One hundred grams of raw Bengal gram provides about 17–20 grams of protein, while cooked Bengal gram offers around 8–9 grams per 100 grams.
Bengal gram, also called chana or chickpeas, sits at the center of many South Asian kitchens. When you are planning protein from plant foods, knowing the exact bengal gram protein per 100g helps you judge portions, compare it with other staples, and build meals that feel filling.
What Is Bengal Gram?
Bengal gram comes from the chickpea plant Cicer arietinum. In many Indian languages it shows up as chana, chana dal, or kala chana. The larger cream-colored Kabuli type is common in salads and hummus, while the smaller Desi type is used for dal, roasted snacks, and gram flour. Both fall under the same pulse family and share a similar nutrient pattern.
Like other pulses, Bengal gram packs starch, protein, and fiber into a small seed. Dry seeds are dense and need soaking and boiling or pressure cooking before eating. Cooking softens the seed coat, improves texture, and breaks down anti-nutritional factors that block absorption. When people ask about Bengal gram protein in 100 grams, they may mean whole dry seeds, split chana dal, boiled curry, crunchy roasted snacks, or even besan used in pancakes and fritters.
Bengal Gram Protein Per 100G: Raw, Cooked, And Roasted
This section pulls together average numbers from Indian food composition tables, clinical nutrition summaries, and databases that also power many nutrition labels. Exact values shift a little by variety and harvest, yet the pattern is stable enough for daily planning.
| Bengal Gram Form | Protein (g Per 100g) | Energy (kcal Per 100g) |
|---|---|---|
| Whole Bengal Gram, Raw (Desi or Kala) | ~17–19 g | ~360–375 kcal |
| Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram), Raw | ~17 g | ~360 kcal |
| Chickpeas, Mature Seeds, Raw (Kabuli Type) | ~19–20.5 g | ~364–378 kcal |
| Boiled Bengal Gram / Chana Dal, Drained | ~8–9 g | ~160–180 kcal |
| Roasted Bengal Gram (Bhuna Chana, Plain) | ~18–20 g | ~370–400 kcal |
| Bengal Gram Sprouts | ~9–10 g | ~130–150 kcal |
| Gram Flour / Besan (From Bengal Gram) | ~22 g | ~380–390 kcal |
Dry whole Bengal gram and chana dal give roughly 17 grams of protein per 100 grams of raw seed, with calories near 360 per 100 grams based on Indian tables and common nutrition charts. International databases for dry chickpeas show a slightly higher range, close to 19–20.5 grams of protein per 100 grams with energy around 364–378 kcal, which lines up with the Kabuli type widely used in global trade.
Once the same pulse is boiled, water moves inside the seed. The total protein in the pot stays the same, yet the weight of the cooked gram rises. That is why cooked Bengal gram or chana dal gives around 8–9 grams of protein per 100 grams, about half the density of the dry form. The same logic applies to canned chickpeas, which sit in brine and carry extra water by weight.
Roasting goes in the opposite direction. As whole Bengal gram or split dal dries out in the pan or oven, water leaves and the seed becomes lighter and crunchier. Protein per 100 grams rises again and usually lands close to the raw value or a little above it. Besan or gram flour takes this a step further by turning dry Bengal gram into a fine powder; protein per 100 grams in chickpea flour often sits near 22 grams based on nutrition databases built on USDA FoodData Central values.
Raw Bengal Gram Per 100G In Day-To-Day Use
In real life you rarely eat dry Bengal gram straight from the packet, yet the raw number still helps. It shows that dry Bengal gram sits in the same league as many other pulses for protein density per 100 grams, guides bulk planning, and reminds you that one kilogram of dry Bengal gram stores roughly 170–190 grams of protein for later meals.
Cooked Bengal Gram Per 100G On The Plate
Most nutrition labels and tracking apps log cooked food, so protein per 100 grams of boiled Bengal gram is the number you use most often. A common figure for plain boiled chickpeas is around 8.5–9 grams of protein per 100 grams, which matches boiled chana in many Indian sources and cooked chickpeas in Western data sets. A thick curry with little liquid will deliver near the full boiled value per 100 grams, while a thin soup spreads the same seeds across more broth and drops the protein per 100 grams.
Roasted, Sprouted, And Flour Forms
Roasted Bengal gram, sold as bhuna chana or as lentil-based snack mixes, carries protein in a light crunchy format. Since the roasting step removes water, 100 grams of these snacks give a protein number close to dry seeds, while the serving size is often smaller.
Sprouting Bengal gram slightly reduces calories per 100 grams, raises vitamin C and some B vitamins, and keeps a moderate protein content. Sprouts hold more water, so protein per 100 grams tends to fall into the 9–10 gram range in many lab reports. Besan turns Bengal gram into a pantry ingredient for pancakes, cheelas, pakoras, and baked snacks; around 22 grams of protein per 100 grams makes it a strong base for batters when you want higher protein than plain wheat flour.
How Bengal Gram Protein Per 100 Grams Compares To Other Foods
To see Bengal gram in context, it helps to see how its protein density matches common staples. Dry chickpeas sit near 20 grams of protein per 100 grams, while cooked chickpeas carry 8–9 grams per 100 grams. Harvard’s nutrition summary for chickpeas notes that a cooked cup supplies around 14–15 grams of protein along with fiber and minerals, which lines up with these per-100-gram values once you adjust for cup size and water content.
Pulses in general bring 20–25 percent protein by dry weight on average, far above rice and wheat, where protein usually sits in the single digits by weight. Information on legumes from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health points out that this higher protein share makes pulses useful as a base for plant-forward eating patterns. Within pulses, Bengal gram holds its own; lentils, kidney beans, and black gram cluster in a similar band for protein per 100 grams of dry seed, usually between 18 and 25 grams.
Using Bengal Gram Protein In 100G Portions For Meal Planning
Now comes the practical step: taking these Bengal gram protein per 100 gram numbers and turning them into portions on your plate. Many adults feel comfortable when daily protein lands around 0.8–1 gram per kilogram of body weight, though athletes, pregnant women, and older adults may aim higher based on personal advice from their health team. Bengal gram can help with that target without relying only on meat or eggs.
A simple rule of thumb is that a cooked 100 gram serving of Bengal gram gives around 9 grams of protein. Double the portion and you roughly double the protein, as long as the dish is reasonably thick. Roasted snacks, besan-based pancakes, and sprouted salads all add smaller portions that stack up across the day.
| Dish Or Serving | Bengal Gram Form | Approximate Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g Plain Boiled Chana | Cooked whole Bengal gram | ~9 g |
| 150 g Thick Chana Curry | Cooked Bengal gram with gravy | ~13–14 g |
| 30 g Roasted Bhuna Chana | Roasted whole Bengal gram | ~5–6 g |
| 2 Small Besan Cheelas (Using 40 g Besan) | Gram flour batter | ~8–9 g |
| 50 g Bengal Gram Sprouts | Sprouted Bengal gram | ~5 g |
| One Bowl Mixed Dal (Half Chana Dal) | Cooked mixed pulses | ~10–12 g |
| 80 g Chickpea Salad | Cooked Kabuli chickpeas | ~7 g |
Looking at this table, a lunch plate with a medium bowl of chana curry, a side of sprouts, and a besan cheela can easily cross 20 grams of protein without any meat or fish. Add yogurt, paneer, eggs, soy foods, nuts, or seeds during the day and total intake climbs further while still staying grounded in home cooking.
Combining Bengal gram with grains such as rice, wheat, or millets improves the balance of amino acids across the day. Pulses tend to carry less methionine yet more lysine, while grains tend to do the reverse. Eating both groups through meals and snacks smooths out those gaps without the need for complex tracking as long as total protein is in a healthy band for your age and activity.
People who live with digestive discomfort can start with smaller portions of Bengal gram and increase slowly. Soaking dry seeds overnight, discarding the soaking water, cooking until soft, and chewing well all make the starch and fiber gentler on the gut.
Practical Takeaways On Bengal Gram Protein
Raw whole Bengal gram, chana dal, and dry chickpeas bring roughly 17–21 grams of protein per 100 grams, while cooked forms settle near 8–9 grams per 100 grams and besan lands around 22 grams per 100 grams. That puts Bengal gram firmly in the high-protein pulse group and gives you a clear anchor for planning plant-based meals.
If you keep the bengal gram protein per 100g figures in mind while you cook, it becomes easier to mix boiled dishes, roasted snacks, sprouts, and besan recipes across the week. Pair Bengal gram with grains and a mix of vegetables, season it in ways you enjoy, and you can raise daily protein in a way that feels natural, budget friendly, and easy to sustain over time.