← Articles
← Articles
One roti has about 4 g of protein. One idli has about 2 g. A katori of rice has about 3 g. These are the foods that fill most of an Indian plate, so it helps to know the real numbers — and which small swaps add the most.
| Food (home portion) | Protein | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 besan roti (35 g besan) | ~7.7 g | ~125 |
| 1 plain paratha (50 g atta, 1 tsp oil) | ~6 g | ~215 |
| 1 plate upma (40 g rava, 1 tsp oil) | ~5 g | ~200 |
| 1 bajra roti (35 g flour) | ~4 g | ~125 |
| 1 wheat roti / phulka (35 g atta) | ~4 g | ~120 |
| 1 jowar roti (35 g flour) | ~3.5 g | ~120 |
| 1 plate poha (50 g raw, 1 tsp oil) | ~3 g | ~220 |
| 1 plain dosa (1 tsp oil) | ~3 g | ~135 |
| 1 katori rice (40 g raw) | ~3 g | ~140 |
| 1 ragi roti (35 g flour) | ~2.5 g | ~115 |
| 1 idli (medium) | ~2 g | ~58 |
| 1 slice bread (25 g) | ~2 g | ~65 |
Our calculations from ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 raw-ingredient values and standard home portions. Rounded estimates — size, thickness and oil change the numbers.
A medium phulka made from 35 g of atta has about 4 g of protein and 120 kcal. Two rotis give roughly 8 g, three give 12 g. That is real protein, but it is not enough on its own: a three-roti dinner with only a vegetable sabzi will still fall short of what a meal should carry. The roti is the base; the dal, paneer, curd or soya is where the protein comes from. See seven dinners that fix this.
Besan is the clear winner at about 7.7 g per roti, nearly double a wheat roti for the same calories. Bajra is slightly ahead of wheat. Jowar and ragi are a little lower on protein — their case is fibre and minerals, not protein.
An easy upgrade: knead 1 part besan or soya flour into 4 parts atta. You raise the protein of every roti by about 0.7 g, with no change in taste you would notice.
Rice gives about 3 g per katori (40 g raw). The grain protein is modest, but it pairs well with dal, which supplies what rice is low in — that is why dal-chawal works.
Idli is about 2 g each, so three idlis give only 6 g. Most of the protein in an idli breakfast comes from the sambar, not the idli: a katori of sambar adds about 7 g. Dosa is similar at ~3 g for a plain one; a masala dosa is about 5 g because of the potato filling, and it carries a lot more oil.
Poha and upma are quick breakfasts but low in protein: about 3 g and 5 g. Adding 10 g of peanuts to poha brings in another ~2.6 g, and stirring a handful of soaked soya chunks into upma adds around 8 g.
Answer six quick questions and get your daily calorie and protein target, plus a free Indian diet plan.
Get my free plan →Per 100 kcal: besan roti about 6 g, wheat roti and idli about 3.5 g, bajra roti about 3.2 g, paratha about 2.8 g, dosa about 2.2 g, rice about 2 g, poha about 1.4 g. Dal gives about 5 g, curd about 6 g and paneer about 6 g per 100 kcal. So a grain-based meal needs a protein partner to keep the ratio healthy.
Protein from cereals is lower in the amino acid lysine, which is why cereals and pulses are best eaten together — roti with dal, idli with sambar, rice with rajma. Eating only cereals and relying on them for protein is not enough.
If you have diabetes or kidney disease, how much roti or rice and how much protein suits you is a question for your doctor or dietitian, not a general table.
About 4 g for a medium phulka made from 35 g of atta, with about 120 kcal.
About 2 g for a medium idli, with about 58 kcal. Three idlis with a katori of sambar give around 13 g.
Yes, but not much: about 3 g per katori of cooked rice (40 g raw). Pair it with dal, rajma or curd.
Besan (gram flour) at about 22 g per 100 g, compared with about 12 g for wheat atta.
Log it in the tracker, or tell the coach — "2 roti, ek katori dal aur dahi" — and see where you landed.
Track today Ask the coachCooked-dish figures on this page are our own calculations from the raw-ingredient values above, using standard home portions. They are estimates, not laboratory measurements. This article is educational information, not medical or nutrition advice.
← All articles