Trust us, we had no idea that dal is ‘not the best protein’

“Proteins are larger compounds that are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Now these amino acids are the ones that actually provide us the desired nutrition. These amino acids are further categorised as essential and non-essential," said Dr Smriti Jhunjhunwala, BHMS nutritionist and dietitian

By: Lifestyle Desk

New Delhi | February 16, 2023 08:20 AM IST

Two essential amino acids are missing in dal making it an incomplete source of protein. (Pic source: Pexels)

Dal is a staple food item that is prepared almost daily in North Indian households, sometimes up to twice a day as well. Why not, after all, it is considered to be the best source of protein. But, very recently, we got to know that dal — which comes in myriad varieties, from toor, masoor, to urad, and chana — is not enough to fulfill our daily protein requirements. That is exactly what Mac Singh, a fitness expert, also elucidated in an Instagram post, as he listed out four reasons why dal is not the best source of protein for us.

They are:

One bowl of dal has around 5 to 10 grams of protein, and if your protein requirement is around 50 to 60 gms, then you will not be able to meet your daily requirement even after eating 3 to 4 bowls of dal.
The protein in dal doesn’t get absorbed completely by your body, unlike whey protein and eggs which to a great extent get absorbed. Only 70 to 80 percent of dal protein gets absorbed by the body.
Dal is not a complete protein. Protein has a lot of amino acids – both essential and non-essential. But, the two main essential amino acids — methionine and cysteine — are not present in dal.
Dal is carb loaded. A bowl of dal contains 30 to 40 grams of carbs, so eating it in large quantities will give you more carbs than protein.

Agreed Dr Smriti Jhunjhunwala, BHMS nutritionist and dietitian, and said that dal is indeed an ‘incomplete protein’.

Explaining what proteins are made up of, she added, “Proteins are larger compounds that are made up of smaller units called amino acids. Now these amino acids are the ones that actually provide us with the desired nutrition. These amino acids are further categorised as essential and non-essential, with the essential ones being important because our body cannot produce them; so it becomes mandatory for us to consume them through our diet. The non-essential amino acids, on the other hand, are the ones that even if not taken externally, our body has the ability to synthesise them”.

But a simple bowl of dal is more of carbs rather than proteins and in “no way will you be able to meet the everyday protein requirement as it only contains 5-10 gms of it,” she said, adding that even 3-4 servings of dal will not be sufficient enough for the body to absorb and carry out the functions. “To add to the despair, dal also lacks the two main essential amino acids; which is why it is called as an incomplete protein,” she told indianexpress.com.

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Dr Jhunjhunwala, however shared ways in which a vegetarian can fulfill their protein requirements. They are:

1. Combining lentils with whole grains and different seeds will give you the essential amino acids.
2. Switch to other rich sources of proteins like soya and its derivatives – tofu.
3. Greek yoghurt is immensely rich in protein and also very good for the gut.
4. Different types of seeds like chia seeds, hemp seeds, are known to have good amounts of proteins and can be eaten raw or added as a seasoning to a lot of dishes increasing its protein value.
5. Beans and nuts do not bottom the list and can be equally given importance when it comes to proteins.
6. Last but not the least, easy to make and tasty to eat, even paneer makes for a great source of protein.

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