Pulses and legumes · IFCT 2017
Bengal gram (chana): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, chana dal gives 329 kcal, 21.6 g protein, 15.2 g dietary fibre and 182 micrograms of folate, according to IFCT 2017. It ranks 8th of 197 foods for folate and 2nd of 14 pulses for zinc, and because besan is ground from this same dal, it reaches more Indian dishes than almost any other pulse.
About bengal gram (chana)
Bengal gram is the small, dark desi chickpea. Split and husked, it becomes chana dal; roasted and ground, it becomes sattu; ground raw, it becomes besan. India grows more chickpea than any other country, mostly in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. IFCT 2017 records the dal as chane ki dal in Urdu, cholar dal in Bengali, kadale bele in Kannada, kadalaiparuppu in Tamil, sanaga papu in Telugu and kadala parippu in Malayalam.
Chana dal is cooked with lauki in the north, with coconut and raisins as Bengali cholar dal, and as a firm, nutty dal tadka in Punjab. In the south it is fried crisp in tempering and soaked and ground for masala vada and parippu vada. Maharashtra's puran poli is stuffed with chana dal and jaggery, and besan becomes kadhi, pakora, dhokla, chilla, sev and besan ladoo. NNWA's recipes use chana or besan in 43 dishes.
IFCT 2017 also tests whole kala chana. Per 100 g it has 287 kcal, 18.8 g protein, 25.2 g fibre, 6.78 mg iron and 150 mg calcium, so the seed coat adds a great deal of fibre and calcium that the dal loses.
What bengal gram (chana) brings to a meal
- 01
Folate among the best
Chana dal carries 182 micrograms of folate per 100 g, 8th of 197 foods in IFCT 2017. 100 g covers about 61 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 83 per cent of a woman's, though cooking loses part of it.
- 02
Solid protein
At 21.6 g protein per 100 g, chana dal ranks 22nd of 257 foods and meets about 40 per cent of a man's daily need. Paired with rice or roti, its protein becomes more complete.
- 03
High fibre for a split dal
Chana dal has 15.2 g dietary fibre per 100 g, more than most split dals, and ranks 23rd of 256 foods. It digests slowly and keeps a meal satisfying.
- 04
Zinc, iron and carotene
It gives 3.65 mg zinc and 6.08 mg iron per 100 g, ranking 2nd and 7th among pulses, and 165 micrograms of beta-carotene, 1st among pulses with a value.
Bengal gram (chana) nutrition facts per 100 g
Every value IFCT 2017 reports for the edible portion, with the share of an adult's daily need that 100 g covers where ICMR-NIN sets a requirement.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Adult man | Adult woman |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy and macronutrients | |||
| Energy | 329 kcal | 16% | 20% |
| Protein | 21.6 g | 40% | 47% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 46.7 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 15.2 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1 g | ||
| Total fat | 5.3 g | ||
| Water | 9.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.47 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.88 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 2.48 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 116 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 46 mg | 5% | 5% |
| Iron | 6.08 mg | 32% | 21% |
| Zinc | 3.65 mg | 21% | 28% |
| Magnesium | 118 mg | 27% | 32% |
| Phosphorus | 325 mg | ||
| Potassium | 957 mg | ||
| Sodium | 21 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.82 mg | ||
| Selenium | 51 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 165 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.35 mg | 19% | 21% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.15 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.87 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.19 mg | 8% | 10% |
| Folate (B9) | 182 µg | 61% | 83% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.08 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 1.5 µg | ||
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. Daily-need shares use the ICMR-NIN 2020 recommended dietary allowances for a 65 kg man and a 55 kg woman doing sedentary work (ICMR-NIN brief note). Nutrients IFCT did not analyse for this food are left out rather than shown as zero.
Cite this page
NNWA Nutrition and Wellness Academy. Bengal gram (chana): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/pulses-and-legumes/bengal-gram-chana/
Where bengal gram (chana) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 13 pulses and legumes and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In pulses and legumes | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 21.6 g | 8th of 14 | 22nd of 243 |
| Dietary fibre | 15.2 g | 6th of 14 | 23rd of 182 |
| Iron | 6.08 mg | 7th of 14 | 34th of 242 |
| Zinc | 3.65 mg | 2nd of 14 | 22nd of 243 |
| Potassium | 957 mg | 11th of 14 | 21st of 243 |
| Folate (B9) | 182 µg | 6th of 14 | 8th of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 165 µg | 1st of 12 | 50th of 160 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.35 mg | 7th of 14 | 27th of 239 |
Every form of bengal gram (chana) in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengal gram, dal (shown above) | 329 kcal | 21.6 g | 15.2 g | 6.08 mg | 46 mg |
| Whole | 287 kcal | 18.8 g | 25.2 g | 6.78 mg | 150 mg |
How bengal gram (chana) is eaten
- Chana dal with lauki: soaked dal pressure-cooked with bottle gourd, tomato and a cumin tadka.
- Cholar dal: Bengali chana dal with coconut bits, raisins, bay leaf and a touch of sugar, served with luchi.
- Masala vada and parippu vada: soaked dal coarsely ground with onion, chilli and curry leaves, then fried.
- Puran poli: cooked chana dal mashed with jaggery and cardamom and stuffed into a thin wheat flatbread.
- Besan chilla: gram flour batter with onion, tomato and coriander cooked thin on a tawa.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Chana Dal
291 kcal in 1 bowl of chana dal.
Calories in Dal Paratha
206 kcal in 1 dal paratha.
Calories in Kala Chana Curry
169 kcal in 1 bowl of kala chana curry.
Calories in Lauki Chana Dal
204 kcal in 1 bowl of lauki chana dal.
Calories in Masala Vada
75 kcal in 1 masala vada.
Calories in Mixed Dal
184 kcal in 1 bowl of mixed dal.
Calories in Panchmel Dal
335 kcal in 1 bowl of panchmel dal.
Calories in Puran Poli
196 kcal in 1 puran poli.
Calories in Rava Idli
61 kcal in 1 rava idli.
Calories in Sattu Drink
125 kcal in 1 glass of sattu drink.
Calories in Vangi Bath
538 kcal in 1 plate of vangi bath.
Before you plan around it
Chana dal is one of the slower dals to cook and digest. Soaking it for an hour or more before pressure-cooking shortens cooking and reduces the bloating some people feel from its complex sugars; a pinch of hing in the tadka is the traditional help. Like all pulses it carries phytate, so pair it with lemon, tomato or amla to absorb more iron. The besan dishes that make it so versatile are often deep-fried, and pakora, sev and bhujia carry far more fat than the dal itself.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
What people ask about bengal gram (chana)
How much protein is in chana dal?
IFCT 2017 lists 21.6 g protein per 100 g of raw chana dal, about 40 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 47 per cent of a woman's. Cooking adds water, so a bowl of cooked dal has less per spoonful than the raw figure.
Is whole chana better than chana dal?
For fibre and calcium, yes. Per 100 g, whole Bengal gram has 25.2 g fibre and 150 mg calcium against 15.2 g and 46 mg in the dal. Protein is a little lower in the whole seed at 18.8 g against 21.6 g.
Is besan the same as chana dal?
Besan is chana dal ground into flour, so its nutrition is close to the dal's. It is not the same as the flour of the large white kabuli chickpea, which is sometimes sold as chickpea flour and behaves a little differently in cooking.
Is chana dal good for people with diabetes?
Chana dal's 15.2 g fibre and 21.6 g protein per 100 g mean it digests slowly, which suits a balanced diabetic meal. It still carries 46.7 g carbohydrate per 100 g. People with diabetes should work out dal portions with their doctor or dietitian.
Related foods and tables
Green gram (moong)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Red gram (toor or arhar)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Black gram (urad)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Dried peas
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Wheat flour (atta and maida)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Chana dal vs Moong dal
Side by side, per 100 g.
Whole chana vs Rajma
Side by side, per 100 g.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Dietary fibre content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by dietary fibre per 100 g.
Iron content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by iron per 100 g.
All pulses and legumes
14 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
Certification in Nutrition
Reading food composition tables and turning them into meal plans is taught in this NNWA course.