Dal Chawal for weight loss: The lowest-calorie dals and rice to use

One serving of dal chawal has more than 300 calories.
The dish is a perfect combination of carbohydrates, protein and plant fibre.

Dal chawal is essentially steamed rice and cooked dal which are available in plenty in India.

To prepare steamed rice, you need to pre-soak rice for sometime and then cook it till it is soft.

To prepare dal, you need to pre-soak it. Cook it with salt and turmeric powder. Temper it with ghee or oil, mustard seed, cumin seed, hing and coriander leaves. Optionally you can saute tomatoes and onion and add to the dal. You can also add vegetables to the dal to enrich the nutrition value.

Different types of rice and dal can add values to the dal chawal combination.

Loaded with antioxidants and magnesium, red rice is a nutrient powerhouse. Combining this dal like toor dal and chana dal can amplify its benefits.
Red rice is also beneficial in preventing diabetes, blood pressure and also improves vision.

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The brown rice has an earthy flavour which many people love. It is light on the stomach and is better than other varieties of rice as it is low in calories.

Brown rice contains calcium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and vitamin B.

Basmati Rice is loved in India because of its rich aroma. This white long grained rice tastes great as well.

The good thing about Basmati Rice is that it can be coupled with anything and diffuses its rich aroma to the dish.

Basmati Rice tastes great with any type of dal.

Parboiled Rice is eaten in several parts of the country. It is a rich source of iron and calcium and has fewer calories.

It is considered to be a healthier alternative to other varieties of rice found in the country.

Coupled with any type of dal, enriches the nutritional value of parboiled rice.

The black lentil, urad dal, is low in calories. One cup of urad dal contains 12 grams of protein.

Urad dal is rich in vitamin B3 as well. It is useful for the nervous system, improves heart health and boosts energy level.

Preparing urad dal is simple and easy.

Chana dal, also known as split Bengal gram, is widely used in Indian households. It is rich in protein, fibre and is delicious too.

Chana dal is rich in protein, iron, calcium and potassium.

It helps in regulating blood pressure and is also diabetic friendly.

Not just dal, chana dal can also be made into chutney.

The pigeon pea lentil is one of the richest sources of protein. It also consists of folic acid, calcium and iron.

Toor dal is immensely popular in Indian households as is most commonly preferred for dal chawal.

Considered to be the lightest dals, moong dal comes next to toor dal when it comes to dal chawal combo.

It is high on protein, potassium, calcium and iron.

Moong dal strengthens bones and protects against muscle cramping.

Red lentil or masoor dal is another light dal.

It has a beautiful earthy aroma and is rich in antioxidants. Masoor dal helps stabilize the blood sugar. It keeps the heart healthy as it reduces the risk of cholesterol.

Masoor dal is also an excellent choice for weight loss.