Idli vs Medu Vada
Both sides computed from the same table, at the serving each is actually eaten in.
Per 100 g, medu vada is heavier — 234 kcal against 138 kcal for idli, about 70% more. Per real serving the picture changes: 1 medium idli of idli is 55 kcal, while 1 medu vada of medu vada is 94 kcal, because the portions are not the same size. On protein, medu vada wins with 8.0 g per 100 g.
Side by side
| Idli | Medu Vada | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving assumed | 1 medium idli · 40 g | 1 medu vada · 40 g |
| Calories per serving | 55 | 94 |
| Calories per 100 g | 138 | 234 |
| Protein per 100 g | 4.6 g | 8.0 g |
| Carbs per 100 g | 28.2 g | 33.0 g |
| Fat per 100 g | 0.3 g | 7.0 g |
| Fibre per 100 g | 2.3 g | 2.0 g |
| Walking to burn one serving | 13 min | 22 min |
How to read this
Per-100 g comparisons flatter whatever is eaten in small portions. Medu Vada is denser per gram, but people do not eat by the gram — idli arrives as 1 medium idli and medu vada as 1 medu vada, and that is where the real difference shows up.
Medu Vada carries more protein, which matters more than the calorie gap if you are trying to stay full. Both figures assume home cooking with a measured amount of oil; a restaurant plate of either can run 30 to 60% higher.
Nutrient values are averages for the stated preparation, based on the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR–NIN) and standard recipe analysis. Energy is reconciled against the macronutrients with Atwater factors on every build. General information only — not medical or nutrition advice. Home-cooked Indian food varies enormously with oil, ghee and portion size; every value here is an average for a stated serving, with the assumption shown.