For active Indians, the evidence-based target is 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight per day (Morton et al. 2018). ICMR's 0.8–1g/kg is a minimum to prevent deficiency — not a target for people who exercise. A 70kg person should aim for 112–154g/day.

No. The Morton 2018 meta-analysis of 1,863 participants found that muscle protein synthesis maximises at approximately 1.62g/kg/day. At 1g/kg, you are below the threshold needed to build muscle optimally. For fat loss, aim even higher — around 2g/kg — to preserve muscle.

The best vegetarian protein sources available in India are: paneer (18g/100g), soya chunks (15g/30g dry), moong dal cooked (14g/katori), rajma (13g/katori), Greek yogurt/hung curd (10g/100g), tofu (10g/100g), and whole milk (8g/glass). Dal at lunch + paneer or soya at dinner covers 50–60g easily.

If you know your body fat percentage, calculating protein on lean mass is more accurate — especially for people with higher body fat. For example, if you weigh 85kg but have 25% body fat, your lean mass is 64kg. At 2g/kg lean mass, you need 128g — not 170g. This calculator handles both cases.