Moong Dal vs. Masoor Dal – Which Dal Has More Protein

Did you know that Archaeological evidence suggests that Indians have relished lentil-based dishes since the early Harappan Period (started around 2800 BC), and that is also when dals made their first appearance and became a staple food.¹ Lentils as a staple are an important plant-based source of protein for Indians. There are many types of dals, and this article will discuss moong dal vs masoor dal- which dal has more protein? More protein means more power to your child for the best growth. So, let’s find out-

Table of Contents

• What is moong dal?
• What is masoor dal?
• Moong dal vs Masoor dal – Protein Comparison
• Which Dal is Better for Kids?
• Which dal is easier to digest for kids?
• How often should kids eat dal for proper protein intake?
• Easy Kid-Friendly Recipes Using Masoor Dal & Moong dal
• Conclusion

What is Moong Dal?

Moong dal is a split green gram legume. It is a nutritious legume with a high content of easily digestible protein (20-32%). It also has considerable amounts of carbohydrates and provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals beneficial for your child. In addition to moong dal protein, its nutritional value includes anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, highlighting the moong dal benefits. These anti-inflammatory and antioxidant moong dal benefits and moong dal protein protect your child from diseases.²

Nutritional values of moong dal per 100g: ³

What is Masoor Dal? H2

Masoor dal is a split red gram legume. Similar to moong dal, it also has a high content of protein. Masoor dal nutrition also comprises carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, underlining masoor dal benefits.^{3, 4}

Masoor dal nutrition per 100g: ³

Moong dal vs Masoor dal – Protein Comparison

Moong dal vs masoor dal, comparing the protein content from the above tables, they have almost similar protein content. Moong dal protein is 23.8g per 100g while masoor dal protein is 24.3g per 100g. You can use either of them to help meet protein requirements of your child, suggesting both moong dal benefits and masoor dal benefits.

Which Dal is Better for Kids?

Choosing a better one between moong dal and masoor dal is difficult. This is because both masoor dal nutrition and moong dal nutrition are almost similar. Masoor dal benefits include that it has about 1 g more fiber than moong dal, but masoor dal protein, energy and carbohydrate content are almost the same.³ So, both are equally good in terms of nutritional value and you can use each of them in different preparations as per their use.

Which dal is easier to digest for kids?

Moong dal protein is comparatively easier to digest than masoor dal protein.^2, So if your child is having an upset stomach or stomach ache, choose moong dal for the time being. Being easy on the gut is one of the many moong dal benefits. And later, you can include both as part of a balanced diet.

How often should kids eat dal for proper protein intake?

Dals belong to the category of protein-rich foods in India. So, dals should be consumed regularly along with other protein-rich foods to meet daily protein needs.

Another important thing with dals is that they have incomplete protein, so you need to combine them with cereals to add to the protein quality. But hey, did you know most of our traditional Indian foods are such? For e.g. dal dhokli (dal, roti), missi roti (wheat, besan), khichadi (dal, rice), sattu paratha, idli or dosa with sambar (urad dal, rice, dal in sambar), handvo (rice, dal), pongal (rice, dal) etc.

Easy Kid-Friendly Recipes Using Masoor Dal & Moong dal

Here are some recipes that your child would enjoy while making sure protein intake from these dals:

• Moong dal Chilla: Use moong dal, rice, veggies, and add buttermilk instead of water
• Moong dal Idli: Serve with vegetable sambar for added fiber
• Moong dal chaat: A hassle-free snack option. All you need to do is soak moong dal for 2 hours, add chopped veggies, salt or chaat masala, some chopped raw mango and/or lemon juice if you like. Voila! It’s done.
• Vegetable Moong dal soup: To make sure protein and fiber go in one shot, you must give your child- vegetable moong dal soup. Moong dal not only adds protein, but good consistency, and soup is the best way to sneak in vegetables for your child.
• Masoor dal khichadi: Use rice, masoor dal, veggies, can add some paneer/tofu/soychunks for additional protein.
• Masoor dal curry: Include veggies and top with a drizzle of ghee for added richness. Palak masoor dal, moringa masoor dal curry are useful options to include both masoor dal protein and fiber for your child.
• Masoor dal kebab: Quick protein rich bite made from masoor dal and veggies, best for wraps, sandwiches etc. You can also include it just as it is for a healthy evening snack, to avail masoor dal benefits.

Conclusion

All dals including moong dal, masoor dal are staple foods in India and are important protein rich foods. Moong dal vs masoor dal -in terms of nutritional value, both moong dal and masoor dal are almost similar. Moong dal benefits include it’s easy to digest moong dal protein, while masoor dal nutrition suggests it has more fiber. So, both are uniquely good, and both can be used in different recipes as they fit better. Such as -opt for moong dal for easy digestion if your child is too young or has an upset stomach, while masoor dal tastes good in khichadi and as curries.  Sometimes you may be unable to meet the protein needs for your child due to poor appetite, food likes and dislikes, etc. Here is where nutritional drinks like Complan come in as a useful support to a balanced diet.
Complan not only has 63% higher protein than the other leading malt-based drink, it also has a total of 34 vital nutrients for your child’s growth. Addition of Complan to your child’s balanced diet will help meet the protein and other nutritional needs.

Source:

¹ A Brief History of the Mighty Lentil in India, ICARDA Communication Team, Available at: https://icarda.org/media/blog/lentil-ICARDA-India#:~:text=Archaeological%20evidence%20shows%20that%20Indians,lentils%20became%20a%20staple%20food. Last updated Feb 9, 2022. Accessed on 8^th April 2025.

² Mehta, N., Rao, P., & Saini, R. (2021). A review on metabolites and pharmaceutical potential of food legume crop mung bean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek). Biotechnologia, 102(4), 425–435. https://doi.org/10.5114/bta.2021.111107

³ T. Longvah, R. Ananthan, K. Bhaskarachary and K. Venkaiah, Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. Accessed on 8^th April 2025.

⁴ Alexander, R., Khaja, A., Debiec, N., Fazioli, A., Torrance, M., & Razzaque, M. S. (2024). Health-promoting benefits of lentils: Anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects. Current research in physiology, 7, 100124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crphys.2024.100124