If you are worried of getting adequate amount of protein in vegetarian diet, then you will be surprised by know that there are some good protein options as well as an easy way to inculcate in vegetarians dietary schedule. Protein is a very vital nutrient which has numerous benefits from development in human body till a fact it plays an essential role in fighting with infections as well as chronic diseases. According to ICMR, a balance diet should provide around 60-70% of total calories from carbohydrates, 10-12% from protein and 20-25% of total calories from fat. Let’s have a look on the following easy ways of adding protein in vegetarian’s diet.

  1. Introduce cottage cheese (paneer) in your diet
  • 1 cup of cottage cheese (100gms) contain 11g protein
  • Cottage cheese contains all the essential amino acids which prove to be a complete protein. It can be added in various forms in all the meals whether it is main course or snacks.
  • Some easy options of including cottage cheese in daily routine are sandwiches with mint chutney as a spread, one can include in salads, in soups without cream dressing, cubes of cottage cheese can be added in upma, vermicille, another common and easy preparation is paneer curry, paneer pulao and paneer bhurji served with chapatti according to body requirements.
  1. Eat Beans and lentils
  • 1 cup of beans (100gms) contain 22g protein
  • 1 cup of lentils (100gms) contain 9g protein
  • All beans, lentils and peas are an excellent vegetarian and vegan source of protein so eat whichever you like e.g. black beans, kidney beans, green peas, whole dhals.
  • Some more easy way to include in your daily routine are one can add them in breakfast in the form of sprouts, soups like split pea soup, one can consume as an evening snack by making healthy chaat of beans by sprouting them, These power packs can be a part of healthy salads.
  1. Soy and soy products
  • 1 cup of soya bean (100gms) contain 36g protein
  • 1 cup of its product like soy milk contain 3.3g protein
  • 1 cup of soy flour(100gms) contain 36g
  • Soy and soy products is a complete protein because it contain all the essential amino acids. People who are lactose intolerance for them soya products are best option
  • Include them in the form of milk, used soybean as a curry for lunch and dinner
  1. Nut and seeds
  • 1 cup of almonds (100gms ) contain 21g protein.
  • 1 cup of peanuts contain(100gm) contain 26g protein
  • 1 cup of walnuts contain (100gm) contain 15g protein
  • 1 cup of sesame seeds contain (100gm) contain 15g protein
  • 1 cup of sunflower seeds contain (100gm) contain 21g protein
  • These nuts and seeds all contain protein but most of them contain healthy fats also so you don’t have to make them as your primary source. You can add them at the time of snacking so that it cannot add on extra calories. They can be best as a post workout meal.

Healthy protein recipes ideas

  1. High protein breakfast
  • Scrambled paneer with multigrain toast
  • Paneer vegetable sandwich
  • Banana smoothie with multigrain toast
  • Cereal porridge with added handful of nuts
  • Soya milk with vegetable sandwich

 2. High protein lunch and dinners

  • Curries made of paneer and soya
  • Bean and lentils in the form of curry
  • Curries of pea
  • Paneer tikka

 3. High protein salads

  • Three bean salad
  • Paneer tomato salad

 4. High Protein soups

  • Bean soup
  • Lentil soup
  • Pea slit soup
  • Vegetable soup with added cubes of paneer

 5. High Protein snacks

  • Trail mix of nuts and seeds
  • Murmura chaat with addition of paneer
  • Salad like paneer or mixed bean salad
  • Sprout chaat of bean

By including these above easy recipes, Vegetarians can easily obtain adequate amount of protein in their diets which will help them to lead a healthy life.