Pulses and legumes · IFCT 2017
Moth bean (matki): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, moth bean gives 309 kcal, 19.8 g protein, 15.1 g dietary fibre and 349 micrograms of folate, according to IFCT 2017. That folate ranks 1st of 14 pulses and 2nd of 197 foods in the tables, and matki also ranks 3rd among pulses for both iron and magnesium, a strong showing for the bean behind misal pav.
About moth bean (matki)
Moth bean is a small, brown, drought-proof bean, the pulse of the Thar desert. Rajasthan grows most of India's crop, with smaller amounts in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Haryana, because it survives heat and sandy soil that kill most other legumes. IFCT 2017 records it as motha in Hindi, matki in Marathi, math in Gujarati, narippayir in Tamil, matki kal in Kannada and moth dal in Punjabi.
In Maharashtra, sprouted matki is the base of usal and of misal pav, topped with a fiery kat, farsan, onion and lemon. Rajasthan cooks moth ki dal, moth with bajra in a winter khichdi, and grinds moth flour into the dough for Bikaneri bhujia and mangodi. Gujarat makes math nu shaak, and across the west the beans are sprouted for salads and chaat.
Matki sprouts readily: soaked overnight and left in a damp cloth, the beans put out short tails within a day, which is how most Maharashtrian kitchens buy or make them. Farmers value the plant as much as cooks do, because it covers the sand as a low mat, holds the soil against desert wind and still gives a crop in years when the rains fail.
What moth bean (matki) brings to a meal
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Folate near the top of the table
Moth bean has 349 micrograms of folate per 100 g, 2nd of 197 foods in IFCT 2017. On paper 100 g meets more than a full day's requirement: 116 per cent for a man and 159 per cent for a woman, before cooking losses.
- 02
Iron and magnesium
It gives 7.9 mg iron and 205 mg magnesium per 100 g, both 3rd among pulses. That iron covers about 42 per cent of a man's daily need, and the magnesium about 47 per cent.
- 03
Calcium and thiamine
Matki carries 154 mg calcium and 0.45 mg thiamine per 100 g, ranking 4th among pulses for both. The thiamine meets about 25 per cent of a man's requirement.
- 04
Fibre and potassium
With 15.1 g fibre and 1356 mg potassium per 100 g, moth bean ranks 24th of 256 foods for fibre and 10th of 243 for potassium.
Moth bean (matki) 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 | 309 kcal | 15% | 19% |
| Protein | 19.8 g | 37% | 43% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 52.1 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 15.1 g | ||
| Free sugars | 1.4 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.8 g | ||
| Water | 8.1 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.43 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.07 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.85 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 240 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 154 mg | 15% | 15% |
| Iron | 7.9 mg | 42% | 27% |
| Zinc | 1.92 mg | 11% | 15% |
| Magnesium | 205 mg | 47% | 55% |
| Phosphorus | 362 mg | ||
| Potassium | 1,356 mg | ||
| Sodium | 26 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.64 mg | ||
| Selenium | 18.8 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 4 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.45 mg | 25% | 26% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.09 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.87 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.16 mg | 7% | 8% |
| Folate (B9) | 349 µg | 116% | 159% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.29 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 22.8 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. Moth bean (matki): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/pulses-and-legumes/moth-bean-matki/
Where moth bean (matki) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietary fibre | 15.1 g | 7th of 14 | 24th of 182 |
| Iron | 7.9 mg | 3rd of 14 | 24th of 242 |
| Magnesium | 205 mg | 3rd of 14 | 23rd of 242 |
| Potassium | 1,356 mg | 3rd of 14 | 10th of 243 |
| Folate (B9) | 349 µg | 1st of 14 | 2nd of 197 |
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 240 mg | 4th of 13 | 35th of 202 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.45 mg | 4th of 14 | 18th of 239 |
How moth bean (matki) is eaten
- Misal pav: sprouted matki usal topped with spicy kat, farsan, chopped onion and lemon, eaten with pav.
- Matki usal: sprouts cooked dry with onion, goda masala and coconut, a Maharashtrian lunch side.
- Moth ki dal: whole moth simmered with tomato, garlic and red chilli, Rajasthani style, with bajra roti.
- Moth bajra khichdi: moth and broken bajra cooked together with ghee and cumin for a desert winter meal.
- Sprout chaat: raw or lightly steamed matki sprouts tossed with onion, tomato, lemon and chaat masala.
Before you plan around it
Matki itself is lean, but its best-known dishes are not. Misal kat is often heavy with oil, and farsan and bhujia made with moth flour are deep-fried and salty, so the bean's numbers do not carry over to the namkeen. Folate is fragile and is lost to heat and cooking water, so steaming sprouts lightly and keeping curry liquid preserves more. Raw sprouts can carry bacteria if made in unclean conditions; rinse them well and steam them for children and pregnant women. Matki has the least zinc of the 14 pulses, 1.92 mg per 100 g.
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 moth bean (matki)
Is matki good for protein?
Yes. IFCT 2017 lists 19.8 g protein per 100 g of moth bean, about 37 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 43 per cent of a woman's. It is slightly lower than most pulses, but sprouted matki with pav or bajra roti makes a filling meal.
Are matki sprouts healthy?
Sprouting makes moth beans softer, easier to digest and higher in vitamin C, while keeping their fibre and minerals. IFCT 2017 gives values only for the dry bean. Rinse sprouts well and cook them lightly if they are for children, older people or pregnant women.
Is moth bean high in folate?
Very. With 349 micrograms per 100 g, moth bean ranks 2nd of 197 foods for folate in IFCT 2017. Cooking loses part of it, so steaming or pressure-cooking with little water keeps more. Folic acid needs in pregnancy should be guided by a doctor.
What is moth bean called in different languages?
IFCT 2017 records it as motha in Hindi, matki in Marathi, math in Gujarati, narippayir in Tamil, matki kal in Kannada and kheri in Bengali. In Rajasthan and Punjab it is simply moth.
Related foods and tables
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Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cowpea (lobia)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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Dried peas
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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.
Magnesium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by magnesium per 100 g.
All pulses and legumes
14 foods in this group, compared.
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