The short answer
A lifter needs roughly 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight per day. For a 70 kg person that is about 110 g. A normal day of dal, roti, sabzi and rice gives maybe 40–60 g. The gap is real, but it is easy to close with a few foods.
Protein in common Indian foods
| Food and serving | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Soya chunks, 50 g dry | ~26 g | ~175 |
| Whey protein, 1 scoop (30 g) | ~24 g | ~120 |
| Paneer, 100 g | ~18–20 g | ~260–320 |
| Hung curd or Greek yogurt, 200 g | ~18–20 g | ~120–200 |
| Rajma or chole, 1 cup cooked | ~14–15 g | ~225–270 |
| Tofu, firm, 100 g | ~12–17 g | ~110–150 |
| Eggs, 2 large | ~12 g | ~145 |
| Besan chilla, 40 g besan | ~9 g | ~150 + oil |
| Dal, 1 katori (~150 g cooked) | ~6–9 g | ~120–180 |
| Milk, 1 glass (250 ml) | ~8 g | ~120–160 |
| Peanuts, 30 g | ~7 g | ~170 |
| Regular dahi, 200 g | ~7 g | ~120 |
| Roti, 1 medium | ~3 g | ~100–120 |
| Chicken breast, 100 g cooked | ~31 g | ~165 |
Rounded typical values. Brands, recipes and cooking oil change the numbers, so check labels for packaged foods.
The foods that do the heavy lifting
Soya chunks
Dry soya chunks are about half protein by weight. A 50 g handful, soaked and cooked into a curry or pulao, gives roughly 26 g. They are cheap, keep for months and take on any masala.
Paneer and tofu
Paneer is a great protein, but it is also high in fat, so 100 g carries 260–320 kcal. If you are cutting, use low-fat paneer, mix half paneer with half tofu, or keep portions to about 100 g.
Hung curd and Greek yogurt
Straining dahi in a muslin cloth removes water and roughly doubles the protein per spoon. Use it for raita, dips, overnight oats or with fruit. Regular dahi is good food too, just lower in protein.
Dal, chana and rajma
Legumes are good protein sources, but they come with a lot of carbohydrate and the portions at home are usually small. Eat them thicker and in bigger bowls, and treat them as one protein among two at a meal, not the only one. Read more in is dal a good protein source?
Milk and whey
Milk is a simple add-on. A whey shake is not a magic product, just a convenient, cheap way to add 20–25 g of protein when meals fall short. Look for brands that publish third-party lab tests, because quality varies in the Indian market.
A 110 g vegetarian day
- Breakfast: 200 g hung curd with fruit and nuts, 1 glass of milk. About 28 g.
- Lunch: 1 cup rajma, 1 cup rice, salad. About 19 g.
- Snack: 1 scoop whey in water or milk. About 24–32 g.
- Dinner: 2 rotis, soya chunk curry (50 g dry), dal. About 40 g.
Is plant protein as good as meat?
Plant proteins are digested a little less completely and some are lower in certain amino acids. In practice this matters much less than total daily protein. Eating a mix of legumes, grains and dairy across the day covers it, and studies comparing well-matched plant and animal protein diets find similar muscle gains when total protein is high enough. See plant-based protein for muscle building.
Two nutrients vegetarians should check
Vitamin B12 comes almost only from animal foods, and deficiency is common among Indian vegetarians. Iron from plants is absorbed less well, especially for women. If you feel unusually tired, ask your doctor about a blood test before guessing with supplements.