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Vegetarian? Your protein is hiding in plain sight.

Dal, curd, paneer and soya can cover a vegetarian’s protein. What a real serving gives, and where most Indian plates fall short.

5 min read · Updated

A woman in her thirties tosses a sprouts salad in a bright kitchen, with bowls of paneer, kala chana, curd, peanuts and soya chunks on the counter.

The short version

  1. 1

    Most adults need 0.83 g of protein for every kg they weigh, each day: about 50 g at 60 kg.1

  2. 2

    Urban Indians eat 42 g of pulses a day, half the 85 g on ICMR-NIN’s plate. That’s where most veg diets fall short.4,5

  3. 3

    Plant protein isn’t “incomplete”. A mix of dal, grains and dairy over the day covers what you need.1,7

The list

How much protein a real serving gives you

Sort by serving or by 100 g. Dals and beans are dry weights: 30 g dry is about one katori once cooked.

SortShow
Food and servingProtein per servingPer 100 g
Tofu, firm3100 g17 g17 gas sold
Soya chunks330 g dry15 g52 gdry; check your pack
Soya bean230 g dry11 g38 gdry
Hung curd (Greek-style)3100 g10 g10 g
Paneer250 g9.4 g19 g
Cow’s milk21 glass, 250 ml8.2 g3.3 g
Masoor dal230 g dry7.3 g24 gdry
Green peas2100 g fresh7.3 g7.3 gfresh
Moong dal230 g dry7.2 g24 gdry
Peanut butter32 tbsp, 32 g7.1 g22 g
Urad dal230 g dry6.9 g23 gdry
Whole moong230 g dry6.8 g23 gdry
Peanuts2A handful, 28 g6.7 g24 g
Toor dal230 g dry6.5 g22 gdry
Chana dal230 g dry6.5 g22 gdry
Drumstick (moringa) leaves2100 g6.4 g6.4 graw
Rajma230 g dry6 g20 gdry
Kala chana230 g dry5.6 g19 gdry
Pumpkin seeds315 g4.5 g30 g
Quinoa230 g dry3.9 g13 gdry
Button mushrooms2100 g3.7 g3.7 graw
Curd (dahi)3½ cup, 100 g3.5 g3.5 g
Sunflower seeds215 g3.5 g24 g
Moong sprouts31 cup, 104 g3.2 g3 graw
Almonds210 almonds, 12 g2.2 g18 g
Chia seeds31 tbsp, 10 g1.6 g17 g
Flaxseed (alsi)21 tbsp ground, 7 g1.3 g19 g
Indian values from ICMR-NIN’s Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 where the food is listed, and USDA’s tables otherwise. Soya chunks use USDA’s defatted soy flour, the closest listed food; your pack’s label is the final word. Sprouts are mostly water: the protein is the dal you sprouted.2,3

Your number

How much you need

54 g
a day for ICMR-NIN’s reference man, who weighs 65 kg.1
46 g
a day for the reference woman, at 55 kg. Pregnancy and breastfeeding add more.1

Multiply your weight in kg by 0.83. If most of your protein comes from rice and roti, ICMR-NIN uses 1 g per kg instead, because cereal protein is lower in quality.1

Watching calories?

Protein for the fewest calories

Grams of protein in every 100 calories. Soya, tofu and dal give the most; nuts give the least.

  • Soya chunks15.7 g
  • Button mushrooms13.4 g
  • Tofu12.0 g
  • Green peas8.9 g
  • Masoor dal7.6 g
  • Paneer7.3 g
  • Rajma6.7 g
  • Curd5.7 g
  • Peanuts4.5 g
  • Almonds3.0 g
Worked out from the IFCT and USDA values in the table above.2,3

On your plate

Three meals, counted

Studies of protein and appetite point to about 25–30 g at each main meal. Here is how familiar veg meals add up.

Dal, 2 rotis, curd and paneer
About 26.5 g: dal from 30 g masoor (7.3 g), 2 rotis from 60 g atta (6.3 g), 100 g curd (3.5 g) and 50 g paneer (9.4 g).2,3
Tofu bhurji with 2 rotis
About 23.6 g: 100 g tofu (17.3 g) and 2 rotis (6.3 g).2,3
Rajma-chawal with curd
Only about 13.8 g: rajma from 30 g dry (6.0 g), a cup of cooked rice (4.3 g) and 100 g curd (3.5 g). A glass of milk takes it to about 22 g.2,3

Aim for the plate’s 85 g of dry pulses a day: nearly three katoris, each giving about 6.5–7.3 g of protein. A handful of nuts and seeds (35 g) adds about 6 g more.4,6

Myths

What you might hear

  • They say

    “Plant protein is incomplete.”

    Actually

    No plant food is missing an amino acid, and the “complete” label misleads. Cereals and pulses fill each other’s gaps over the day.6,7

  • They say

    “You must eat dal and rice in the same meal.”

    Actually

    Not needed. A reasonable variety over the course of the day is enough.7

  • They say

    “Sprouts are a protein powerhouse.”

    Actually

    Sprouting doesn’t add protein. Raw sprouts are about 90% water, so a cup gives about 3 g.3

  • They say

    “Paneer is the best veg protein.”

    Actually

    It’s good, but calorie-dense: 18.9 g protein with 14.8 g fat per 100 g. Tofu and soya give more protein per calorie.2,3

  • They say

    “Nuts and peanut butter are high-protein foods.”

    Actually

    Two tablespoons of peanut butter give 7.1 g protein but 191 calories; ten almonds give about 2 g. Count them as healthy fats.2,3

Protein powders aren’t needed for most people. ICMR-NIN’s 2024 guidelines advise against regular protein supplements for building muscle: food first.8

Talk to your doctor before eating more protein if

  • You have kidney disease, or diabetes or high blood pressure that has affected your kidneys.
  • Your ankles, feet or hands swell, you see blood in your urine, or you pee more often at night.
  • You are losing weight without trying.
  • You are pregnant or breastfeeding: your protein need goes up, so plan it with your doctor.

Early kidney disease often has no symptoms, which is why a kidney function test matters if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.

People with chronic kidney disease may need moderate amounts of protein, set with their doctor or dietitian.9,10

Questions

Questions people ask

Veg mein sabse zyada protein kis cheez mein hota hai?

Soya. Dry soya beans have about 36–38 g per 100 g, and soya chunks more (check the pack). Next come dals (about 22–24 g per 100 g dry), peanuts (about 24 g), paneer (about 19 g) and tofu (about 17 g).

How much protein is in 100 g of dal? Raw or cooked?

Raw masoor dal has about 24 g per 100 g. Cooked dal holds a lot of water, so it has about 9 g per 100 g. One katori made from 30 g of dry dal gives about 7 g.

Is curd a good protein source?

A modest one: about 3.5 g per 100 g. Hung or Greek-style curd has about 10 g per 100 g, so it is the better pick when you want protein.

Do sprouts have more protein than dal?

No. Sprouting doesn’t add protein, and raw sprouts are mostly water. The protein is the dal you sprouted: 30 g of dry moong gives about 7 g either way.

Do I need to combine foods to get complete protein?

Not at every meal. Eating a variety of grains, dals and dairy over the day is enough.

What are the best vegan protein foods?

Soya chunks and tofu, every dal, chana, rajma, peanuts and seeds. For example, 30 g of dry dal gives 6.5–7.3 g and 100 g of firm tofu gives about 17 g.

Sources

  1. 1.ICMR-NIN. Nutrient Requirements for Indians: RDA and EAR, 2020 (brief note).
  2. 2.Longvah T et al. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. ICMR-NIN.
  3. 3.USDA Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
  4. 4.ICMR-NIN. My Plate for the Day.
  5. 5.Hemalatha R et al. What India Eats. ICMR-NIN, 2023.
  6. 6.NIN. Dietary Guidelines for Indians: A Manual, 2011.
  7. 7.Mariotti F, Gardner CD. Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets. Nutrients, 2019.
  8. 8.Shah RM et al. Dietary guidelines across countries and the Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024. Indian J Med Res, 2025.
  9. 9.NIDDK: Eating right for chronic kidney disease.
  10. 10.NHS: Chronic kidney disease symptoms.

Swastya shares health education, not medical advice. Lab ranges vary by lab, age and condition, so read your numbers with your doctor, and see a doctor promptly for any symptom that worries you.

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