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ThaliFacts
Dals & legumes · सांबार

Sambar calories
per katori, not per 100 g

93 kcal 1 katori sambar — taken as 150 g — has about 93 calories, with 3.4 g protein, 12.3 g carbohydrate and 3.3 g fat. Two come to 186 kcal, three to 279 kcal.

Per 100 g, sambar carries 62 kcal and 2.3 g protein.

Protein 3.4 g · 14.9% of energy Carbs 12.3 g · 53.1% of energy Fat 3.3 g · 32% of energy

Serving assumed: 1 katori sambar ≈ 150 g — tiffin sambar with toor dal and vegetables; restaurant sambar is thicker. Change the portion and every number below changes with it.

Sambar calories by portion

The whole point of this site: an Indian portion, not a laboratory 100 g. Everything below scales linearly from the 150 g serving.

Sambar — calories and macros by number of servings, at 150 g per katori.
PortionGramsCaloriesProteinCarbsFatFibre
1 katori150 g 93 kcal3.4 g12.3 g3.3 g4.8 g
2 katori300 g 186 kcal6.9 g24.6 g6.6 g9.6 g
3 katori450 g 279 kcal10.4 g36.9 g9.9 g14.4 g

Figures in kilocalories — the "calories" on a food label. Carbohydrate is available carbohydrate; fibre is listed separately and is included in neither the carbohydrate column nor the energy figure.

Full nutrition per 100 g

Sambar — nutrition per 100 g, as eaten.
NutrientPer 100 gPer 1 katori sambar (150 g)
Energy62 kcal93 kcal
Protein2.3 g3.4 g
Carbohydrate (available)8.2 g12.3 g
Fat2.2 g3.3 g
Dietary fibre3.2 g4.8 g

What it takes to burn off 1 katori sambar of sambar

Minutes of activity for a 70 kg adult to spend 93 kcal, using MET values from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. This is a scale check, not a licence — appetite rises with activity and the two do not cancel neatly.

22 min
Walking · easy pace, 4 km/h
18 min
Brisk walking · 5.6 km/h
10 min
Cycling · moderate, 19 km/h
8 min
Running · 8 km/h

Calculated as MET × 3.5 × 70 kg ÷ 200 kcal per minute. Full working on the method page, and the whole activity dataset at BurnLab.

Where sambar sits in an Indian plate

Among the 20 dals & legumes entries on this site, sambar ranks 20th for protein (2.3 g per 100 g) and 20th for energy density (62 kcal per 100 g). The protein leader in the group is sukha chana at 8.0 g.

Protein supplies 15% of its energy — respectable, but a plate built only on this will run short. Dal, curd, paneer or eggs close the gap cheaply. Fibre is moderate at 3.2 g per 100 g.

A realistic day matters more than any single dish. If you are building a meal, the thali builder adds several foods and their real servings together in one total.

Questions

How many calories are in 1 katori sambar?

About 93 kcal for 1 katori sambar, taken as 150 g (tiffin sambar with toor dal and vegetables; restaurant sambar is thicker). Two come to roughly 186 kcal and three to 279 kcal. Per 100 g, sambar carries 62 kcal.

How much protein is in sambar?

2.3 g per 100 g, which works out to 3.4 g in 1 katori sambar. That is 15% of the energy in this food, and ranks 20th of 20 in the dals & legumes group on this site.

Is sambar good for weight loss?

At 62 kcal per 100 g it is on the lighter side, so portion size is forgiving. Protein is moderate, so pair it with dal, curd or a non-veg side to stay full. No single food makes or breaks a diet; the total for the day does.

Why does this differ from other calorie sites?

Two reasons. First, most sites publish a per-100 g figure from a US database and leave you to guess what a roti or a katori weighs; this page states the serving weight up front. Second, home-cooked Indian food varies enormously with oil and ghee — the figures here assume tiffin sambar with toor dal and vegetables; restaurant sambar is thicker. A restaurant version can be 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.

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