Vegetables and mushrooms · IFCT 2017
Tender red gram (fresh toor): nutrition per 100 g
Per 100 g, fresh tender red gram gives 124 kcal, 8.1 g protein, 19.5 g carbohydrate and 5.9 g fibre, according to IFCT 2017. It ranks 2nd of 39 vegetables for protein, energy and folate, at 94 micrograms, and 1st for potassium, at 616 mg. These are the green toor beans of winter, lilva in Gujarat, sold in pods before the seeds dry into the familiar toor dal.
About tender red gram (fresh toor)
Tender red gram is pigeon pea, Cajanus cajan, picked while the seeds are still soft and green, in the winter months between December and February. IFCT 2017 records names in 4 languages: arhar ki fali in Hindi, hara tuvar in Urdu, thuvarai in Tamil and pacchi kandulu in Telugu. In Gujarat they are tuvar lilva, and in Karnataka hasi togari kalu. Because the beans are shelled from the pod and eaten fresh, they sit between a vegetable and a pulse.
Gujarat makes the most of them, with lilva kachori, tuvar lilva nu shaak, tuvar ringan with brinjal, and lilva in undhiyu. Karnataka cooks hasi togari kalu saaru and adds them to akki rotti and uppittu, much as avarekalu is used. Tamil and Andhra cooks add the fresh beans to kuzhambu, poriyal and pulao, and in Maharashtra they go into a light usal.
What tender red gram (fresh toor) brings to a meal
- 01
Protein ranks 2nd of 39
Fresh toor carries 8.1 g protein per 100 g, 103rd of 257 foods. A 100 g bowl of lilva gives a man 15 per cent of his protein need and a woman 18 per cent, far more than most vegetables.
- 02
Top vegetable for potassium
With 616 mg potassium per 100 g, tender red gram ranks 1st of 39 vegetables and 43rd of 243 foods. That makes a lilva dish a useful counterweight to a salty pickle or papad on the same plate.
- 03
Folate ranks 2nd of 39
The 94 micrograms of folate per 100 g ranks 27th of 197 foods. Fresh toor supplies 31 per cent of a man's folate need and 43 per cent of a woman's.
- 04
B vitamins, vitamin E, fibre
Each 100 g supplies 2.14 mg niacin, 0.23 mg thiamine, 0.89 mg vitamin E, 3rd of 38 vegetables, and 5.9 g fibre.
Tender red gram (fresh toor) 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 | 124 kcal | 6% | 7% |
| Protein | 8.1 g | 15% | 18% |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 19.5 g | ||
| Dietary fibre | 5.9 g | ||
| Free sugars | 0.6 g | ||
| Total fat | 0.9 g | ||
| Water | 64 g | ||
| Fats | |||
| Saturated fat | 0.21 g | ||
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.05 g | ||
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.47 g | ||
| Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) | 47 mg | ||
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | ||
| Minerals | |||
| Calcium | 59 mg | 6% | 6% |
| Iron | 1.18 mg | 6% | 4% |
| Zinc | 1.1 mg | 6% | 8% |
| Magnesium | 57 mg | 13% | 15% |
| Phosphorus | 141 mg | ||
| Potassium | 616 mg | ||
| Sodium | 3 mg | ||
| Copper | 0.45 mg | ||
| Selenium | 2.2 µg | ||
| Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin C | 15.1 mg | 19% | 23% |
| Beta-carotene | 165 µg | ||
| Thiamine (B1) | 0.23 mg | 13% | 14% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.09 mg | 4% | 4% |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.14 mg | 12% | 15% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.3 mg | 13% | 16% |
| Folate (B9) | 94 µg | 31% | 43% |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.89 mg | ||
| Vitamin K1 | 14.9 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. Tender red gram (fresh toor): nutrition per 100 g. Data: Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. https://nnwa.in/foods/vegetables/tender-red-gram/
Where tender red gram (fresh toor) sits among Indian foods
Ranked per 100 g against the other 38 vegetables and mushrooms and every food in the tables.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | In vegetables and mushrooms | Among all foods |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 8.1 g | 2nd of 39 | 104th of 243 |
| Potassium | 616 mg | 1st of 39 | 43rd of 243 |
| Folate (B9) | 94 µg | 2nd of 39 | 28th of 197 |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.89 mg | 3rd of 38 | 52nd of 242 |
| Energy | 124 kcal | 2nd of 39 | 103rd of 257 |
How tender red gram (fresh toor) is eaten
- Lilva kachori in Gujarat: crushed fresh toor spiced with green chilli, ginger, sugar and lemon, stuffed into pastry and fried.
- Tuvar lilva nu shaak: fresh toor cooked with ajwain, garlic and a little jaggery, or with brinjal as tuvar ringan.
- Undhiyu: lilva layered with papdi, purple yam, sweet potato and methi muthia in a green masala.
- Hasi togari kalu saaru in Karnataka: fresh beans simmered in a coconut and coriander gravy.
- Added to vegetable pulao or upma in place of green peas for extra protein.
Before you plan around it
Tender red gram is closer to a pulse than to a leafy vegetable: at 124 kcal and 19.5 g carbohydrate per 100 g, a bowl of lilva shaak counts as both the dal and part of the starch of a meal, which matters for people managing weight or diabetes. Like other beans, fresh toor can cause wind; cooking it with hing, ajwain and ginger helps. Lilva kachori is deep-fried and best kept for occasions. Out of season, frozen green toor sold in Indian grocers is a good substitute.
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 tender red gram (fresh toor)
Is fresh toor healthier than toor dal?
They are different forms of the same seed. Fresh toor has more water, so per 100 g it carries less protein and energy than dried toor dal, 8.1 g protein and 124 kcal, but more vitamin C, 15.1 mg. Both are nutritious; fresh toor is a seasonal treat.
What is lilva?
Lilva, or tuvar lilva, is the Gujarati name for fresh green pigeon peas shelled from the pod in winter. They are used in lilva kachori, undhiyu and many vegetable dishes. IFCT 2017 lists them as tender red gram.
Is tender red gram good for protein?
Yes, for a vegetable. IFCT 2017 lists 8.1 g protein per 100 g, 2nd among 39 vegetables. Combined with rice or roti, as in a lilva shaak meal, it makes a satisfying vegetarian plate.
Related foods and tables
Red gram (toor or arhar)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Green peas (fresh)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Field beans (fresh pods)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Brinjal (baingan)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
Cowpea (lobia)
Nutrition per 100 g, from IFCT 2017.
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 vegetables and mushrooms
39 foods in this group, compared.
Learn to use this data
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