A typical Indian breakfast — poha, upma, a couple of idlis — often gives less than 10 g of protein. Getting closer to 20–30 g in the morning helps many people stay full longer and makes a daily protein target much easier to reach.
Seven breakfasts around 25 g of protein
- Paneer bhurji with two multigrain rotis — 100 g paneer does most of the work.
- Besan chilla with a paneer or tofu filling and a bowl of curd.
- Moong dal chilla (two large) with mint chutney and a glass of milk.
- Sprouts chaat (a large bowl) with a cup of Greek-style hung curd.
- Overnight oats made with milk, curd, chia and a spoon of peanut butter.
- Soya chunk upma — add 30 g of dry soya chunks to your usual upma.
- For eggetarians: a three-egg omelette with vegetables and one toast.
Example: paneer bhurji plate
How much protein do you need?
The baseline recommendation is 0.8 g per kg of body weight, and more if you are active, strength training or losing weight. Work out your number — and a sample day of food that reaches it — below.
Try it yourself