Food · dal & legume
Masoor dal (red lentil)
One serving of Masoor dal (red lentil) — 1 katori (30 g raw dal) — comes to 130 kcal, 7.3 g protein, 15.8 g carbs and 4.2 g fat. Scaled to 100 g it works out to 87 kcal and 4.9 g protein, which makes it not a meaningful protein source on its own for a dal & legume item. That single serving is about 8.7% of a 1,500 kcal day and 6.5% of a 2,000 kcal day, so it's more of a filler than a target-hitter on protein without much extra planning.
Walking off Masoor dal (red lentil) takes roughly 3,250 steps, using the rough approximation of 0.04 kcal burned per step (a population-average estimate for a moderate walking pace, not a personalised number). At ₹6 a serving it costs about ₹16.4 for every 20 g of protein it delivers, which is a mid-to-high price for protein compared with dal, eggs or soya chunks. It fits nearly every Indian diet type, including vegetarian, vegan, eggetarian. It works at lunch and dinner. It's a daily staple in most Indian kitchens and one of the cheaper ways to hit a protein target.
If you want variety without changing the macros much, the closest swaps in the dal & legume category are Besan chilla, Chana sundal (South Indian chickpea stir-fry), Chole / chana masala, Chana dal — each keeps a similar role on the plate while shifting the exact protein-to-carb balance a little.
Per portion vs per 100 g
| Amount | kcal | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving (1 katori (30 g raw dal)) | 130 | 7.3 | 15.8 | 4.2 |
| 2 servings | 260 | 14.6 | 31.6 | 8.4 |
| Per 100 g | 87 | 4.9 | 10.5 | 2.8 |
In a day's calorie budget
| Daily target | Share of the day | ₹ per 20 g protein |
|---|---|---|
| 1,500 kcal | 8.7% | ₹16.4 |
| 2,000 kcal | 6.5% |
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Questions people ask
- How many calories are in Masoor dal (red lentil)?
- One serving (1 katori (30 g raw dal)) has 130 kcal, 7.3 g protein, 15.8 g carbs and 4.2 g fat. Per 100 g that's 87 kcal and 4.9 g protein.
- Is Masoor dal (red lentil) good for weight loss?
- On its own, no single food determines fat loss or gain — your total daily calories do. A serving of Masoor dal (red lentil) is about 8.7% of a 1,500 kcal day, so it fits a fat-loss plan as long as the rest of the day is accounted for.
- How much walking burns off Masoor dal (red lentil)?
- Roughly 3,250 steps, using the approximation of about 0.04 kcal burned per step at a moderate walking pace — a rough population-average estimate, not personalised to your body weight or pace.