Can I Eat Urad Dal on a Keto Diet? The High-Carb Reality

November 19, 2025 •

3 min read

While urad dal is a staple in Indian cuisine and packed with nutrients, a 100g serving of raw black gram contains over 40 grams of net carbohydrates, which can quickly exceed a strict ketogenic diet's daily carb limit. This reality makes eating urad dal in a keto diet challenging for most followers seeking to maintain ketosis.

Quick Summary

Urad dal is generally not suitable for a strict keto diet due to its high net carbohydrate content. While small portions may be possible with careful tracking, it risks disrupting ketosis, making low-carb alternatives a safer option.

Key Points

High Net Carbs: A 100g serving of raw urad dal contains over 40g of net carbohydrates, making it unsuitable for a typical keto diet.
Risks Ketosis: Consuming urad dal can easily knock the body out of ketosis, the fat-burning state central to the keto diet.
Explore Alternatives: Safe and delicious keto alternatives for Indian cooking include paneer, edamame, and cauliflower.
Focus on Healthy Fats: Increase the fat content in your Indian dishes by cooking with ghee or coconut oil and adding full-fat coconut milk.
Use Low-Carb Flours: For snacks and baked goods, replace urad dal flour with almond flour or coconut flour to reduce carbs.
Prioritize Low-Carb Vegetables: Utilize vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and eggplant as the base for Indian-style curries and dishes.

The Core Principles of the Keto Diet

A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb eating plan. The primary goal is to shift the body's metabolism from burning glucose (sugar) for fuel to burning fat, a state known as ketosis. To achieve and maintain this metabolic state, most followers must restrict their net carbohydrate intake to a very low level, typically between 20 and 50 grams per day. This strict limit means that many naturally high-carb foods, even healthy ones, must be avoided or severely restricted.

Urad Dal and the Net Carb Problem

Urad dal, also known as black gram, is a legume rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals. However, its carbohydrate content poses a significant challenge for keto dieters. Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrates, as fiber is not digested and does not raise blood sugar. For urad dal, the numbers quickly add up, consuming a large chunk of a dieter's daily carb allowance.

Nutritional Breakdown of Urad Dal (per 100g raw serving):

Carbohydrates: 58.99g
Dietary Fiber: 18.3g
Net Carbs: 40.69g

As you can see, a single 100-gram serving of raw urad dal converts into over 40 grams of net carbs once cooked and consumed. This is enough to knock most people completely out of ketosis, making it an unsuitable food for those following a strict keto regimen. For context, a cup of cooked lentils (a similar legume) contains about 22 grams of net carbs, already half of the typical daily limit for many keto dieters.

Urad Dal vs. Keto-Friendly Alternatives: A Comparison

To better illustrate why urad dal is a poor choice for keto, here is a comparison with keto-compliant vegetarian options that can be used to create Indian-inspired meals.


Food Item	Typical Serving Size	Net Carbs (Approx.)	Keto Suitability
Urad Dal	100g (raw)	40.69g	Not keto-friendly
Edamame	1/2 cup (shelled)	4g	Excellent
Cauliflower	1 cup (raw, chopped)	3g	Excellent
Paneer (Indian Cheese)	100g	4g	Excellent
Mushrooms	1 cup (sliced)	2g	Excellent
Almond Flour	1/4 cup	3g	Excellent

Adapting Indian Cuisine for a Keto Lifestyle

If you enjoy Indian food but need to avoid high-carb ingredients like urad dal, many substitutions and modifications are available. The key is to replace high-carb items with low-carb, high-fat alternatives while preserving the flavor profiles that make Indian food so delicious.

Keto-Friendly Indian Meal Strategies:

Swap for Lentils and Grains: Instead of a traditional urad dal, opt for a lentil substitute or increase the fat content. Use ground cauliflower as a rice replacement or edamame and paneer for a protein-rich, low-carb 'dal' texture.
Increase Healthy Fats: Cook with generous amounts of ghee, coconut oil, or other keto-friendly oils. Add full-fat coconut milk to curries to increase fat content and creaminess..
Focus on Low-Carb Vegetables: Build your dishes around non-starchy vegetables. A few staples include spinach, cabbage, bell peppers, eggplant, and broccoli.
Use Keto-Compliant Flours: For making bread or snacks, use low-carb flour alternatives like almond flour or coconut flour instead of urad dal flour. For example, you can find keto-friendly recipes for medu vada that replace the urad dal flour with a combination of almond flour and psyllium husk.
Lean on Spices: The flavors of Indian cuisine come from its rich spices. Turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, and garlic are all keto-friendly and crucial for creating delicious low-carb dishes.

Conclusion: Is Urad Dal Worth the Carb Risk?

For anyone committed to a strict ketogenic diet, the high net carbohydrate content of urad dal makes it an impractical choice. A single, small serving can easily exceed a person's entire daily carb limit, pushing the body out of ketosis and undermining dietary goals. While it is a nutrient-dense legume, its benefits for a keto lifestyle are outweighed by its carb load. Fortunately, a variety of delicious and satisfying low-carb alternatives, like paneer, edamame, and cauliflower, can be used to replicate the flavors and textures of Indian cuisine. By focusing on these keto-friendly ingredients and creative modifications, you can continue to enjoy Indian-inspired meals without compromising your diet. For specific nutritional data on lentils, consult resources from organizations like Healthline.

Frequently Asked Questions

While it is possible to include a very small portion of urad dal, it is not recommended for a strict keto diet. Even a small amount can use up a significant portion of your daily carbohydrate limit and risk disrupting ketosis, requiring very careful tracking.

No, most Indian dals and lentils, including moong dal, masoor dal, and chana dal, are also high in carbohydrates and are typically not suitable for a strict keto diet. Legumes are generally avoided due to their high carb content.

For a similar protein boost, paneer (Indian cheese) or edamame are excellent low-carb options. You can also use grated cauliflower or mushrooms to replicate the bulk and texture of dal in curries.

Traditional idli and medu vada, which use urad dal, are not keto-friendly. However, keto-adapted recipes exist that replace urad dal flour with low-carb alternatives like almond flour, coconut flour, and psyllium husk to achieve a similar texture.

You can get plenty of fiber from keto-friendly vegetables like leafy greens (spinach), broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, and seeds like chia and flax seeds. These options are much lower in net carbs than urad dal.

Yes, many Indian dishes can be adapted for keto. Focus on curries with paneer, eggs, or meat, and use keto-friendly vegetables like spinach, cauliflower, and eggplant. Cook in ghee or coconut oil and use rich spices for flavor.

While urad dal has a lower glycemic index compared to some high-carb foods, its high total net carb load makes it unsuitable for a ketogenic diet, which prioritizes very low carbohydrate intake to maintain ketosis, regardless of glycemic response.