14 foods · IFCT 2017
Pulses and legumes: nutrition per 100 g
IFCT 2017 lists 14 pulses and legumes, from everyday dals such as toor, moong, masoor, urad and chana to rajma, lobia, moth, horse gram and soya bean. Most raw pulses give between 19.8 and 24.4 g of protein per 100 g, and soya bean leads at 35.6 g. They are rich in fibre too, with dry field bean highest at 23.4 g.
About pulses and legumes
Pulses are India's main vegetarian protein, eaten daily as dal, sambar, usal, chole and rajma, and in countless snacks made from besan. This group in IFCT 2017 covers 14 of them: split dals such as toor, moong, masoor, urad and chana dal; whole pulses such as whole masoor, rajma, lobia (cowpea), moth bean, dried peas, field bean, rice bean and horse gram; and soya bean.
Weight for weight, raw pulses carry two to three times the protein of cereals, and they bring fibre, iron, folate and potassium as well. Soya bean stands apart with 35.6 g protein, 21.6 g fibre and 19.8 g fat per 100 g, which also makes it the most energy-dense at 381 kcal. Horse gram has the most iron in the group at 8.76 mg, and among the least fat at 0.6 g.
Whole pulses keep their seed coat and generally carry more fibre than split, husked dals: whole masoor has 16.8 g per 100 g against 10.4 g in masoor dal. Calcium varies widely, from 43 mg in moong dal to 239 mg in soya bean and 269 mg in horse gram. Pulses run short of the amino acid methionine, which cereals supply, so dal with rice or roti makes a more complete protein.
Pulses and legumes compared
Per 100 g of the edible portion. Open any food for its full panel, varieties and names in Indian languages.
| Food | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengal gram (chana) | 329 kcal | 21.6 g | 15.2 g | 6.08 mg | 46 mg |
| Black gram (urad) | 324 kcal | 23.1 g | 11.9 g | 4.67 mg | 56 mg |
| Cowpea (lobia) | 320 kcal | 20.4 g | 11.5 g | 5.9 mg | 82 mg |
| Dried peas | 303 kcal | 20.4 g | 17 g | 5.09 mg | 75 mg |
| Field bean (dry) | 276 kcal | 19.9 g | 23.4 g | 4.5 mg | 78 mg |
| Green gram (moong) | 326 kcal | 23.9 g | 9.4 g | 3.93 mg | 43 mg |
| Horse gram (kulthi) | 330 kcal | 21.7 g | 7.9 g | 8.76 mg | 269 mg |
| Masoor dal (red lentil) | 322 kcal | 24.4 g | 10.4 g | 7.06 mg | 44 mg |
| Moth bean (matki) | 309 kcal | 19.8 g | 15.1 g | 7.9 mg | 154 mg |
| Rajma (red kidney beans) | 299 kcal | 19.9 g | 16.6 g | 6.13 mg | 126 mg |
| Red gram (toor or arhar) | 331 kcal | 21.7 g | 9.1 g | 3.9 mg | 72 mg |
| Rice bean | 302 kcal | 20 g | 13.4 g | 4.76 mg | 200 mg |
| Soya bean | 381 kcal | 35.6 g | 21.6 g | 8.29 mg | 239 mg |
| Whole masoor (lentil) | 299 kcal | 22.5 g | 16.8 g | 7.57 mg | 76 mg |
Values per 100 g of the edible portion. Source: Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition, Indian Council of Medical Research, Hyderabad.
The richest pulses and legumes by nutrient
Protein
- 1.Soya bean35.6 g
- 2.Masoor dal (red lentil)24.4 g
- 3.Green gram (moong)23.9 g
Dietary fibre
- 1.Field bean (dry)23.4 g
- 2.Soya bean21.6 g
- 3.Dried peas17 g
Iron
- 1.Horse gram (kulthi)8.76 mg
- 2.Soya bean8.29 mg
- 3.Moth bean (matki)7.9 mg
Calcium
- 1.Horse gram (kulthi)269 mg
- 2.Soya bean239 mg
- 3.Rice bean200 mg
Energy
- 1.Soya bean381 kcal
- 2.Red gram (toor or arhar)331 kcal
- 3.Horse gram (kulthi)330 kcal
What people ask about pulses and legumes
Which dal has the most protein?
Among split dals in IFCT 2017, masoor dal leads at 24.4 g per 100 g, then moong dal at 23.9 g and urad dal at 23.1 g. Toor dal has 21.7 g and chana dal 21.6 g. Soya bean, at 35.6 g, beats them all but is usually eaten whole or as chunks.
Which pulse is richest in fibre?
Dry field bean leads at 23.4 g per 100 g, followed by soya bean at 21.6 g, dried peas at 17.0 g, whole masoor at 16.8 g and rajma at 16.6 g. Split dals such as toor at 9.1 g and moong at 9.4 g carry less, because husking removes the seed coat.
Is horse gram good for iron and calcium?
Yes. Horse gram (kulthi) has 8.76 mg iron and 269 mg calcium per 100 g in IFCT 2017, the highest of both in this group. It is eaten as rasam, usal and chutney in the south and west.
Why do pulses cause gas, and what helps?
Pulses carry fibre and certain sugars that gut bacteria ferment. Soaking overnight and discarding the water, cooking until soft, sprouting, and adding hing, ginger or ajwain to the tadka all make them easier to digest.
Explore the rest of the tables
Cereals and millets
14 foods per 100 g.
Green leafy vegetables
26 foods per 100 g.
Vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods per 100 g.
Roots and tubers
10 foods per 100 g.
Fruits
44 foods per 100 g.
Nuts and oilseeds
14 foods per 100 g.
Spices, herbs and condiments
21 foods per 100 g.
Cooking oils and fats
14 foods per 100 g.
Milk and dairy
3 foods per 100 g.
Meat, poultry and eggs
14 foods per 100 g.
Fish and seafood
41 foods per 100 g.
Sugars and natural drinks
3 foods per 100 g.