How much protein do you really need — and where Indians get it cheap
There isn't one protein number — there are three: the minimum, a better everyday target, and the level for training. Here's the evidence for each, and how to reach them with dal, curd, soya and eggs.
· 6 min read· 8 sources
Three numbers, not one
Most confusion about protein comes from mixing up three different numbers. Here they are for a 70 kg adult:
- The minimum: 0.83 g per kg (about 58 g). This is the safe level of intake set by a joint WHO/FAO/UN expert consultation for healthy adults. It’s the amount needed to avoid deficiency, not necessarily the best amount.
- A better everyday target: about 1.2 g per kg (about 84 g). Researchers in Toronto used a newer method, called indicator amino acid oxidation, to measure protein needs directly. They estimated the average requirement at 0.93 g/kg and the recommended intake at 1.2 g/kg, roughly 45–50% higher than the official figure. Experts on ageing (the PROT-AGE group) also recommend 1.0–1.2 g/kg for people over 65. Venva uses 1.2 g/kg as its everyday target.
- For training or fat loss: about 1.6 g per kg (about 112 g). In a large 2018 meta-analysis of people doing resistance training, the extra muscle gained from more protein levelled off at about 1.6 g/kg, with some people benefiting up to around 2.2 g/kg. Higher intakes also help you feel full and keep muscle while losing weight.
If you have kidney disease, speak to your doctor before raising your protein intake.
Where the protein is
Indian home food has plenty of good sources:
- Soya chunks — about 50 g of protein per 100 g dry (check the packet label for your brand)
- Dals and legumes — moong, masoor, rajma, chana
- Dairy — curd, paneer, milk
- Eggs, if you eat them
- Peanuts and roasted chana
Combining cereals with pulses, like dal with rice or rajma with roti, improves protein quality. Pulses are rich in lysine, which cereals lack, and cereals supply methionine, which pulses are low in. The FAO’s protein quality report explains how these combinations fill each other’s gaps.
A sample vegetarian day
Dal with rice or roti at two meals, a bowl of curd, a serving of paneer or soya sabzi, a small handful of peanuts and a glass or two of milk comes to roughly 65–75 g of protein. That clears the minimum for most adults. To reach 1.2 g/kg or more, add one or two extra high-protein servings, such as more soya, paneer, curd or eggs, especially at breakfast.
Non-veg makes it easier
Chicken, fish and eggs are protein-dense. Fatty fish like mackerel (bangda) and sardines (mathi) also provide omega-3 fats. You still want dal and vegetables every day for fibre.
Spread it out
The ISSN recommends spreading protein across the day, roughly 20–40 g per meal, rather than eating most of it at dinner. Breakfast is where many people fall short. Eggs, curd, besan chilla or milk are easy ways to fix that.
Do you need powder?
No. Protein powder is just a convenient form of protein. Its benefit comes from the extra protein it adds, not from anything special in the powder. If you genuinely can’t reach your target with food, a plain whey or soya protein can fill the gap. If you buy one, choose a brand that publishes independent (third-party) lab testing.
References
- 1.Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition (WHO Technical Report Series 935). WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation, 2007.
- 2.Dietary protein quality evaluation in human nutrition (FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 92). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013.
- 3.Reevaluation of the protein requirement in young men with the indicator amino acid oxidation technique. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007.doi:10.1093/ajcn/86.4.995
- 4.Evidence that protein requirements have been significantly underestimated. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, 2010.doi:10.1097/MCO.0b013e328332f9b7
- 5.Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people (PROT-AGE). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2013.doi:10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021
- 6.Protein supplementation and resistance-training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018.doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608
- 7.International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017.doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
- 8.The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015.doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.084038
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Educational information, not medical advice. See a doctor for anything persistent or severe. All content is original to Venva.