100 g of paneer gives you about 19 g of protein and about 260 calories, according to India’s official food composition tables. That makes it one of the richest vegetarian protein foods you can buy, but also one of the most calorie-dense. Here is exactly what is in paneer, how it compares with tofu, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and eggs, and how to use it well if you are a man over 35 trying to build or keep muscle.
Quick answer
- Per 100 g: about 18.9 g protein, 258 kcal and 14.8 g fat (Indian Food Composition Tables, IFCT 2017).
- Per 50 g (about 4 cubes): about 9.4 g protein and 129 kcal.
- Per 200 g (a generous curry portion): about 38 g protein and 516 kcal, before any oil or cream.
- Raw vs cooked: paneer is eaten as it is, so the label value is what you get. Cooking does not add protein; frying adds oil, about 40 kcal for every teaspoon the paneer soaks up.
- Brands vary a lot: other food tables and many full-fat packs list more, up to about 26 g protein and 24 g fat per 100 g. Always check your label.
- Protein density: about 7 g of protein per 100 kcal, similar to whole eggs and lower than Greek yogurt, tofu or cottage cheese.
Paneer nutrition per 100 g
Paneer is made by curdling hot milk with an acid and pressing out the whey, so its numbers depend on the milk (cow or buffalo, full-fat or toned) and how hard it is pressed. Two reputable food tables show the range:
| Per 100 g | IFCT 2017 (India) | Matvaretabellen (Norway) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 258 kcal | 325 kcal |
| Protein | 18.9 g | 26 g |
| Fat | 14.8 g | 24.5 g |
| of which saturated | 8.9 g | 15.4 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 12.4 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Calcium | 476 mg | 537 mg |
| Phosphorus | 330 mg | not compared |
| Iron | 0.9 mg | not compared |
| Sodium | 18 mg | not compared |
| Leucine | 1.8 g | not compared |
All values approximate. The IFCT figures are from samples analysed in India and are the ones we use across VizzBlog. Firmer, drier paneer tends to carry more protein and more fat per 100 g, because it holds less water.
Two things stand out. First, paneer is a good calcium source: 100 g gives almost half of the 1,000 mg a day recommended for men aged 19 to 70 by the US National Institutes of Health. Second, the fat is mostly saturated. The WHO advises keeping saturated fat below 10% of your daily calories, which is under about 28 g on a 2,500 kcal day, so 200 g of paneer can use up more than half of that before you add ghee or cream.
Paneer vs other high-protein foods
How much of each food you need for 20 g of protein, and what that costs you in calories (per 100 g values from IFCT 2017 for paneer and USDA FoodData Central for the rest):
| Food | Protein /100 g | kcal /100 g | Fat /100 g | Protein per 100 kcal | For 20 g protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paneer | 18.9 g | 258 | 14.8 g | 7.3 g | 106 g, 273 kcal |
| Firm tofu | 9.0 g | 78 | 4.2 g | 11.6 g | 221 g, 173 kcal |
| Cottage cheese, 2% fat | 10.4 g | 81 | 2.3 g | 12.9 g | 191 g, 155 kcal |
| Greek yogurt, plain non-fat | 10.2 g | 59 | 0.4 g | 17.3 g | 196 g, 116 kcal |
| Queso fresco | 18.1 g | 299 | 23.8 g | 6.1 g | 111 g, 331 kcal |
| Eggs, hard-boiled | 12.6 g | 155 | 10.6 g | 8.1 g | 159 g (about 3 eggs), 246 kcal |
What this means: paneer wins on protein per bite. You need only about 100 g to reach 20 g of protein, half the volume of tofu or Greek yogurt. But it costs roughly twice the calories of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese for the same protein. If you are trying to lose fat, lean on the lighter dairy and soy options and use paneer in measured portions. If you struggle to eat enough, paneer is an easy way to add protein and energy. Compare 84 foods side by side in our high-protein foods list.
How to fit paneer into a high-protein day after 35
Research suggests men who lift get most of the muscle benefit at about 1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day, and older muscles respond best to roughly 0.4 g/kg in a meal. For an 80 kg man, that is about 128 g a day and around 30 g a meal. Work out your own target with the protein calculator.
100 g of paneer covers about 60% of one meal. Pair it with dal, curd or chana rather than doubling the paneer. Here is a sample vegetarian day built that way:
| Meal | What to eat | Protein (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Paneer bhurji with 100 g paneer, 2 rotis | 28 g |
| Lunch | 1 cup cooked dal, 1 cup curd, 1 cup rice | 31 g |
| Snack | 170 g non-fat Greek yogurt or hung curd, small handful of peanuts | 24 g |
| Dinner | 1 cup chana masala with 50 g paneer cubes, 2 rotis | 33 g |
| Evening | 1 glass toned milk | 8 g |
| Total | about 124 g |
- Keep it lean: grill, air-fry or crumble paneer into bhurji instead of deep-frying it, and go easy on cream-based gravies.
- Try low-fat paneer: paneer made from toned or skimmed milk is lower in fat. Compare labels per 100 g.
- Mix in tofu: swapping half the paneer for firm tofu cuts calories and saturated fat while keeping the texture.
- Build the plate: try combinations in the protein plate builder.
Health note: if you have high LDL cholesterol, heart disease or kidney disease, or you have been told to limit protein or saturated fat, ask your doctor or a dietitian how much paneer suits you.
FAQ
Is paneer a complete protein?
Yes. Like other dairy foods, paneer contains all the essential amino acids, including leucine (about 1.8 g per 100 g in IFCT data), the amino acid most closely linked with switching on muscle building.
Is paneer good for weight loss?
It can fit, because protein keeps you full, but it is calorie-dense. Weigh your portion (about 50 to 100 g), cook it with little oil, and get the rest of your protein from leaner foods such as Greek yogurt, dal and tofu.
How much paneer can I eat in a day?
There is no official limit. The practical limit is calories and saturated fat. For most men, 100 to 150 g a day alongside other protein foods is easy to fit; at 200 g you are eating over 500 kcal and nearly 18 g of saturated fat from paneer alone.
Does homemade paneer have more protein than store-bought?
Not necessarily. It depends on the milk you use and how much whey you press out. Full-fat milk gives richer, higher-fat paneer; toned milk gives a leaner one. Packaged paneer lists its values on the label, which is the most reliable number for that brand.
Next: see where paneer ranks among 84 foods in the protein foods database, read our guide to protein after 35 and the best muscle-building foods, or plan a week with the high-protein meal planner.
Sources
- Longvah T, et al. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. Paneer (L003).
- Norwegian Food Composition Table (Matvaretabellen). Cheese, paneer.
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: firm tofu, cottage cheese 2%, Greek yogurt non-fat, queso fresco, hard-boiled egg.
- Morton RW, et al. (2018). Protein supplementation and resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine.
- Moore DR, et al. (2015). Protein ingestion to stimulate myofibrillar protein synthesis requires greater relative protein intakes in healthy older versus younger men. Journals of Gerontology Series A.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium: fact sheet for health professionals.
- World Health Organization (2023). Saturated fatty acid and trans-fatty acid intake for adults and children: WHO guideline.
Nutrition values are approximate and vary by brand, milk and recipe. This page is general education, not medical advice.