Protein Rich Fruits: 15 Indian Fruits Ranked by Protein Per 100g

Protein rich fruits are not a myth. Some fruits do have more protein than others. The amounts are small compared to dal or eggs. But added to your meals, they can help you close the gap.

Most people think fruits are only about vitamins and sugar. But fruits like guava, jackfruit, and pomegranate give you 1-3 grams of protein per serving. That adds up over a day.

This guide gives you the full list of 15 protein-rich fruits you can find in India. With exact numbers. And honest comparisons so you know what to expect.

15 Protein Rich Fruits Available in India

Protein in fruits chart: 15 fruits sold in India, highest protein first. Each value is per 100 grams of the part you eat, plus a serving by weight.

Why these numbers differ from most websites. Most Indian blogs copy protein figures from the USDA database, which measures American fruit. This table uses the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, measured by ICMR-NIN on Indian samples. The gap is real. USDA puts guava at 2.55 g; IFCT measures Indian guava at 1.44 g. Two fruits here (mulberry, kiwi) are not in IFCT, so they are marked USDA.

Which Fruit Has the Most Protein per 100g?

A high protein fruit is still low next to dal. Dry dal has about 22 to 24 grams of protein per 100 grams in IFCT 2017. No fresh fruit in the tables gets past 4 grams.

IFCT tested only one sample of jungle jalebi and three of wood apple. So treat those two numbers as rough. Jackfruit was tested on five samples, so its number is firmer.

Dried fruit looks higher because the water is gone. In IFCT 2017, dried apricot has 3.17 grams of protein per 100 grams, golden raisins 2.76 grams and dry dates 2.45 grams. But you eat much less of them at one time. Dried apricot also has 72.6 grams of carbohydrate per 100 grams.

The Truth About Protein in Fruits

Let us be honest. Fruits are not going to be your main protein source. Just 30 grams of dry masoor dal, once cooked, gives about 7.3 grams of protein. See our dal protein guide for every dal. The best fruit on this list is ripe jackfruit, at 2.74 grams per 100 grams.

So why does this article exist?

Because fruits ADD to your total. ICMR-NIN puts the daily protein need at 45.7 grams for an adult woman and 54.0 grams for an adult man. Two or three servings of the fruits at the top of this table add about 3 to 6 grams. That is roughly one egg.

These fruits also bring vitamin C and fiber. A 100 gram guava, for example, has 214 mg of vitamin C and 8.6 grams of fiber in IFCT 2017.

Use fruits to complement your protein meals - not replace them.

Protein Wale Fruit: Amrud Mein Kitna Protein Hota Hai?

Guava is the fruit most people mean when they search for protein wale fruit. It is cheap, it is everywhere, and it does carry protein. But 1.44 grams is a small number next to a bowl of dal. Treat it as a top-up, not a protein source.

Here is the short list in Hinglish, highest first: kathal 2.74 g, sitaphal 1.62 g, amrud 1.44 g, anaar 1.33 g, kela 1.23 g, chiku 0.92 g, santra 0.70 g, aam 0.54 g, papita 0.42 g, amla 0.34 g. Sab per 100 gram.

Ek Amrud Mein Kitna Protein Hota Hai?

Ek amrud mein kitna protein hai, yeh uske wajan par depend karta hai. Amrud chhote bhi hote hain aur bade bhi. Isliye amrud ko tol lijiye aur yeh list dekhiye (IFCT 2017, safed amrud, 1.44 gram per 100 gram):

• 100 gram amrud: 1.44 gram protein
• 150 gram amrud: 2.2 gram protein
• 200 gram amrud: 2.9 gram protein
• 250 gram amrud: 3.6 gram protein
• 1 kilo amrud: 14.4 gram protein

In English: the protein in one guava depends on its weight. Weigh it and use 1.44 g per 100 g. USDA counts one guava as just 55 g, so do not trust a single "per fruit" number.

Sitafal Mein Kitna Protein Hota Hai?

100 gram sitafal (sharifa) ke gudde mein 1.62 gram protein hota hai. 150 gram gudde mein lagbhag 2.4 gram protein milta hai. Yeh amrud se thoda zyada hai, par kathal se kam.

In English: custard apple has 1.62 g of protein per 100 g of flesh in IFCT 2017, so 150 g of flesh gives about 2.4 g.

Kya Kathal Mein Protein Hota Hai?

Haan. 100 gram pakke kathal mein 2.74 gram protein hota hai. Kacche kathal (sabzi wala) mein 1.98 gram hota hai. Kathal ke beej mein sabse zyada, 5.79 gram per 100 gram.

In English: ripe jackfruit has 2.74 g of protein per 100 g, raw jackfruit 1.98 g and jackfruit seeds 5.79 g (IFCT 2017 codes E030, D051 and D052).

Best Fruits to Add to Protein Shakes

Some fruits blend better and taste better in a protein shake. Here are the top 5 for Indian protein shakes.

1. Banana - The best shake fruit. It makes the shake thick and creamy. A 120 gram banana adds about 1.5 grams of protein and natural sweetness. It is cheap and sold all year.

2. Mango - Perfect for summer. Blend 100g mango pulp with milk, peanut butter, and curd. Thick, sweet, and nutritious. 100 grams of ripe mango adds about 0.5 grams of protein.

3. Pomegranate - Add about 45 grams of arils (a small handful) to a milk shake. That adds about 0.6 grams of protein. Pairs well with curd and honey.

4. Guava - Not the most common shake fruit, but high in protein for a fruit. Blend with milk, cinnamon, and a date. Good morning shake.

5. Chiku - Very sweet and thick. Blend 2 chiku with cold milk and a pinch of cardamom. Tastes like a dessert but gives you protein from the milk.

Quick Recipe: High-Protein Guava Shake (India)

Blend together:

• 1 guava (100g) - 1.4 g protein
• 1 glass cold cow milk (200ml) - 6.5 g protein (milk protein guide)
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter (about 16g) - 3.6 g protein
• 1 ripe banana (120g) - 1.5 g protein
• Pinch of cardamom powder

Total: about 13.0 grams of protein. Most of it comes from the milk and peanut butter, not the fruit. Time: 2 minutes in the InstaCuppa Portable Blender.

The Fruit Most Indians Overlook for Protein

Custard apple (sitaphal / sharifa) carries 1.62 grams of protein per 100 grams in IFCT 2017. A serving of 150 grams of edible flesh gives 2.4 grams. Most Indians eat it as a sweet and never notice. It holds three times the protein of a mango and more than twice that of an orange.

Sitaphal is a seasonal fruit. The flesh is sweet and creamy. Blend it with milk and cardamom for a rich evening shake with natural sweetness - no sugar needed.

Pomegranate is the other underrated one. 174 grams of arils gives about 2.3 grams of protein. A cup of ripe jackfruit (150 grams) beats it at 4.1 grams. Pomegranate still earns its place for its taste and its 2.8 grams of fiber per 100 grams in IFCT 2017. Adding arils to your regular meals is an easy, small protein top-up.