Understanding Protein Intake: Practical Tips for Balanced Diet

Getting enough protein is crucial for body maintenance. A 60 kg person needs at least 60g daily, achievable through various food sources.

### Understanding and Meeting Protein Needs in Indian Diets
* 🇮🇳 Nearly **80% of the Indian population** is not getting enough protein in their daily diet, highlighting a **significant nutritional gap**.
* 🍛 To determine your protein needs, start with **1g per kg of body weight**, with an upper limit of **120g per day** for a **60kg person**.
* 🍗 Animal protein sources like chicken, fish, eggs, and paneer provide around **6-8g of protein per serving**, while plant sources like dal and tofu offer **4-6g per serving**.
* 🍚 Staple foods like rice, wheat, and millets also contribute to protein intake, with rice providing **5g per meal**, wheat **2g per chapati**, and millets **similar to rice**.
* 🍽 Sample Indian meals were analyzed for protein content, with typical breakfasts often falling short of the **20g per meal target**, while lunch and dinner thalis can meet this goal with **proper planning**.
* 💪 For vegetarians, adding protein-rich foods like **chana, rajma, or paneer** is essential to reach **daily protein targets**.
* 🥛 Supplementation with whey or plant-based protein powder may be necessary for those who struggle to meet protein needs through diet alone, especially if they eat **only two meals a day**.
* 🏋 This guidance is aimed at average individuals, with additional protein needed for those who engage in regular exercise to **support muscle repair and growth**.

protein. We all assume we get enough of it, but the data shows otherwise. Multiple studies and surveys have found that nearly 80% of the Indian population is not getting enough protein in their daily diet. We are all made of protein - our skin, tissues, organs, muscles, all protein. Our cellular machinery makes protein to repair us all the time. Our DNA stores instructions to make proteins, that's it, nothing else. I suggest you watch my video on the science of protein to understand why it is so crucial. In this video, we'll focus on a more practical problem - how do you measure the amount of protein in your diet by just looking at your plate? Because unless you have a sense of how much you are eating, you won't know how much extra you need to eat to stay healthy. Step Zero: If you have specific medical conditions that require you to be on a low protein diet, listen to your doctor, don't take advice from social media, including this video. Step One: Get a sense for how much protein you need in your diet. Let's keep it simple, start

with 1 g of protein for every kilogram of body weight. In this video, I'm going to assume 60 kgs as a reasonable average weight. You could be less or more than that, so adjust appropriately. A 60 kg person who does not do any heavy exercise or regular running cycling needs 60 g of protein per day. If you do exercise, you need more. And also assume 120 g of protein a day is the upper limit for a 60 kg person unless you're a bodybuilder. Step two, if you eat three meals a day, try and get 20 g of protein per meal. If you eat two meals a day, try for 30 g of protein per meal. Step three, now that we have our goal in mind, let's start counting protein. We will start with the obvious sources of protein, meat. Assume 8 G for every piece of chicken, pork, beef, or mutton that you are able to eat. Not very tiny pieces, but a piece that is just below what might be too big to fit in your mouth. Think of the size

of one piece of chicken Tika. If this is fish, assume six gram per mouthful. Then let's get to egg, very simple, 6 G per egg. So a 2 egg omelette, 12 G. Then we get to paneer, for every cube of paneer assume 4 g of protein. So if you eat five pieces of paneer Tika, that's 20 g of protein. But if you use a small cube size, then use a smaller number. If you drink a small cup of thei kurd Rea, that's 3 g of protein. So that's animal protein. Now let's get to plant protein. A common confusion is that when you Google for protein content in dal Chana Etc you get the values for the uncooked Dal. So when you see 38 g of protein for 100 G of soybean, that is raw soybean and we can't digest raw dolls. When you soak and cook them, they absorb water and that makes up most of their weight. So if you you eat a

cup of cooked Chana. That is 6 g of protein, but we often eat Dal, rajma, or Chana in a gravy. So, in that case, assume 4 G per cup-sized serving, a cup of Dal, a cup of sambar, etc. Again, if it's too watery, countless. If you eat tofu, which is made from soybean, treat it like paneer, 4 G per mouthful piece. Now, let's get to your staple foods. People often forget that there is protein in rice, wheat, and millets as well. To keep things simple, if you're a rice eater, add 5 g of protein for each meal. If you don't eat that much rice, maybe use 3 G. People like to claim that millets have more protein. They do, but you won't eat as much millet as you do rice. So, there is no meaningful difference. When it comes to wheat, assume 2 g of protein per chapati and 2 G per slice of bread. If you eat upma, which is made of suji, assume 5 G.

2 g of protein for each idly or homemade dosa, and finally, vegetables even they contain small amounts of protein. For every cup size serving, add 2 g of protein. Some broad disclaimers: people don't measure their food with weighing scales and cup sizes vary widely. So when it comes to protein, if you're doubtful when you're counting, use a smaller number. Eating extra protein is always good for you. So let us summarize all this in a single table. And I've included a link from where you can print this out or save it to your mobile. Now let's put it to practice. I'm going to show you some standard Indian meals and then count the amount of protein in it. Remember our goal is 20 g per meal. Let's start with breakfast. Let's assume you eat two idlis. That's only 4 g of protein. And upma might add 4 to 5 g. Two puris will get you 4 to 5 g. Indian breakfasts tend to be low on protein, so keep that in mind.

about a Biryani meal with Raa with one chicken piece and one egg. 5 G from Rice, 8 G from chicken, 6 G from egg, 2 G from Raa. 21 G total. So that's enough protein for a meal, but keep in mind it's also a lot of calories from carbohydrates and fat. Now let's consider a typical thali from south or east India. 5 G from Rice, 4 G from Dal or sambar, one fish fry 6 g of protein, one vegetable side dish 2 G, one cup curd 3 G. 20 g of protein. If the meal was special and had a meat or fish curry, it'll be 24 to 25 g of protein. Now a rice-based vegetarian Tali again. 5 G from Rice, 4 G from sambar or Dal, 2 G from vegetables, 3 G from CD. So that's 14 G. So if you are vegetarian, you have to be a little conscious and add a cup of Chana Raja or paneer to make up for the

shortage. Now let's see a North Indian Thali: three chapatis, one Dal, one subji, one cup of curd or dahi. So, 6g from chapatis, 4g from Dal, 2g from the subji, and 3g from the dahi. 15g of protein. So, add some paneer and you're good to go. And finally, sometimes people don't have the time to cook four to five dishes and will eat something simple like Dal or Rajma Chawal or Roti Dal. A meal like that will approximately get you 10 to 12g of protein. A few practical tips: it is not that hard to get protein from your food if you eat many different things. If you're vegetarian, you need to be a little more mindful, that's all. A cup of dahi is very practical at every meal, but in many cases, eating paneer and Chana in every meal may not be practical. Paneer comes with a lot of fat and Chana, rajma can cause bloating, and you may not like the

taste of tofu. So, science-based nutritionists suggest that you can use a supplement like whey or plant-based protein powder to make up for any gap you might have on a daily basis. A typical cup-sized serving of protein powder is 25 g of protein. If you're someone who only eats twice a day, then getting 30 g of protein from every meal might be tough. So, go ahead and supplement. In conclusion, this video is primarily aimed at normal average people who may not work out in the gym 5 days a week and want to make sure that they are getting enough protein for basic body maintenance. A 60 kg person needs 60 g of protein. More is good, and if you work out more, is necessary because exercise damages muscles, and muscles are made of protein. Vegetarians and vegans can get enough protein with a little bit of conscious effort. If you want to simplify your life and not break your head, these are the three easiest ways to hit your protein goals: one, add one or two eggs to

every meal dead simple two add a cup cup of curd thei to every meal three one cup of whe or plant protein powder on days you are not eating protein rich.

How to Measure Protein On Your Plate

krishashok

Understanding the Importance of Protein in Your Diet

Nearly 80% of the Indian population is found to have insufficient protein intake, impacting all aspects of the body.

The video provides practical steps for measuring and adjusting protein consumption based on body weight and physical activity.

It also offers guidance on identifying and counting protein in meals, with a focus on sources like meat.

Different foods have varying protein content: chicken tikka provides 20g of protein, while fish offers 6g per mouthful.

Paneer tikka has 4g of protein per cube, and a small cup of yogurt provides 3g of protein.

Cooked chana or dal contains 6g of protein per cup, but when consumed in a gravy, it's safer to assume 4g per serving.

Tofu and paneer both offer 4g of protein per mouthful piece.

Rice eaters can add 5g of protein to each meal, while millet and wheat provide 3-5g and 2g of protein per serving, respectively.

Standard Indian breakfasts like idli, upma, and puri have low protein content, providing only 4-5g per meal.

A biryani meal with chicken and egg can provide 21g of protein, but it is also high in calories from carbohydrates and fat.

A typical South or East Indian thali offers 20g of protein, which can increase to 24-25g with a meat or fish curry, while a rice-based vegetarian thali provides only 14g of protein, suggesting the need to supplement with additional protein sources like Chana or paneer for vegetarians.

Getting Enough Protein: A Practical Guide

It's possible to get enough protein from a North Indian Thali by including chapatis, Dal, subji, and dahi, or by opting for simpler meals like Dal or Rajma Chawal.

For vegetarians, incorporating a variety of foods and using supplements like whey or plant-based protein powder can help meet daily protein needs.

Supplementing with protein powder is especially useful for those who only eat twice a day, and for individuals who don't work out intensely.

Adding a cup of curd to every meal can make it more nutritious and balanced.

It's also beneficial to include a cup of whey or plant protein powder in meals that are not protein-rich.