Protein for vegetarians: a practical Indian guide

Most vegetarians in India eat far less protein than they think. Rice, roti and sabzi are mostly carbohydrate, and a katori of dal gives you less protein than people assume. The fix isn't exotic — it's building each meal around a protein source.

Roughly how much do you need?

For most people who train, 1.6 to 2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight a day is a good range. The app calculates your number from your goal and body, and uses a lean-weight reference if your BMI is high so the target doesn't balloon.

Common sources (approximate)

These are rough figures to plan with. Brands differ, so check the label — in the app you can scan it.

Food	Portion	Protein
Paneer	100 g	~18 g
Soya chunks (dry weight)	30 g	~15 g
Greek yogurt / hung curd	150 g	~10–15 g
Dahi (curd)	1 katori (150 g)	~5 g
Milk, toned	250 ml	~8 g
Egg	1 whole	~6 g
Cooked dal (moong, toor)	1 katori (150 g)	~8–10 g
Chickpeas / rajma, cooked	1 katori (150 g)	~12 g
Tofu, firm	100 g	~10 g
Whey protein	1 scoop	~20–25 g

How to build the day

• Breakfast: the place most people miss. Eggs, paneer bhurji, moong chilla with curd, or a milk-and-whey shake.
• Lunch and dinner: a palm-and-a-half of paneer, soya or tofu, or a large katori of dal plus curd — not just the sabzi and roti.
• Snacks: roasted chana, a glass of milk, hung-curd dip with vegetables, or a protein bar you've checked the label of.

Combine, don't obsess

Plant proteins differ in amino acids, but you don't need to match them meal by meal — varied dals, grains, soya and dairy across the day cover it.

If you're vegan

Lean on soya, tofu, tempeh, lentils, seitan and a pea or soy protein powder. Your coach will check your plan for B12, iron and omega-3.

And the supplement question

Protein powder is a convenience, not a requirement. If your food gets you to the target, you don't need it.