Food database · Legumes & beans
Protein content
20.6 g of protein in 1 cup (240 g) of dal, or 5.9 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.9 g |
|---|---|
| Protein per 100 g | 8.6 g |
| Protein per serving | 20.6 g in 1 cup (240 g) |
| Calories from protein | 24% |
| Protein to fat | 2 g per 1 g fat |
| Rank in legumes, per 100 kcal | 31st of 54 |
| Rank of all foods, per 100 g | 491st of 796 |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 41% per serving |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
One 1 cup, 20.6 g protein.
Every 100 kcal of dal brings 5.9 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 31st of the 54 legumes in this database and 413th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 8.6 g per 100 g ranks 25th in its group.
Around 24% of the calories in dal come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Weight for weight, dal has 2 g of protein for each gram of fat (8.6 g against 4.31 g per 100 g).
Set against winged beans, another legume entry in the database, a serving carries about 2.4 g more protein (winged beans has 18.2 g per 1 cup cooked).
It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving quoted here is measured by volume at 240 g, and it covers about 41% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
| Portion | Weight | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 8.6 g | 145 kcal |
| 1 cup (serving used here) | 240 g | 20.6 g | 348 kcal |
The USDA record lists no other household measure for this food; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Related
Highest-protein legumes per serving · Most protein-dense foods · Highest protein per 100 g
Head to head
Quick answers
8.6 g. The 1 cup serving used on this page weighs 240 g and so carries 20.6 g.
5.9 g. That figure divides its 8.6 g of protein per 100 g by its 145 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
No. On its own, the protein in dal is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
About 41%. One 1 cup serving has 20.6 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #2707427 (Dal), FNDDS survey data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.