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Moong Dal for Weight Loss: Know The Benefits, Nutrition Profile & How to Use
Moong dal is nutritious and highly beneficial for weight loss. You can adapt it to any meal, make it delicious, and enjoy it guilt-free thanks to its low-calorie and high protein content. In this article, find out how you can have Moong dal for weight loss, its nutritional content, how to include it in your meals, and its benefits.
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What is Moong Dal?
Moong dal is a staple across households in India and comes in two variants: the whole green dal as it is and the yellow moong dal, which is hulled and split. Both forms are rich in protein, fibre, and other nutrients, offering plenty of health benefits including aiding weight loss. [1] It is an excellent choice of food to include in your diet plan for weight loss.
Nutritional profile of Moong Dal For Weight Loss
Let us take a look at the nutritional profile of moong dal for weight loss:
| Nutrient | Amount per 100g (Raw) |
| Calories | ~330 kcal |
| Protein | ~24g |
| Dietary Fibre | ~8g |
| Carbohydrates | ~56g |
| Fats | ~1.2g |
| Folate (Vitamin B9) | ~625 µg (approx. 157% DV) |
| Magnesium | ~130 mg |
| Potassium | ~1250 mg |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | ~0.6 mg |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | ~0.2 mg |
| Iron | ~6.7 mg |
| Calcium | ~132 mg |
| Zinc | ~2.7 mg |
Is Moong Dal Good For Weight Loss?
Yes, Moong dal is excellent for weight loss. Its high protein content keeps you satiated for longer, thus preventing you from consuming excess calories. If you are engaging in physical activity for weight loss, the protein in Moong dal helps preserve your lean muscle mass. Moong dal’s glycaemic index is also low, which is critical in keeping your blood sugar levels regulated. It’s high fibre content aids digestion and prevents constipation. All these factors contribute to your weight loss.
Why Moong Dal Is Good For Weight Loss?
Moong dal is versatile and a staple among Indian kitchens. You can incorporate it in your meals from a sprouted chat, a chilla, plain dal or as a rice dish.
Here are the top reasons why Moong dal helps in weight loss:
- High In Protein: Moong dal is a great plant-based protein. [2] The body expends more energy to digest protein, which supports metabolism. Moong dal keeps you satiated for longer, reducing your overall calorie intake. Protein is also crucial to build muscle, while the amino acids in Moong dal preserve your existing muscle. It is beneficial, especially when you are in a calorie deficit and exercising for weight loss.
- Low In Calories: Being in a calorie deficit is critical for weight loss, but maintaining it can be challenging. Including Moong dal in your meals, which is relatively low in calories, can make staying within your calorie limit slightly easier. You can enjoy a satisfactory meal without too many calories.
- Rich In Dietary Fibre: Moong dal includes both soluble and insoluble fibre that keeps you satiated, reduces cravings, promotes digestion, and improves your gut health.
- Low Glycaemic Index (GI): Foods with low GI release sugar into the bloodstream slowly. You won’t experience a spike or a low in your sugar levels post meals, which otherwise can contribute to fat storage.
- Boosts Metabolism: Moong dal is rich in B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, and B6, which help you metabolise your energy well, improve fat burning, and cellular function.
- Easy To Digest: Compared to other legumes, Moong dal is light and easy on the digestive system. It does not cause bloating, even for people with a sensitive gut, unless consumed in extremely high quantities.
How To Incorporate Moong Dal Into Your Diet?
- Moong Dal Chilla: Similar to a pancake, this is a savoury dish where you blend soaked Moong dal, add water to get batter consistency, and then cook it on a pan. Adding chopped onions and green chillies to the batter can enhance nutritional value and taste. You can also garnish with vegetables like carrots and enjoy a protein-rich, low-calorie breakfast.
- Moong Dal Uttapam: This is a highly nutritious variant of the popular South Indian dish Uttapam. In this healthy variant, replace fermented rice and lentils with fermented whole Moong dal, add tomatoes, onions, green chillies, and coriander. Spread the batter on a pan. Let it be thick, like an uttapam.
- Moong Dal Soup: This is a light, nutritious meal, best for your weight loss efforts. Boil Moong dal with turmeric, ginger, garlic, green chillies, salt, and pepper and blend it into a smooth soup. Enjoy it guilt-free for dinner.
- Moong Dal Salad: This will become your favourite evening snack. Take a bowl of sprouted Moong dal. You can choose to sautee it slightly or have it raw. Add chopped vegetables, lemon juice, and spices of your choice. Toss it well and enjoy! For a dash of crispiness, you can add some sev, crushed potato chips, or puffed rice. You can skip this step if you are counting calories.
- Oats Moong Dal Tikki: Cook Moong dal (you can put it in the pressure cooker or boil it in water until soft). Mash it and mix it with oats, spices, and your favourite vegetables. Then make small patties and shallow fry, air fry or bake them to create a healthy snack.
- Green Moong Sprouts Dosa: This is popularly known as Pesarattu in the Telugu States. It is an easy-to-make, high-protein breakfast option. Soak full Moong Dal overnight and blend them into a paste. Add water to bring it to dosa batter consistency. Spread it on the pan just like a dosa, fry until crisp, and enjoy it with coconut chutney.
- Moong Dal Chaat: Toss boiled or sprouted Moong dal with onions, tomatoes, green chillies, spices, chopped coriander, chaat masala, salt, and chilli powder. Your healthy, tangy chaat is ready.
Takeaway
Moong dal is versatile and has high nutritional value, and offers several benefits for weight loss. You can add it to your meals in a variety of ways and enjoy it without the guilt of loading yourself with calories. If you are unsure how to include Moong dal into your daily meals, consult a nutritionist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moong dal is highly adaptable, and you can have it as a chilla, uttapam, dosa for breakfast, a spicy chaat for a snack, or soup as a light, nutritious dinner.
Yes, raw, sprouted Moong dal has fewer calories and high enzymes. This is easier to digest and more effective for weight loss.
The B vitamins and protein in Moong dal help burn fat and improve metabolism.
Compared to other lentils, Moong dal is easier to digest, easy on the gut, and has fewer calories, making it ideal for weight loss.
Moong dal alone cannot reduce belly fat, but the high protein and low-fat content can support your weight loss efforts.
You can have it in the form of dosa, uttapam, or a chilla for breakfast, khichdi or dal for lunch, as chaat or just sprouted Moong dal as a snack, add it in salads, wraps or have it as soup for dinner. It is a simple, versatile ingredient that can adapted to any meal.
Having it daily may not be sustainable and can also cause gastric concerns. Have it 2-3 times a week.
½ or 1 cup every alternate day is ideal. When aiming to lose weight it is important to include a variety of nutritious options in your meals rather than just having one food item daily.
You may experience bloating or gas if you have too much too often. Cooking or soaking Moong dal is crucial for easy digestion.
