How much protein do you actually need? It is the one thing most Indian diets miss - so start by knowing your number.
The number is the easy part. This is where people get stuck.
The official minimum is 0.8 grams per kg - but that figure exists to stop you becoming deficient, not to help you get fit. For anyone training or losing weight, the research consistently lands between 1.4 and 2.2 grams per kg. That is the range this calculator works in.
The most common misconception is "I eat dal every day, so my protein is covered". One bowl of dal has about 9 grams. To hit 100 grams you would need eleven bowls. So if you are vegetarian, paneer, soya chunks, rajma, chickpeas, curd and milk are not optional. Soya chunks are the cheapest and densest source there is - 52 grams in 100 grams of dry chunks.
For people with healthy kidneys, there is no risk at these levels - this has been studied repeatedly. If you already have kidney disease, talk to your doctor before increasing protein. And when you do raise it, also drink a little more water.
Everything on this page is worked out from a formula or from published averages. It has never met you, and it cannot see your blood pressure, your medication or an old injury.
Talk to a doctor before you start if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition, diabetes or high blood pressure, take regular medication, have or have had an eating disorder, are recovering from injury or surgery, or are under 18. Stop and get advice if any exercise causes pain, dizziness or chest discomfort.
More about where these numbers come from is on the about page.
