InstaCuppa high protein Indian diet foods: paneer, dal, eggs, Greek yogurt and a protein shake for 100 g of protein a day

High Protein Indian Diet: How to Hit 100g on Indian Food (2026)

May 5, 2026

By Saran Reddy, Founder - InstaCuppa | May 5, 2026 | 12 min read | Last updated: 26 September 2026

In This Article

How Much Protein Do Indians Actually Need?
How to Complete 100 Grams of Protein a Day
Indian Food Protein Chart: Exact Grams Per Serving
Veg and Non-Veg Protein Chart Per 100 g
Can Vegetarians Hit 100g Protein Without Supplements?
4 Sample Meal Plans: 100g Protein Per Day
100 Gram Protein Ke Liye Kya Khaye?
5 Protein Mistakes Indians Make
Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Protein Do Indians Actually Need?

A high protein Indian diet starts with your own number. ICMR-NIN sets the adult RDA at 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day. That is 54 g for a 65 kg man and 45.7 g for a 55 kg woman. A 70 kg person needs about 58 g. If most of your protein comes from cereals, ICMR-NIN uses 1 g per kg instead. People who lift weights often eat more. But ICMR-NIN's 2024 guidelines say intakes above about 1.6 g per kg a day add no extra muscle. For a 70 kg person, that ceiling is 112 g.

I started tracking my protein a while ago. The result shocked me. I thought I ate a balanced Indian diet. I was getting only 45 grams a day. My dal had 8 grams, not the 20 I assumed. Two rotis added just 6 grams. Here is the real protein math for Indian food.

Who 100 g a day is for: 100 g is close to double the RDA for most Indian adults. It suits people who do strength training several times a week, or larger bodies. At 62.5 kg, 100 g is 1.6 g per kg. At 83 kg, it is 1.2 g per kg. If you do not train, the RDA from food is enough. ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians (2024) also say high protein diets need care in anyone with kidney disease. Talk to your doctor first if that is you. The same guidelines call protein powders "unnecessary for normal healthy life".

How to Complete 100 Grams of Protein a Day

To complete 100 grams of protein a day, split it into four or five meals of 20 to 25 g each. Give every meal one protein anchor. Good anchors are 100 g paneer (19 g), 3 eggs (20 g), 150 g raw chicken breast (33 g), 50 g dry soya chunks (23.5 g) or 60 g raw dal (13 to 14 g). Your rotis and rice then add another 10 to 15 g across the day.

Weigh food raw for one week. Cooking changes weight, not protein. A dal made from 30 g of raw toor dal holds about 6.5 g of protein, however much water you add. That one habit fixes most protein math.

Indian Food Protein Chart: Exact Grams Per Serving

The highest protein Indian foods per serving are paneer (19 g per 100 g), chicken breast (22 g per 100 g raw, 31 g cooked), soya chunks (47 g per 100 g dry), eggs (6.6 g per 50 g egg), dal (6 to 14 g per katori, set by the raw dal in it), Greek yogurt (18 to 20 g per 200 g) and chana (14.5 g per cooked cup). Exact numbers let you plan meals that really hit your target.

Food	Serving	Protein (g)	Calories
Soya chunks (dry)	50 g	23.5	165
Chicken breast (cooked)	150 g cooked (about 33 g if weighed raw)	46.5	248
Paneer	100 g	19	305
Eggs	2 whole (100 g)	13	135
Greek yogurt (homemade)	200 g	18 to 20	146 to 194
Chana (chickpeas)	1 cup cooked (164 g)	14.5	269
Moong dal	cooked from 60 g raw	14	195
Rajma	cooked from 75 g dry	15	224
Tofu (firm)	100 g	17	144
Milk (cow)	1 glass (250 ml)	8	182
Besan cheela	2 pieces from 60 g besan	13	197 + oil
Sprouted moong	sprouted from 50 g dry moong	11	147
Roti (wheat)	2 pieces from 60 g atta	6	192
Rice	cooked from 50 g raw	4	178

How these were worked out: paneer, eggs, dals, rajma, moong, atta, rice and milk use IFCT 2017 raw values (codes in the chart below). Besan uses Bengal gram dal (B001), because IFCT has no besan row. Soya chunks use Health Canada CNF 3324, defatted soy flour. Cooked chicken, cooked chana, tofu and Greek yogurt use USDA FoodData Central (FDC 171477, 173757, 172475, 171304 and 170903). Calories exclude cooking oil and ghee.

Veg and Non-Veg Protein Chart Per 100 g (IFCT 2017)

This is the protein in 100 g of each food, as bought and before cooking. Every number comes from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 by ICMR-NIN (IFCT 2017, Table 1). IFCT lists energy in kilojoules. We divided by 4.184 to get kcal.

Vegetarian protein per 100 g

Veg food	IFCT code	Protein (g per 100 g)	Energy (kcal per 100 g)
Soybean, brown	B024	35.6	381
Masoor dal (lentil dal)	B013	24.4	322
Moong dal (green gram dal)	B010	23.9	326
Groundnut (peanut)	H012	23.7	520
Urad dal (black gram dal)	B003	23.1	324
Whole moong (green gram)	B011	22.5	294
Toor dal (red gram dal)	B021	21.7	331
Chana dal (Bengal gram dal)	B001	21.6	329
Rajma, red	B020	19.9	299
Paneer	L003	18.9	305
Kala chana (Bengal gram, whole)	B002	18.8	287
Wheat atta	A019	10.6	320
Rice, raw, milled	A015	7.9	356
Milk, buffalo	L001	3.7	107
Milk, cow	L002	3.3	73

Non-vegetarian protein per 100 g

Non-veg food	IFCT code	Protein (g per 100 g)	Energy (kcal per 100 g)
Goat meat, leg	O003	22.1	160
Chicken breast, skinless	N003	21.8	168
Chicken liver	N005	21.6	124
Rohu fish	S006	19.7	102
Chicken thigh, skinless	N002	18.2	200
Catla fish	S002	17.9	94
Egg, whole, boiled	M004	13.4	148
Egg, whole, raw	M001	13.3	135
Egg white, raw	M002	10.8	45

Read dal and rajma numbers as dry weight. Dal takes up water as it cooks, so 100 g of cooked dal holds far less protein than the chart shows. Chicken and fish go the other way. They lose water in the pan, so cooked meat shows more protein per 100 g than raw.

IFCT 2017 has no row for soya chunks, tofu or Greek yogurt. For those, use the named records in the table above: Health Canada CNF 3324 for soya chunks (47 g), and USDA FDC 172475 for firm tofu (17.3 g).

Can Vegetarians Hit 100g Protein Without Supplements?

Yes. A vegetarian Indian diet can deliver 100 grams of protein daily without any supplements. The key is a high-protein food at every meal. Try paneer bhurji from 100 g paneer for breakfast (19 g). Have thick dal with soya chunks for lunch, from 40 g raw toor dal and 35 g dry chunks (25 g). Add a 200 g Greek yogurt snack (18 g), sprouted moong chaat from 50 g dry moong (11 g), and besan cheela from 60 g besan for dinner (13 g). That is 86 g. Four rotis through the day add 12.7 g, for about 99 grams from foods you already know.

Here is a sample vegetarian day hitting about 101 grams. Weights are raw.

Breakfast: Paneer bhurji (100 g paneer) + 2 rotis (60 g atta) = 25 g protein
Mid-morning: Protein smoothie with 200 g Greek yogurt + a banana + 15 g peanut butter in a Portable Blender = 21.5 g protein (banana not counted)
Lunch: Rajma (75 g dry) + rice (50 g raw) + 100 g curd = 23.5 g protein
Snack: Sprouted moong chaat (50 g dry moong) = 11 g protein
Dinner: Besan cheela (60 g besan) + dal (30 g raw toor) = 19.5 g protein
Total: about 101 g protein

Try the Greek Yogurt Maker - Rs 999

18 to 20 g of protein in a 200 g serving. Free shipping + 10-day trial.

4 Sample Meal Plans: 100g Protein Per Day

Here are four Indian meal plans that hit 100 grams of protein a day. Two are veg and two are non-veg. Each plan uses common Indian foods and needs no supplements or imported ingredients. Weights are raw. Before cooking oil and ghee, the plans come to about 1,100 to 1,800 kcal.

Plan 1: Vegetarian (North Indian)

Paneer paratha from 60 g atta and 80 g paneer (21.5 g) + soya chunk curry from 50 g dry chunks with rice from 50 g raw (27.5 g) + 200 g Greek yogurt bowl (18 g) + 1 cup chana chaat (14.5 g) + moong dal from 60 g raw with 2 rotis (20.5 g) = about 102 g protein, about 1,630 kcal before oil

Plan 2: Vegetarian (South Indian)

Pesarattu from 75 g whole moong (17 g) + sambar rice with curd, from 30 g toor dal, 75 g rice and 100 g curd (17 g) + smoothie with 200 g Greek yogurt and 15 g peanut butter (21.5 g) + 1 cup chana sundal (14.5 g) + paneer dosa with 80 g paneer (21.5 g) + 250 ml milk (8 g) = about 100 g protein, about 1,800 kcal before oil

Plan 3: Non-Vegetarian

3-egg omelette (20 g) + chicken curry from 150 g raw breast with rice from 50 g raw (36.5 g) + 200 g Greek yogurt (18 g) + sprouts from 50 g dry moong (11 g) + rohu fish curry from 100 g raw fish with 2 rotis (26 g) = about 112 g protein, about 1,270 kcal before oil

Plan 4: Non-Vegetarian (High Protein)

5 egg whites + 1 whole egg (24.5 g) + chicken breast salad from 180 g raw breast (39.5 g) + protein shake of 250 ml milk and 200 g Greek yogurt (26 g) + paneer tikka from 100 g paneer (19 g) = about 109 g protein, about 1,130 kcal before oil

100 Gram Protein Ke Liye Kya Khaye? (Hinglish Guide)

Din me 100 gram protein poora karne ke liye har meal me ek protein wali cheez rakho. 100 gram paneer me lagbhag 19 gram protein hota hai. 3 ande me 20 gram. 150 gram kachche chicken breast me 33 gram. 50 gram sookhe soya chunks me 23.5 gram. 60 gram kachchi dal me 13 se 14 gram. Roti aur chawal se din bhar me 10 se 15 gram aur milta hai.

100 gram cheez me kitna protein hota hai, yeh upar wale chart me hai. Dal ka number sookhi dal ka hai. Pakne ke baad dal me paani aata hai, protein nahi badhta.

In English: to complete 100 g of protein in a day, put one protein food in every meal. 100 g paneer has about 19 g, 3 eggs about 20 g, 150 g raw chicken breast about 33 g, 50 g dry soya chunks 23.5 g, and 60 g raw dal 13 to 14 g. Rotis and rice add 10 to 15 g across the day. The per-100 g chart above gives dal as dry weight.

5 Protein Mistakes Indians Make

The five biggest protein mistakes in Indian diets are overestimating dal, skipping breakfast protein, relying only on milk, worrying that cooking destroys protein, and thinking protein means chicken. Most fixes are about portions and planning, not new foods.

Overestimating dal: A katori of thin dal made from 30 g raw toor dal has about 6.5 g of protein (IFCT B021: 21.7 g per 100 g raw). Make it thick with 40 g raw dal (8.7 g) and add 35 g dry soya chunks (16.5 g) for about 25 g.
Skipping breakfast protein: Most Indian breakfasts (poha, upma, paratha) have 5-8g protein. Add paneer, eggs, or a protein smoothie.
Relying on milk alone: One 250 ml glass of cow milk has about 8 g (IFCT L002: 3.26 g per 100 g). You would need 12 glasses for 100 g. Mix your sources.
Worrying about cooking losses: Cooking does not destroy protein. It usually helps. In a small study of five people, cooked egg protein was 90.9% digested, against 51.3% for raw egg (Evenepoel et al., Journal of Nutrition 1998, PMID 9772141). Cook eggs and chicken fully.
Thinking only chicken counts: Dry soya chunks (47 g per 100 g) have about twice the protein of raw chicken breast (21.8 g). Paneer, Greek yogurt, chana and rajma are all good sources too.

Related Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

How much protein does an average Indian need per day?

ICMR-NIN's 2020 RDA is 0.83 g of protein per kg of body weight a day. That is 54 g for a 65 kg man and 45.7 g for a 55 kg woman. A 60 kg person needs about 50 g, and a 70 kg person about 58 g. People doing regular strength training often eat more. Above about 1.6 g per kg a day, ICMR-NIN says there is no extra muscle gain.

What is the cheapest high protein food in India?

Soya chunks usually give the most protein for your money, because 100 g of dry chunks holds about 47 g. Eggs, chana, dal and homemade curd come next. Prices change by city and season. So compare price per gram of protein: divide the pack price by the grams of protein in the pack.

Is paneer or chicken better for protein?

Chicken breast has more protein and far less fat. Per 100 g raw, IFCT 2017 lists skinless chicken breast at 21.8 g protein and 9.0 g fat, and paneer at 18.9 g protein and 24.8 g fat. Cooked chicken breast reaches about 31 g per 100 g because water cooks out. Paneer is still a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, so it is excellent for vegetarians.

Do I need protein powder on an Indian diet?

No. You can hit 100 g of protein from Indian food alone. ICMR-NIN recommends food over supplements and calls protein powders "unnecessary for normal healthy life". Powder is handy, but you do not need it if you plan your meals.

How much protein does Greek yogurt have?

Greek yogurt has about 9 to 10 g of protein per 100 g, roughly double plain curd at about 4.6 g. A 200 g serving gives you 18 to 20 g of protein. Make it at home with a Greek Yogurt Maker for steady results.

Is 100 grams of protein a day too much?

For most people who do not train, yes, it is more than needed. The ICMR-NIN RDA is 54 g for a 65 kg man and 45.7 g for a 55 kg woman. 100 g makes sense if you do strength training and weigh about 63 to 83 kg, which works out to 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before eating a high protein diet.

100 gram protein ke liye kya khaye?

Har meal me ek protein wali cheez rakho: 100 g paneer (19 g), 3 ande (20 g), 150 g kachcha chicken breast (33 g), 50 g soya chunks (23.5 g) ya 60 g kachchi dal (13 to 14 g). In English: put one protein food in every meal, and rotis and rice add the last 10 to 15 g.

Hit Your Protein Goals

Make protein shakes and Greek yogurt at home. Simple tools, big protein gains.

Get the Portable Blender - Rs 2,299

Free Shipping + Free Returns + 1-Year Warranty

Sources & References

Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024 - ICMR-NIN. Guideline 8 on protein (pages 58 to 61): RDA 0.83 g per kg a day, no extra muscle gain above about 1.6 g per kg, protein powders unnecessary.
100g Protein on Vegetarian Indian Diet - Rebalance Kitchen
Nutrient Requirements for Indians 2020, brief note - ICMR-NIN. Table 2a: EAR 0.66 and RDA 0.83 g per kg a day; 54.0 g for a 65 kg man, 45.7 g for a 55 kg woman.
Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 - Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K, ICMR-NIN. Table 1, proximate principles. The basis for the per-100 g chart and every IFCT code on this page.
Canadian Nutrient File - Health Canada. Food code 3324, defatted soy flour (47.01 g protein, 330 kcal per 100 g), used for soya chunks; food code 6961, plain yogourt (4.6 g), used for curd.
USDA FoodData Central - FDC 171477 cooked roasted chicken breast (31.0 g), 173757 boiled chickpeas (8.86 g, 164 g per cup), 172475 firm tofu (17.3 g), 171304 whole-milk Greek yogurt (9.0 g), 170903 low-fat Greek yogurt (9.95 g), 171287 whole egg (50 g large egg) and 172183 egg white (33 g large white).
Evenepoel P, Geypens B, Luypaerts A, et al. "Digestibility of cooked and raw egg protein in humans as assessed by stable isotope techniques." Journal of Nutrition 1998;128(10):1716-1722. PMID 9772141. Five ileostomy patients; cooked 90.9% vs raw 51.3%.
A note on what changed: an earlier version said the average Indian eats 0.6 g of protein per kg. We could not find that figure in the ICMR-NIN guideline it was credited to, so it is gone.