Paneer is one of the best sources of protein, especially for vegetarians. Made from curdled milk, paneer is a great source of calcium, carbohydrates, and essential vitamins too. It makes a good choice as an alternate source of calcium for those who do not like to drink milk. Children love paneer and the snacks made with them. Its rich creamy and luscious flavor appeases them very much.
Paneer nutrition is often a much-compared topic. While some people vouch for it, some others consider paneer as a weight-adding food item. What are the facts related to paneer nutrition? How much paneer is a good amount of paneer? Let’s understand them in detail here. Paneer provides equal amounts of protein as that of an egg. As surprising as it sounds, 100 grams of paneer and 100 grams of egg contain 14 grams of protein. This makes it a top choice of protein for people who do not even include eggs in their diet. The varieties of items one can make with paneer are endless. Either you grill it and make a starter or put in gravy and make the main course for rice and pulka, paneer tastes excellent.
For vegetarians, dals or pulses are also the primary choices of protein. Some people do not like to eat pulses as a source of protein. Dal may sound bland sometimes. For such people, paneer is a good choice to provide protein.
Indian diet, especially the North Indian diet, is rich in items made from paneer. People here take in paneer in all forms – as bhurji, kebab, sweets, gravy dishes, and starters. Bengalis are known for their love of milk-based items, specifically paneer. The sweets they make with paneer are countless. Rasmalai, rasgulla, paneer gulab jamun, etc are the most loved dishes from the Paneer range of Bengalis sweets.
Paneer is also one of the trusted sources of protein either pre or post-workout. It provides adequate protein needed for the muscles to bounce back after an intense workout.
Being derived from milk, paneer is a fabulous food choice to kickstart serotonin, the sleep hormone. Eating paneer before an hour or two of going to bed can induce quality sleep naturally.
That being said, Paneer is rich in calories too. Often the oil used in gravies and the kajus and cream added in the gravies contribute to the paneer calories. Thus, the main culprit of calories in paneer dishes is the gravy, though paneer has adequate calories too.
100 grams of paneer provides 296 kCal and 22 grams of fat. Hence weight watchers need to consider their intake. Eating paneer might not itself lead to weight gain, other food habits also need to be monitored.
For instance, if you consume paneer as a sweet, the calories that come with sugar (in the form of syrup) will add to the paneer calories. Similarly, if you eat paneer gravies, the calories of Kaju, cream, and oil will spike up the calories that paneer comes with. For attaining the best results from paneer without worrying about weight gain or calorie intake, you may take it in the form of grilled kebabs added with lots of vegetables and olive oil.
Paneer is an excellent source of calcium. For pregnant women who often dislike consuming milk due to bodily changes, paneer is an excellent alternative. For attaining the best Paneer nutrition, consider taking fresh paneer made at home. Store-bought paneer might contain preservatives and may not be suggested all the time.
Paneer is also a go-to choice if you are traveling in and across India. You can easily find paneer dishes in any restaurant; thus, you need not worry about your daily intake of protein.
So what form of paneer are you eating today? Happy eating paneer!