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What's actually in a cooked katori of dal — toor, moong, masoor, chana, urad — with per-serving calories, protein, and fibre based on ICMR-NIN IFCT 2017 and…
Most things written about dal compare it to chicken on a per-100g basis and call it a day. That comparison is unfair to both sides, and it almost always uses the wrong number for dal. The figure on the back of the toor dal packet — about 340 kcal and 22g protein per 100g — is for the dry, uncooked lentil. By the time it has been soaked, pressure-cooked, and tempered, the dal has absorbed roughly three times its weight in water, and a standard katori (about 150g of cooked dal) carries closer to 115-130 kcal and 7-9g of protein [1][3]. Most of the 'high-protein dal' headlines you see quietly use the dry-weight number.
Dal is still one of the best everyday foods on the Indian plate, but for different reasons than the headlines say. A katori of cooked dal contributes useful plant protein, 4-7g of fibre (most of it the soluble type that helps glycemic control and satiety), iron, folate, magnesium, and potassium, and lands on the low end of the glycemic index (most dals 25-45) [3][8]. It is also affordable, shelf-stable, and built into every regional Indian repertoire. This guide does three things: it puts honest per-katori numbers next to each common dal, it walks through which variety to reach for when, and it covers the upgrades (iron-vitamin C pairing, soaking, sodium-aware tadka) that turn an everyday katori into a better one.
Most things written about dal use the wrong number. The 22g of protein on the back of the toor dal packet is for the dry weight; by the time the dal has absorbed three times its weight in water and shown up as a katori on your plate, the real figure is closer to 7-9g. Here is what is actually in a cooked katori — for each common dal — and the upgrades that turn an everyday spoonful into a better one.
All dals are low-GI, and the variation between them is smaller than you'd think. Cooked moong dal sits around GI 31. Toor dal is ~29. Masoor (red lentil) is ~26. Chana dal is the standout at ~8 — among the lowest-GI foods in any cuisine on earth [3]. White rice, for context, is ~73.
This is dal's quiet superpower. It's not just protein and fibre; it's the slow, steady release of glucose that makes a katori of dal one of the most blood-sugar-friendly things you can put on a plate. The high soluble fibre content (around 5g per cooked katori for chana dal, 4g for moong) is what does the work — it slows gastric emptying and blunts the spike that the accompanying rice or roti would otherwise cause.
Dry toor dal is roughly 340 kcal, 22g protein, 65g carb, and 15g fibre per 100g [1]. Cooked toor dal is roughly 115-130 kcal, 7-9g protein, 18-22g carb, and 4-7g fibre per 150g katori. Every number drops by about three-quarters because dal absorbs roughly three times its weight in water as it pressure-cooks.
This matters because almost every 'high-protein dal' Indian nutrition headline silently uses the dry-weight number. It makes dal look like an unbeatable protein source. It is not — it is a useful one. The corollary is that a daily katori of dal is contributing about 14% of an average adult's protein RDA (ICMR-NIN's adult target is 0.83 g/kg/day, or about 58g for a 70-kg adult) [2], which is meaningful but not sufficient on its own. Plan the rest of the day's protein around curd, paneer, eggs, soy, chicken, or fish, depending on your diet, and let the dal do what it does well: contribute fibre, iron, folate, magnesium, potassium, and the slow-release carbs that make a thali feel satisfying.
Our meal planner rotates moong, toor, masoor, chana, and urad across the week — paired with the right grain, vegetable, and a second protein — so the per-katori numbers actually add up to a balanced day.
Build my planSo — is dal healthy? Yes, and on the right honest terms. A katori of cooked dal is 115-130 kcal, 7-9g of protein, 4-7g of fibre, and a useful dose of iron, folate, and magnesium [1][3]. It is not a 30g-protein protein bomb; the packet number is for the dry weight. Used as one component of a plate alongside rice or roti, a vegetable, and a curd or chicken or egg or paneer for the second protein, it does exactly what it has done for centuries on the subcontinent: makes the meal complete, affordable, and satisfying. Rotate the variety across the week (toor, moong, masoor, chana, urad each bring something a little different), soak whole dals to lower phytates, pair them with a tomato or lemon for the iron, keep the tadka generous on whole spices and modest on salt, and have at it. If you have chronic kidney disease, are on potassium-sparing medication, or have gout flares, talk to your doctor about which dals and what portion size fit your specific picture before changing your routine.
Sourabh writes about Indian cuisine, budget cooking, and the everyday nutrition questions that come up in Indian kitchens — chapati portions, dal protein, how to keep dishes balanced without losing the flavours families actually want. His pieces lean on credible sources (ICMR-NIN, peer-reviewed studies) and home-cook reality in equal measure.
Meet the editorial team →Built using verified nutrition databases, culinary research, and traditional cooking knowledge — every claim is cross-referenced against the sources listed in the article. Last reviewed Jun 2026.
Articles are curated using trusted food databases (USDA FoodData Central, IFCT), culinary literature, and dietary guidelines, then structured by our editorial team for clarity, accuracy, and usefulness.
