Fasting This Sawan? 7 High-Protein Foods Most Devotees Didn’t Know Are Allowed

Vaibhav Kochar | Jul 17, 2025, 05:30 IST
Sawan 2025
( Image credit : Freepik )
Sawan fasting involves devotion and discipline. It is important to maintain energy levels. The article suggests protein-rich foods for consumption during this period. Samak rice, amaranth, and water chestnut flour are good options. Peanuts, milk, and makhana provide essential nutrients. Paneer is a versatile protein source. These foods help balance faith and health during Sawan.
Sawan is a month of devotion, discipline, and deep connection with Lord Shiva. For many Indians, especially Hindus, this month is more than a spiritual time. It’s a pause button where people fast, pray, and cleanse not just their bodies, but also their thoughts and hearts.
But while the soul finds peace, the body still needs strength.
Especially if you’re fasting for long hours, avoiding grains, onions, garlic, or non-vegetarian foods, you may unknowingly miss out on essential nutrients, especially protein. And protein is not just for bodybuilders. It’s important for everyone, from students and homemakers to working professionals and the elderly. It helps keep your muscles strong, your mind alert, and your energy stable throughout the day.
So, if you’re fasting this Sawan but want to stay active, healthy, and mentally sharp, this article is for you.
Here are 7 protein-rich foods you can have while fasting in Sawan, explained, with care, and with complete respect for the spiritual purpose behind the vrat.

1. Samak Rice (Barnyard Millet): Your Fasting Grain with Hidden Protein

Samak Rice
Samak Rice
( Image credit : Unsplash )

Most people eat samak ke chawal as a rice alternative during Sawan. But very few know that samak rice is not just easy to digest it also has protein.
It contains about 6 grams of protein per 100 grams, which is more than what you get from some vegetables. Plus, it gives energy slowly and doesn’t spike blood sugar like regular rice.
You can enjoy it in different ways:
  • As a khichdi with sendha namak and peanuts
  • As tikkis or idlis with curd
  • Or even a sweet kheer with jaggery and dry fruits
Extra tip: Mix samak with soaked sabudana to make a protein-carb balance.

2. Amaranth (Rajgira): The Most Underrated Powerhouse in Fasting Foods

Amarnath for fasting
Amarnath for fasting
( Image credit : Freepik )

Rajgira, also known as amaranth, is often used in chikki or laddoos. But during Sawan, very few people use it as a proper meal, which is a missed opportunity!
Amaranth is gluten-free, full of fibre, rich in iron, and contains more than 13 grams of protein per 100 grams. That’s more than some types of dal!
You can:
  • Make rajgira parathas or pooris
  • Prepare rajgira flour rotis with curd
  • Use popped rajgira in milk as a cereal
Emotionally speaking, rajgira feels humble like the food of saints. But its strength lies in silence, just like true devotion.

3. Singhare ka Atta (Water Chestnut Flour): Light on Stomach, Rich in Strength

Chestnut flour
Chestnut flour
( Image credit : Freepik )

Singhare ka atta is another popular fasting food. It's mostly seen as a carbohydrate source, but it also contains protein and even some calcium and iron.
What makes singhara unique is that it’s cooling in nature, so it’s perfect for Sawan, which falls during monsoon. When our digestion is sensitive, singhara flour gives sustained energy without feeling heavy.
How to use it:
  • Make cheelas with grated lauki and singhara flour
  • Prepare halwa with ghee and jaggery
  • Mix with kuttu flour for softer pooris
Psychologically, eating food that cools the body during spiritual fasting helps keep the mind calm, and that’s equally important as filling the stomach.

4. Peanuts: The Common Man’s Protein That Everyone Forgets

Peanuts
Peanuts
( Image credit : Unsplash )

Yes, peanuts! They’re allowed during fasting and are often used in sabudana khichdi, but we often forget that they are a rich source of plant protein, with about 25 grams of protein per 100 grams.
They’re also full of healthy fats, which means they keep you full for longer.
You can:
  • Dry roast and carry them as a snack
  • Make peanut chutney with curd
  • Mix crushed peanuts into fruit bowls or kheer
In emotional terms, peanuts represent the simple, small things that quietly support us like a friend who’s always there, even if not flashy.

5. Milk and Curd: Pure, Sattvic, and Full of Complete Protein

Milk and curd
Milk and curd
( Image credit : Freepik )

While fasting, milk becomes a regular part of many people’s day in tea, kheer, or just as a glass of energy. But do you know it’s one of the only vegetarian foods that offers complete protein (meaning it has all essential amino acids)?
Curd, on the other hand, supports digestion and gives a dose of calcium and probiotics.
Ideas:
  • Have lassi or buttermilk for hydration
  • Mix curd with fruit or rajgira puffs
  • Drink turmeric milk at night for peaceful sleep and recovery
Spiritually, milk has always been associated with purity. Lord Krishna himself was a cowherd. Offering milk to Shiva during Sawan is a common ritual, and consuming it respectfully aligns us with the same sattvic energy.

6. Makhana (Fox Nuts): Light as Air, Strong as Iron

Fox nuts
Fox nuts
( Image credit : Pixabay )

Makhana feels like a snack, but it’s surprisingly nutritious. These small puffs contain plant protein, antioxidants, and magnesium, and are low in fat.
100 grams of makhana can give around 9 grams of protein, and since they’re low in calories, you can eat a good quantity.
How to enjoy them:
  • Roast with a little ghee and sendha namak
  • Mix into milk or kheer
  • Make makhana curry with curd as a dinner option
Emotionally, makhana teaches us something deep: you don’t have to be heavy to be powerful. Even quiet, light things have strength just like silent prayer.

7. Paneer: The Richest Veg Protein You Can Eat While Fasting

Paneer
Paneer
( Image credit : Freepik )

Paneer is pure milk turned into solid energy. It contains about 18 grams of protein per 100 grams, and is filling, tasty, and versatile.
Yes, it's heavy, so you shouldn't overeat. But a small serving of paneer in the evening can prevent weakness and keep your muscles strong, especially for students, working professionals, and elderly people fasting all day.
You can:
  • Make grilled paneer cubes with sendha namak
  • Add to fruit salads
  • Mix into milk-based gravies with lauki or arbi
Paneer, when consumed mindfully, becomes a form of gratitude, feeding your body while honouring your faith.

Final Thoughts: Fasting Should Never Mean Weakening

Food for fasting in Sawan
Food for fasting in Sawan
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )

Sawan fasting is not about punishment. It’s about awareness, slowing down, detoxifying, and connecting with the divine peacefully. But in that process, you shouldn’t ignore your body’s real needs.
Protein is often ignored in Indian fasting because many assume only meat or pulses give protein. But as you've seen above, even in sattvic, grain-free, pure fasting foods, there’s more protein than we think.
Let’s make our fasting sacred, but also scientifically sound and emotionally kind. When your body is strong, your prayers become stronger. And when your plate is balanced, your mind becomes clearer.
This Sawan 2025, fast not just with rules but with wisdom.
Feed your soul, but also fuel your body.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)





  1. Can children or elderly people follow Sawan fasting with these foods?Yes, these foods provide enough protein to support all age groups safely.
  2. Is it okay to exercise while fasting during Sawan?Light exercise is fine if you include protein-rich fasting foods for energy.
  3. Can we combine two fasting flours like rajgira and singhara?Yes, combining flours improves texture, taste, and protein variety in meals.
  4. How can I avoid protein deficiency during longer fasts in Sawan?Include milk, nuts, paneer, and seeds daily to balance protein intake.

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