One of the most common questions we get is: “How much protein is in one roti?” or “How much protein in one cup of dal?”
Knowing protein per portion is essential for planning your meals. Here is a complete guide.
Grains & Breads
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Whole wheat roti (medium) | 1 piece (40g) | 3.5g |
| Whole wheat roti (large) | 1 piece (60g) | 5g |
| Rice (cooked) | 1 cup (150g) | 6.5g |
| Rice (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 4g |
| Paratha (plain, medium) | 1 piece (70g) | 6g |
| Bread (whole wheat) | 1 slice (30g) | 3g |
| Oats (dry) | 1/2 cup (50g) | 6g |
| Poha (flattened rice) | 1 cup (50g) | 4g |
| Upma (sooji) | 1 cup (200g) | 5g |
| Idli | 1 piece (40g) | 2g |
| Dosa (medium) | 1 piece (80g) | 3g |
Dals & Legumes (Cooked)
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Moong dal (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 7g |
| Masoor dal (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 8g |
| Toor dal (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 7g |
| Chana dal (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 7g |
| Urad dal (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 8g |
| Rajma (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 9g |
| Chole (cooked) | 1 katori (100g) | 9g |
| Sprouts (moong) | 1 cup (100g) | 7g |
Dairy
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Milk (buffalo/cow) | 1 glass (200ml) | 6-8g |
| Curd (dahi) | 1 cup (200ml) | 7g |
| Greek yogurt | 1 small cup (100g) | 10g |
| Paneer | 50g (small block) | 9g |
| Paneer | 100g (medium block) | 18g |
| Buttermilk (chaas) | 1 glass (200ml) | 7g |
| Lassi (plain) | 1 glass (200ml) | 6g |
| Cheese (processed) | 1 slice (20g) | 4g |
Eggs & Non-Vegetarian
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Whole egg (boiled) | 1 egg (50g) | 6.5g |
| Whole egg (boiled) | 2 eggs | 13g |
| Egg white | 1 egg white (35g) | 3.5g |
| Egg white | 4 egg whites | 14g |
| Chicken breast (cooked) | 100g | 31g |
| Chicken breast (cooked) | 150g | 46g |
| Chicken leg (roasted) | 1 piece | 18g |
| Fish (rohu, cooked) | 100g | 17g |
| Fish (mackerel/bangda) | 100g | 20g |
| Mutton (cooked) | 100g | 27g |
| Prawns (cooked) | 100g | 24g |
Vegetarian Protein Sources
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Soya chunks (dry) | 50g | 26g |
| Soya chunks (dry) | 100g | 52g |
| Soya chunks (cooked) | 1 cup (150g) | 15g |
| Tofu (firm) | 100g | 17g |
| Paneer | 100g | 18g |
| Besan chilla | 1 piece (50g) | 7g |
| Sattu drink | 1 glass (30g sattu) | 7g |
Nuts & Seeds
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Almonds | 10 pieces (15g) | 3g |
| Almonds | 30g (handful) | 6g |
| Walnuts | 5 halves (15g) | 2g |
| Peanuts | 30g (handful) | 8g |
| Peanut butter | 1 tbsp (15g) | 4g |
| Pumpkin seeds | 30g | 9g |
| Chia seeds | 1 tbsp (10g) | 2g |
| Flax seeds | 1 tbsp (10g) | 2g |
Supplements
| Food | Portion | Protein |
|---|
| Whey protein powder | 1 scoop (30-35g) | 24-25g |
| Plant protein powder | 1 scoop (30-35g) | 22-25g |
| Protein bar | 1 bar (50-60g) | 15-20g |
| Sattu (roasted gram) | 2 tbsp (30g) | 7g |
Quick Reference: Common Indian Meals
| Meal | Protein |
|---|
| 2 roti + 1 katori dal + sabzi | 18-20g |
| 1 cup rice + 1 katori dal + sabzi | 15-18g |
| 2 roti + 100g paneer sabzi | 25g |
| 2 eggs + 2 toast | 19g |
| 1 bowl chicken curry (150g) + 1 roti | 50g |
| 1 cup rice + 1 katori rajma | 15g |
| 1 plate biryani (chicken) | 25-30g |
| 1 plate veg biryani | 12-15g |
How to Hit 100g Protein
Here is a practical day using common portions:
| Meal | Protein |
|---|
| Breakfast: 2 eggs (13g) + 1 glass milk (6g) | 19g |
| Lunch: 2 roti (7g) + 1 katori dal (7g) + 100g paneer (18g) | 32g |
| Snack: 1 scoop whey (24g) | 24g |
| Dinner: 150g chicken breast (46g) + salad | 46g |
| Total | 121g |
The Bottom Line
Indian foods can provide plenty of protein if you know the right portions. A single roti has only 3-4g protein — you need 6-8 rotis to get meaningful protein from them alone. Focus on protein-dense foods like paneer, chicken, eggs, soya chunks, and whey to hit your targets efficiently.
Use our Food Database to look up any Indian food and our Protein Calculator to find your daily target.