Protein for Indian Vegetarians: Hitting Your Target Without Meat

Yes, you can hit 120g+ of protein a day on a vegetarian Indian diet. Here's the playbook.

The biggest myth in Indian fitness is that you need chicken and eggs to build muscle. You don't — but vegetarian protein does take a little planning, because most Indian veg staples are carb-heavy.

Your high-protein veg MVPs

• •Paneer — ~18g protein per 100g
• •Curd / Greek yogurt — 11-18g per bowl
• •Dals and legumes (rajma, chana, moong) — 15-18g per cooked cup
• •Soya chunks — a massive ~26g per 50g dry
• •Whey or a plant protein scoop — 24g in seconds
• •Tofu, sprouts, and roasted chana for snacks

Build each meal around protein first

Instead of rice-and-a-little-dal, flip it: a big bowl of dal or 100g paneer first, then the carbs around it. A simple day — paneer paratha + curd at breakfast, rajma-chawal at lunch, a soya stir-fry snack, and dal + sabzi + curd at dinner — clears 100g without trying.

How much do you need?

Aim for roughly 1.6-2.2g of protein per kg of body weight. A 70kg person targeting body recomposition wants around 130-150g a day. Spread it across 3-4 meals so each has 25-40g.

PRIME's recipes are tagged veg/non-veg and show protein per serving, and the diet planner builds your day to hit your protein target automatically. Log a few meals and you'll see exactly where your gaps are.