Food category
Protein Foods
Fish, chicken, eggs and paneer help keep you full and steady.
Educational guidance only — not a personal diet prescription. Content is medically reviewed and based on recognised clinical guidelines — see references. If you have feedback or a suggestion to improve this website, .
Aloo gosht
potato meat curry
Potato adds carbohydrate to a meat curry — count it with your roti or rice.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Beef burger
hamburger
Refined bun plus fatty meat — choose grilled chicken or skip the bun.
Portion: 1 burger (about 220 g)
Butter chicken
murgh makhani
Butter and cream gravy — very energy-dense.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Chicken adobo
adobong manok
Protein-rich, but salty and oily — remove skin, less soy sauce.
Portion: 1 serving (about 150 g)
Chicken chettinad
chettinad kozhi
Spicy chicken curry — watch the oil.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Chicken karahi
kadai chicken
Good protein, but restaurant versions are oily — ask for less oil.
Portion: 1 serving (about 150 g)
Chicken shawarma wrap
shawerma
Good protein, but large bread and garlic sauce — try a shawarma plate with salad.
Portion: 1 wrap (about 250 g)
Chicken tikka (grilled)
tikka boti
Yogurt-marinated grilled chicken — a lean protein choice.
Portion: palm-size piece (about 100 g)
Egg (boiled)
anda, bayd, itlog
Almost no carbohydrate; high-quality protein.
Portion: 1 large egg (about 50 g)
Egg curry
anda curry, mutta curry
Eggs are a good protein; the oily gravy adds energy.
Portion: 2 eggs with gravy (about 200 g)
Grilled bangus (milkfish)
inihaw na bangus
Oily fish rich in omega-3 — grill rather than fry.
Portion: 1 serving (about 120 g)
Grilled chicken breast
chicken breast
Very lean protein.
Portion: palm-size piece (about 100 g)
Grilled white fish
hammour, machli, samak
Lean protein — grill, bake or steam.
Portion: palm-size piece (about 120 g)
Haleem
daleem, harees (South Asian)
Meat, wheat and lentils — filling, but rich; skip the fried onion and ghee topping.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Kerala fish curry
meen curry, meen kuzhambu
Fish is excellent; use less coconut milk.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Longganisa
longanisa
Sweet sausage — high in fat, sugar and salt.
Portion: 2 pieces (about 80 g)
Nihari
nahari
Slow-cooked beef in a fatty gravy — very energy-dense.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Palak paneer
saag paneer
Spinach and paneer — good food, but often heavy with cream.
Portion: 1 cup (about 200 g)
Paneer
chenna, cottage cheese (Indian)
Vegetarian protein with very little carbohydrate.
Portion: 50 g (matchbox size × 2) (about 50 g)
Paneer tikka
tandoori paneer
Grilled paneer with vegetables — a good party choice.
Portion: palm-size (about 100 g)
Pork adobo
adobong baboy
Fatty pork cuts make this very energy-dense.
Portion: 1 serving (about 150 g)
Salmon
salmon
Oily fish rich in omega-3 fats.
Portion: palm-size piece (about 100 g)
Seekh kebab
seekh kabab
Minced meat kebab — choose chicken or lean mince and grill it.
Portion: 2 pieces (about 100 g)
Shish tawook
shish taouk
Grilled chicken skewers — an excellent choice.
Portion: 1 skewer serving (about 150 g)
Sinigang na isda
sinigang
Sour broth with fish and vegetables — an excellent choice.
Portion: 1 bowl (about 300 g)
Tinola
chicken tinola
Ginger chicken soup with green papaya and leaves.
Portion: 1 bowl (about 300 g)
Tocino
chicken tocino, pork tocino
Sweet-cured meat — high in sugar and salt.
Portion: 2–3 slices (about 100 g)
Tofu
soybean curd, tokwa
Plant protein with little carbohydrate.
Portion: 100 g (about 100 g)