Protein Calculator — Daily Requirement
Work out how much protein you need each day, and what that looks like in dal, curd, paneer and eggs rather than in scoops.
Your daily protein target
84–112 g
1.2–1.6 g per kg of bodyweight
Roughly what that looks like in food:
| Food | Protein | To hit your target |
|---|
General information, not medical advice. Anyone with kidney disease should follow their doctor's guidance rather than a general calculator.
How much protein you need, by goal
| Goal | Per kg | 60 kg | 70 kg | 80 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General health The basic requirement to avoid deficiency, suitable if you are largely sedentary. | 0.8–1 g | 48–60 g | 56–70 g | 64–80 g |
| Active lifestyle Regular exercise raises protein needs above the basic requirement. | 1.2–1.6 g | 72–96 g | 84–112 g | 96–128 g |
| Building muscle Spread this across 4–5 meals; a single large dose is not more effective. | 1.6–2.2 g | 96–132 g | 112–154 g | 128–176 g |
| Losing fat Higher protein in a calorie deficit protects muscle and helps with fullness. | 1.6–2.4 g | 96–144 g | 112–168 g | 128–192 g |
Protein — common questions
It depends on what you are doing. Around 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg of bodyweight covers basic needs if you are sedentary. Regular exercise pushes that to 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, and building muscle or losing fat while keeping muscle calls for 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg.
It takes planning but it is very achievable. Dal, rajma, chana, paneer, curd, soya chunks, sprouts and peanuts all contribute. The usual problem is that a roti-sabzi-rice plate is heavy on carbohydrate and light on protein, so the fix is adding a deliberate protein source to each meal rather than eating more of everything.
In people with healthy kidneys, higher protein intakes in the ranges shown here have not been found to cause damage in the research. Anyone with existing kidney disease is a different case and should follow their doctor's guidance rather than a general calculator.
Yes. Splitting your total across four or five meals of 25 to 40 g each appears to support muscle repair better than taking most of it in one sitting. It also tends to be easier on digestion.
No. Powder is a convenience, not a requirement. If you are consistently falling short of your target from food alone it is a practical way to close the gap, but food sources bring fibre and micronutrients that a scoop does not.