Drinks
Calories in Salted Lassi
One glass of salted lassi has about 80 kcal, with 5.7 g of protein, 7.9 g of carbohydrate and 3 g of fat. The figure is from the Indian Nutrient Databank and is for 100 g of curd churned with water and salt into a tall glass. No sugar goes in, which is what keeps it at about half a sweet lassi.
Nutrition in 1 glass of salted lassi
| Nutrient | 1 glass of salted lassi | 2 glasses of salted lassi |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 80 kcal | 160 kcal |
| Protein | 5.7 g | 11.4 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 7.9 g | 15.8 g |
| Total fat | 3 g | 6 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0.1 g | 0.2 g |
| Sugars | 7.8 g | 15.6 g |
Of this energy, about 39% comes from carbohydrate, 33% from fat and 28% from protein.
1 glass of salted lassi is about 4% of the daily energy requirement of a sedentary adult man and 5% of a sedentary adult woman's (ICMR-NIN, 2020).
These figures are from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), which calculates each dish from a standard recipe using Indian food composition data. They describe that recipe and that serving: a larger portion, or more oil, ghee or sugar, gives more. Source: Vijayakumar A, Dubasi HB, Awasthi A, Jaacks LM. Development of an Indian Food Composition Database. Current Developments in Nutrition. 2024;8(7):103790 (Indian Nutrient Databank, INDB).
What this figure covers
Only one ingredient in the databank's recipe carries any energy: 100 g of curd. Water, salt and the spices are not counted because they add none. So the 80 kcal is simply the calories of that much curd, spread through a tall glass. Because the curd is diluted, this is a thin, drinkable lassi and not the thick kind eaten with a spoon. A glass made from more curd scales up in step, and one made from curd set with full-cream or buffalo milk will be richer than this figure.
The energy is shared more evenly than in most drinks: carbohydrate 39%, fat 33% and protein 28%. The 7.9 g of carbohydrate is the curd's own milk sugar, since the recipe adds none. Protein at 5.7 g is a fair return for 80 kcal, and the curd brings its calcium along. The salt adds taste and no energy. Nothing else in a namkeen lassi needs explaining, which is a large part of its appeal: it is curd and water, seasoned.
What goes into one serving
The recipe INDB analysed makes 1 glass. These are its main ingredients; spices, salt and water are left out.
| Ingredient | In the recipe | In 1 glass of salted lassi |
|---|---|---|
| Curds | 100 g | 100 g |
What changes the number
- 01
The amount of curd
A single glass uses 100 g of curd. Lassi made thicker, with twice the curd, has twice the calories and twice the protein: two of these servings come to 160 kcal and 11.4 g of protein. The water changes the volume, not the count.
- 02
Which milk the curd is from
Curd set from full-cream or buffalo milk has more fat than curd from toned or double-toned milk, and fat is 33% of this lassi's energy. Skimmed-milk curd makes a thinner, lighter glass with the same protein.
- 03
Salt and masala
Salt, black salt, roasted cumin and mint add flavour without calories. What the salt does add is sodium. A heavy hand with black salt or chaat masala raises that further without changing the 80 kcal.
- 04
A tadka or a pinch of sugar
Some kitchens temper lassi or chaas with oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves, and some balance the salt with sugar. A teaspoon of oil takes the glass to 124 kcal, and a teaspoon of sugar to 96 kcal.
How salted lassi compares
Other dishes of the same kind, one serving each, lightest first. Serving sizes differ, so read the serving before the number.
| Dish | One serving | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chai | 1 cup of chai | 34 | 0.8 |
| Jal Jeera | 1 glass of jal jeera | 42 | 0.6 |
| Kashmiri Kahwa | 1 cup of Kashmiri kahwa | 64 | 0.4 |
| Nimbu Pani | 1 glass of nimbu pani | 73 | 0.1 |
| Salted Lassi | 1 glass of salted lassi | 80 | 5.7 |
| Aam Panna | 1 glass of aam panna | 96 | 0.4 |
| Coffee | 1 cup of coffee | 104 | 2.9 |
| Sattu Drink | 1 glass of sattu drink | 125 | 3 |
| Sweet Lassi | 1 glass of sweet lassi | 158 | 5.7 |
| Mango Milkshake | 1 glass of mango milkshake | 202 | 6.1 |
| Cold Coffee | 1 glass of cold coffee | 207 | 4.8 |
| Banana Milkshake | 1 glass of banana milkshake | 226 | 6.4 |
| Thandai | 1 glass of thandai | 256 | 9.1 |
| Kesar Milk | 1 glass of kesar milk | 268 | 8.3 |
In a meal and in a day
At about 4% of a sedentary man's daily energy requirement and 5% of a woman's, a salted lassi is one of the lighter things that can be added to an Indian lunch, and one of the few drinks that brings protein. Beside a meal that is mostly roti, rice and sabzi, its 5.7 g of protein and the calcium of the curd fill a real gap. Two glasses are 160 kcal and three are 240 kcal with 17.1 g of protein. It has almost no fibre, so it complements a meal and does not replace the dal or the vegetables.
Ways to keep it lighter
- Keep it unsweetened, because the absence of sugar is what makes this the lighter lassi.
- Use curd set from toned milk for a glass with less fat and the same protein.
- Go easy on the salt and use roasted cumin, mint and ginger for flavour.
- For more protein in the same glass, use more curd and less water.
Before you rely on the number
Salt is the caveat. Every glass is seasoned, and two or three glasses on a hot day, on top of salted food, add up. For most people that is unremarkable. People told to limit salt because of high blood pressure or a kidney or heart condition should ask their doctor or dietitian how much salted lassi or chaas suits them, and can make it with less salt and more cumin and mint.
Food composition is general information, not a diet plan. Anyone managing a medical condition should plan their diet with a doctor or a registered dietitian.
Salted Lassi: common questions
How many calories are in a glass of salted lassi?
About 80 kcal for a glass churned from 100 g of curd, by the Indian Nutrient Databank's recipe, with 5.7 g of protein and 3 g of fat. A thicker lassi made from more curd will be proportionately higher.
Is salted lassi good for weight loss?
It is one of the more useful drinks for someone watching calories: 80 kcal, 28% of it from protein, and no added sugar. Protein makes it more satisfying than a sweet drink of the same size. It will not cause weight loss by itself; that depends on the day's total eating.
How much protein is in salted lassi?
About 5.7 g in one glass, all from the 100 g of curd. Two glasses give 11.4 g and three give 17.1 g. For more protein in a single glass, the practical route is a thicker lassi made from more curd.
Is salted lassi lighter than sweet lassi?
Yes. The salted glass is 80 kcal and the sweet one, from the same quantity of curd, is 158 kcal. Protein and calcium are the same in both because the curd is the same. The salted one has more sodium and the sweet one has the sugar.
The recipe, the ingredients and related reading
Curd vs Yoghurt: What Is the Difference, and Which Is Better?
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Calcium-rich Indian foods beyond milk
The portion-by-portion answer, in the NNWA journal.
Indian food calorie counter
Add up a whole plate in rotis, katoris and cups.
Calories in every dish
All the cooked dishes, with calories per serving.
Learn to read a plate
Certification in Nutrition
Estimating what is on a plate and turning it into a meal plan is taught in this NNWA course.