Pulses and legumes · IFCT 2017
Red gram (toor or arhar): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, toor dal gives 331 kcal, 21.7 g protein, 9.1 g dietary fibre and 1395 mg potassium, according to IFCT 2017. Its potassium ranks 9th of 243 foods and 2nd of 14 pulses, and its protein 20th of 257. It is the dal behind sambar, varan and dal tadka, the most cooked dal across much of India.
About red gram (toor or arhar)
Toor, also called arhar or red gram, is the pigeon pea. Split and husked, it is the yellow dal cooked daily across the south, west and much of the north. Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat grow most of it. IFCT 2017 records it as arhar dal in Hindi, Bengali and Punjabi, tuver ni daad in Gujarati, thugare bele in Kannada, tuvaramparuppu in Tamil, kandi pappu in Telugu, tuvaru parippu in Malayalam, turdal in Marathi and harada dal in Odia.
Almost every region has a toor dal of its own. Tamil and Karnataka kitchens make sambar, rasam, bisi bele bath and bele saaru; Andhra makes pappu with tomato, spinach or raw mango; Maharashtra makes plain varan with ghee and the sweet-sour amti; Gujarat makes a thin dal with jaggery and kokum. North India knows it as dal tadka or arhar dal with rice.
IFCT 2017 also tests whole red gram. Per 100 g it has 274 kcal, 20.5 g protein, 22.8 g fibre, 5.37 mg iron and 139 mg calcium, so the husk carries most of the fibre and much of the calcium. Fresh green pigeon peas, tuvar na dana in Gujarat, are a winter vegetable in their own right, cooked into lilva kachori and shaak, and they have a separate page.
What red gram (toor or arhar) brings to a meal
- 01
Potassium near the top
Toor dal has 1395 mg potassium per 100 g, 2nd of 14 pulses and 9th of 243 foods in IFCT 2017. Potassium helps counter the effect of salt on blood pressure.
- 02
Everyday protein
At 21.7 g protein per 100 g, toor dal ranks 20th of 257 foods and covers about 40 per cent of a man's daily requirement. With rice in sambar sadam or varan bhaat, the protein becomes more complete.
- 03
Thiamine, folate and carotene
It gives 0.45 mg thiamine, 108 micrograms of folate and 127 micrograms of beta-carotene per 100 g, ranking 2nd among pulses for beta-carotene. The thiamine meets about 25 per cent of a man's need.
- 04
Low iron for a pulse
Iron is 3.9 mg per 100 g, the lowest of the 14 pulses, and fibre is 9.1 g, 13th. The whole seed, with 5.37 mg iron and 22.8 g fibre, keeps far more.
Red gram (toor or arhar) 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 | 331 kcal | 16% | 20% |
| Protein | 21.7 g | 40% | 47% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 55.2 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 9.1 g | ||
| Free sugars | 2.1 g | ||
| Total fat | 1.6 g | ||
| Water | 9.2 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.26 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.09 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.65 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 51 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 72 mg | 7% | 7% |
| Iron | 3.9 mg | 21% | 13% |
| Zinc | 2.63 mg | 15% | 20% |
| Magnesium | 119 mg | 27% | 32% |
| Phosphorus | 328 mg | ||
| Potassium | 1,395 mg | ||
| Sodium | 18 mg | ||
| Copper | 1.14 mg | ||
| Selenium | 14.4 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Beta-carotene | 127 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.45 mg | 25% | 26% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.11 mg | 4% | 5% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.09 mg | 12% | 15% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.24 mg | 10% | 13% |
| Folate (B9) | 108 µg | 36% | 49% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.13 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 42.2 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. Red gram (toor or arhar): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/pulses-and-legumes/red-gram-toor-dal/
Where red gram (toor or arhar) 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 | 21.7 g | 7th of 14 | 20th of 243 |
| Potassium | 1,395 mg | 2nd of 14 | 9th of 243 |
| Folate (B9) | 108 µg | 11th of 14 | 22nd of 197 |
| Beta-carotene | 127 µg | 2nd of 12 | 57th of 160 |
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.45 mg | 5th of 14 | 19th of 239 |
| Energy | 331 kcal | 2nd of 14 | 45th of 257 |
Every form of red gram (toor or arhar) in IFCT 2017
The tables analyse these separately. The figures above are for the row marked first.
| Form | Energy | Protein | Fibre | Iron | Calcium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red gram, dal (shown above) | 331 kcal | 21.7 g | 9.1 g | 3.9 mg | 72 mg |
| Whole | 274 kcal | 20.5 g | 22.8 g | 5.37 mg | 139 mg |
How red gram (toor or arhar) is eaten
- Sambar: toor dal cooked soft with tamarind, sambar powder and vegetables, finished with a mustard and curry leaf tadka.
- Varan bhaat: plain toor dal with salt, turmeric and hing, served over rice with a spoon of ghee and lemon.
- Gujarati dal: thin toor dal sweetened with jaggery and soured with kokum or lemon, tempered with cloves and curry leaves.
- Andhra pappu: toor dal mashed with tomato, spinach or raw mango and a garlic tadka.
- Dal tadka: cooked toor dal finished with ghee, cumin, garlic, dried red chilli and tomato.
Recipes in the NNWA database that use it
Cooked dishes that use it, with calories per serving
Calories in Dal Dhokli
231 kcal in 1 bowl of dal dhokli.
Calories in Dal Palak
213 kcal in 1 bowl of dal palak.
Calories in Masala Vada
75 kcal in 1 masala vada.
Calories in Panchmel Dal
335 kcal in 1 bowl of panchmel dal.
Calories in Rasam
104 kcal in 1 bowl of rasam.
Calories in Sambar
249 kcal in 1 bowl of sambar.
Before you plan around it
Much of the toor dal sold loose is polished with oil to make it shine and keep it from insects, so wash it in several changes of water before cooking. Toor has the least iron of the pulses in IFCT 2017, so pair it with tomato, lemon or amla, and keep tea away from the meal. People with kidney disease on a potassium limit should ask a dietitian about portions, given 1395 mg per 100 g. A pinch of hing and a good boil reduce the gas some people feel. Buy from trusted brands, since khesari dal has historically been mixed into arhar.
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 red gram (toor or arhar)
How much protein is in toor dal?
IFCT 2017 lists 21.7 g protein per 100 g of raw toor dal, about 40 per cent of a man's daily requirement and 47 per cent of a woman's. A cooked bowl has less per spoonful because of the water it absorbs.
Is toor dal good for iron?
Toor dal has 3.9 mg iron per 100 g, the lowest of the 14 pulses in IFCT 2017. Masoor, chana and urad dal carry more. Tomato, lemon or amla in the dish helps the body absorb what is there.
Why is toor dal oily?
Some toor dal is coated with a thin layer of edible oil to keep insects away and give a glossy look. Washing it well in warm water before cooking removes most of the coating. Unpolished toor dal is also sold.
Is toor dal the same as arhar dal?
Yes. Toor, tuvar, arhar and red gram all name the same pigeon pea, split and husked into the familiar yellow dal. The names differ by region, not by pulse.
Related foods and tables
Tender red gram (fresh toor)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Rice
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Masoor dal (red lentil)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Green gram (moong)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Bengal gram (chana)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Moong dal vs Toor dal
Side by side, per 100 g.
Protein content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by protein per 100 g.
Potassium content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by potassium per 100 g.
Folate (vitamin B9) content of Indian foods
Every food in the tables, ranked by folate (vitamin b9) 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.