How much protein do you need?
It depends on your weight and what you are training for. The calculator multiplies your body weight by a range from published guidance:
| Goal | Grams per kg a day | Source |
|---|---|---|
| General health, little exercise | 0.83 to 1 | ICMR-NIN 2020 RDA |
| Exercise most days | 1.4 to 2 | ISSN position stand, 2017 |
| Losing fat, keeping muscle | 1.6 to 2.2 | Morton et al. 2018; ISSN 2017 |
| Building muscle | 1.6 to 2.2 | Morton et al. 2018 |
Example: someone weighing 65 kg who wants to lose fat while keeping muscle should aim for about 104 to 143 g of protein a day. The minimum to stay healthy at that weight is about 54 g.
Indian protein sources compared
Protein per serving and per 100 kcal, calculated from our calorie guide. Foods high in protein per 100 kcal help most when you are eating less.
| Food | Serving | Protein | Calories | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soya chunks | 25 g dry soya chunks (a handful) | 13.5 g | 90 kcal | 15 g |
| Chicken breast | 100 g cooked chicken breast | 31 g | 165 kcal | 19 g |
| Paneer | 100 g | 19 g | 305 kcal | 6 g |
| Egg | 1 large egg | 6.5 g | 80 kcal | 8 g |
| Egg white | 1 large egg white | 3.5 g | 17 kcal | 21 g |
| Dal | 1 katori (150 ml) | 7 g | 155 kcal | 4.5 g |
| Curd | 1 katori curd (about 150 g) | 5 g | 90 kcal | 5.5 g |
| Milk | 1 cup milk (240 ml) | 7.5 g | 150 kcal | 5 g |
| Peanuts | 1 small handful peanuts (28 g) | 7 g | 160 kcal | 4.5 g |
| Almonds | 10 almonds (about 12 g) | 2.5 g | 70 kcal | 3.5 g |
| Roti | 1 medium roti | 3.5 g | 90 kcal | 4 g |
| Rice | 1 katori cooked rice (about 150 g) | 4 g | 195 kcal | 2 g |
Getting more protein on a vegetarian Indian diet
- Add, do not just swap. Keep your dal, then add curd or paneer to the same meal.
- Breakfast is the gap. Poha, upma and parathas are mostly carbs. Add a glass of milk, curd, sprouts or a besan chilla.
- Soya chunks are the cheapest high-protein food in most Indian kitchens. Soak and add them to sabzi or pulao.
- Spread it out. Three meals with a good protein source each are easier than one huge serving.