal and 7.3 g for masoor dal. At 60 g, the figures are 13.0 g and 14.6 g.
- Per calorie, whole dals are ahead in three of the four pairs. Per 100 kcal the four whole forms give 7.5 g to 7.7 g, against 6.6 g to 7.6 g for the four split dals; whole masoor is within 0.1 g of masoor dal.
The plates in the lunch and dinner guide use these dals; for other pulses, see our chana, rajma, lobia and soybean guide; for protein per 100 g across more foods, see the high-protein Indian foods guide; for snack servings, see the snacks guide; for a full week of meals built on these dals, see our 7-day high-protein vegetarian diet plan; for the vegetables beside the dal, see which Indian vegetables have the most protein.
What this page leaves out
- Cooked dal values: IFCT 2017 Table 1 has none, so every figure is dry.
- Protein quality, digestibility or how dal combines with rice or roti: the page adds up food data only.
- A protein target, or anything about weight loss, muscle gain or health outcomes: we make no such claim.
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Join the NYUS waitlistFrequently asked questions
Which dal has the most protein?
In IFCT 2017, masoor dal (lentil dal, B013) has the most protein of the ten dals in this guide at 24.35 g per 100 g dry, ahead of moong dal (B010) at 23.88 g and urad dal (B003) at 23.06 g. Toor dal (B021) has 21.70 g and chana dal (B001) 21.55 g.
How big is the protein gap between the dals?
Small. From masoor dal (24.35 g) to whole toor (20.47 g) the gap is 3.88 g per 100 g dry, which is 1.2 g in a 30 g dry serving and 2.3 g in a 60 g dry serving by our arithmetic. Our reading: the amount of dal in the katori matters more than which dal it is. Ask a doctor or registered dietitian what amount is right for you.
Does a whole dal have more or less protein than the split one?
Less per 100 g in all four pairs we compared. Whole moong has 22.53 g against 23.88 g for moong dal, whole masoor 22.49 g against 24.35 g, whole urad 21.97 g against 23.06 g and whole toor 20.47 g against 21.70 g. The whole forms also have fewer calories per 100 g, so per 100 kcal they are ahead of the split dals in three pairs and within 0.1 g of it in the fourth (masoor) (7.5 g to 7.7 g for the whole forms against 6.6 g to 7.6 g for the split ones).
Does IFCT 2017 give protein for cooked dal?
No. IFCT 2017 Table 1 lists these pulses raw and dry, so every number in this guide is per 100 g of dry dal. Cooked dal has water added, so a katori of cooked dal holds much less protein per 100 g than the dry values shown; we give no cooked values.
Sources
- ICMR-NIN, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (IFCT 2017). Table 1, per 100 g edible portion, read from the PDF 24 Oct 2026: pulses B001, B003, B004, B010, B011, B012, B013 (PDF page 42) and B014, B021, B022 (page 43). Energy converted from kJ at 4.184 kJ per kcal.
The 30 g and 60 g servings, the protein-per-100-kcal figures, the gaps and every sentence starting "Our reading" are NYUS's own arithmetic or opinion, not from a study. Names in brackets are our matching to the IFCT row names.