Protein Content in Paneer or Cottage Cheese

Paneer or cottage cheese is among the most popular food items in Indian cuisine. It is one of the best sources of protein for vegetarians. In addition to satiating your tastebuds, paneer also provides protein and other essential nutrients which benefits overall health. This superfood not only increases your muscle mass, but it can also suppress your appetite thereby helping you shed those extra pounds. Read on to know how much protein is in paneer.

How much protein is in 100 grams of paneer?

Paneer is a protein-rich food that can be consumed raw or cooked. Being a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals, it is one of the healthiest additions to a vegetarian diet.

If you are a vegetarian who is looking to increase protein intake, paneer is one of the finest options. Wondering how much protein does paneer have? Well, consuming 100 grams of this superfood can provide your body about 18-20 grams of protein.

According to experts, the human body needs 0.8 gm of protein per kg of body weight. For instance, if a person weighs 70 kg, he/she will need 56 grams of protein every day. Keeping this in mind, consuming 50-100 grams of paneer in a day can aid in meeting your body’s daily protein requirements.

In addition to protein, paneer also provides calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B12 and other nutrients to your body. It also offers following health benefits:

• It helps build muscles and strengthen your bones and teeth

• It keeps you full for longer time and promotes weight loss

• It can help prevent sudden spikes in one’s blood sugar levels

• It can strengthen immunity, boost metabolism and improve skin health

• It contains vitamin B12, which is an essential nutrient for brain health

• It can support a healthy mood and ease stress and anxiety

• It can help to ease joint-related pain

Does raw paneer contain protein?

Raw paneer contains more protein than the cooked form. Deep-frying paneer destroys most of its protein content. Therefore, it is best to eat it raw or lightly sauteed. The aim is to keep it minimal and natural.

Here are some tips that can help retain most of the protein content in your paneer:

• If you can’t consume raw paneer as it is, cut it into small pieces and add your choice of seasonings to it for some flavour.

• You can also sauté paneer pieces lightly in olive oil and add seasonings.

• If you have to use fried paneer in a dish, microwave it instead of frying. Th.is can help retain more protein and other nutrients.