Vegetarians in India get most of their protein from dal and other pulses, milk, curd and paneer, soy, and nuts and seeds. ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians say that a varied daily diet easily meets the protein requirement, even when it is made only of plant foods. A protein powder is one more option for busy days, and most people can still cover their needs from everyday meals.
How Much Protein Does a Vegetarian Adult Need?
ICMR-NIN sets the daily allowance for healthy adults at 0.83 g of protein for every kg of body weight. At 60 kg, that comes to about 50 g a day, and the figure is the same for men and women, active or not.
For many adults, the total is not the problem. The guidelines note that an adult's daily diet often provides 60 to 70 g of protein, and that the bigger challenge is quality. Cereals are low in an amino acid called lysine, and pulses are low in methionine, so eating the two together helps cover what each one lacks. ICMR-NIN suggests cereals and pulses in a ratio of about 3 to 1 by raw weight, plus around 250 ml of milk a day.
Protein in Common Vegetarian Foods
The table below shows the approximate protein content in 100 g of each food. Most figures come from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017, with pulses, soy and nuts weighed raw.
| Food | Protein per 100 g | A Simple Way to Eat It |
|---|---|---|
| Masoor dal | 24.35 g | Everyday dal with rice or roti |
| Moong dal | 23.88 g | Khichdi, chilla or sprouted whole moong |
| Toor dal | 21.70 g | Sambar and dal fry |
| Chana dal | 21.55 g | Dal, besan chilla or kadhi |
| Rajma, red | 19.91 g | Rajma with rice |
| Soybean, brown | 35.58 g | Soy curry or roasted soybean |
| Groundnut | 23.65 g | Chutney, poha or chikki |
| Sesame seeds, white | 21.70 g | Til chutney or a spoonful on salad |
| Almonds | 18.41 g | A small handful as a snack |
| Paneer | 18.86 g | Bhurji, tikka or sabzi |
| Curd, whole milk | 3.47 g | Raita, lassi or curd rice |
| Cow's milk | 3.26 g | A glass at breakfast or bedtime |
| Tofu, firm | 17.27 g | In place of paneer in a sabzi |
Pulses Do Most of the Work
Pulses are the main protein source in a balanced vegetarian Indian diet, and ICMR-NIN points out that protein from pulses costs less than protein from meat, eggs or milk. If you are weighing up the best pulses for protein, the differences in the table are small. The dal you like and cook often will do more for your day than switching to one with a gram or two extra.
Choose Practical Portions of Dal and Beans
Portion size matters more than the type of dal. ICMR-NIN's sample day for a 65 kg man uses 25 to 35 g of raw pulses or beans at each main meal. Cooked as masoor dal, that range gives roughly 6 to 8.5 g of protein per meal, and three such meals come close to half of a 50 g daily target.
Dairy, Nuts and Seeds Fill in the Rest
ICMR-NIN lists milk among the foods whose protein carries all nine essential amino acids, which makes dairy useful for vegetarians. The guidelines' plate for a 2,000 kcal day includes 300 ml of milk or curd, worth about 10 g of protein.
Paneer is far richer in protein, but it also carries about 25 g of fat in every 100 g. A 50 g portion, with about 9.4 g of protein, can fit well into a balanced meal.
Include Nuts and Seeds in Small Portions
Nuts and seeds help between meals. The same plate has 35 g of nuts and seeds, which gives about 6 g of protein. Almonds, groundnuts and sesame are high in fat, so a small handful or a spoonful ground into chutney is a practical amount.
Soy Protein Counts as Complete Protein
Among plant foods, soy stands out for protein quality. Is soy a complete protein? Harvard's Nutrition Source says it is because soy protein supplies all nine essential amino acids that have to come from food.
A 30 g portion of raw soybean gives about 10.7 g of protein, and firm tofu can take the place of paneer in most recipes. Soybeans, tofu and other soy foods can help vegetarians increase their protein intake while adding variety to everyday meals.
Protein Powders, Including Horlicks Protein, on Busy Days
Protein powders are made from milk, whey, eggs or plant sources such as soybeans, peas and rice, according to ICMR-NIN. That variety is why no single product can be called the best protein powder in India for every vegetarian. A plant-based protein powder suits people who avoid dairy, and its label shows which protein source it uses and how much protein one serving provides.
How Horlicks Protein Fits into a Vegetarian Diet
Horlicks Protein powder gets its protein from fermented yeast protein, and the Unflavoured variant also contains whey protein concentrate, which comes from milk. One 36 g sachet gives 24 g of protein and 4 g of prebiotic fibre when mixed into 200 ml of cold water or milk.
The brand suggests one sachet a day, so the rest of the day's protein still comes from meals like the ones above. Check the product label for the ingredients and allergen information for your chosen variant, particularly if you avoid dairy.
Summary: Best Vegetarian Protein Sources in India
Vegetarians in India can meet their protein needs from everyday foods. Pulses do most of the work, especially alongside cereals in a ratio of about 3 to 1, while milk, curd, paneer, nuts and seeds fill in the rest. Soy brings complete protein to a plant-based plate.
On days when meals run short, a protein powder such as a Horlicks Protein sachet can top up the total. At 0.83 g per kg, a 60 kg adult is aiming for roughly 50 g of protein a day.
Sources
1. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024.
Read the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines
2. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Indian Food Composition Tables, 2017.
Read the Indian Food Composition Tables
3. USDA FoodData Central. Yogurt, plain, whole milk. FDC 171284.
View USDA food data
4. USDA FoodData Central. Tofu, raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate. FDC 172475.
View USDA tofu data
5. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, The Nutrition Source. Straight Talk About Soy.
Read the Harvard soy nutrition guide