Your body needs about 0.83 g of protein a day for every kilogram you weigh. That figure comes from the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN). 1 You can take it through dal and other pulses, milk, curd, paneer, soy, nuts and seeds, and, for non-vegetarians, eggs, fish and chicken. A protein powder is an option for busy days, while everyday food supplies most of it.
How much protein per day the body needs
Protein does far more than build muscle. ICMR-NIN's guidelines explain that the body uses it to make enzymes, hormones and carrier proteins such as haemoglobin, which carries oxygen, and to replace tissues as they wear out. 1
The question "how much protein do we need a day?" has a simple answer. Working out how much protein is needed per day takes one multiplication: your weight in kg times 0.83. A person who weighs 57 kg has a protein requirement per day of about 47 g, and someone at 68 kg about 56 g. It applies equally to men and women and does not go up with exercise, even though appetite often does.
Which foods give you that protein
The table shows the protein in ordinary portions. The values are based on the Indian Food Composition Tables, with the curd figure and the egg's weight from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). 234
| Food and portion | Protein |
|---|---|
| Masoor dal, 30 g raw (a katori cooked) | About 7.3 g |
| Rajma, 40 g raw | About 8.0 g |
| Soybean, 30 g raw | About 10.7 g |
| Paneer, 50 g | About 9.4 g |
| Cow's milk, 200 ml | About 6.5 g |
| Curd, 100 g | About 3.5 g |
| Groundnuts, 20 g | About 4.7 g |
| Rotis from 60 g atta | About 6.3 g |
| One large egg, about 50 g | About 6.6 g |
| Chicken breast, skinless, 100 g raw | About 21.8 g |
| Rohu fish, 100 g raw | About 19.7 g |
For vegetarians, pulses and soy give the most protein per portion, and dairy adds more across the day. Grains add more than people expect, because rotis and rice are eaten in larger amounts.
How to take it through the day
Combining foods matters as much as choosing them. Cereals and pulses complement each other, which raises the quality of protein in a meal. ICMR-NIN therefore recommends about three parts cereal for every part of pulse, measured raw, along with foods such as milk. 1
Spreading protein across meals keeps it easy. Here is a sample day for a 57 kg person. Breakfast is paneer bhurji with a glass of milk, lunch is rajma, rotis and curd, and the evening brings a handful of groundnuts. Dinner is masoor dal with rotis. Using the table, that day comes to about 52 g, comfortably above the 47 g target.
A few kitchen habits help as well. Setting curd at home, soaking moong overnight for sprouts and keeping a jar of roasted groundnuts make it simple to add protein to any meal. A katori of dal at both lunch and dinner is often the single easiest change.
Choosing foods for a vegetarian or non-vegetarian day
Vegetarians do well to rotate pulses through the week, from masoor and moong to rajma, chana and lobia, and to keep curd or milk in the day. Soy chunks, tofu and paneer give larger amounts when a meal needs more.
Non-vegetarians can get part of the day's protein from eggs, fish and chicken. ICMR-NIN's weekly guide for flesh foods is 700 to 900 g, from fish, chicken, lean meat or eggs, which works out to roughly 100 to 130 g a day. 1
Using Horlicks Protein when meals fall short
Horlicks Protein powder provides 24 g of protein per 36 g sachet, along with 4 g of prebiotic fibre. The protein is fermented yeast protein, and the Unflavoured powder also has whey protein concentrate. Each sachet is made up with 200 ml of cold water or milk. The milkshake, sold ready to drink in 240 ml bottles, carries 20 g of ultra-filtered milk protein with 171 kcal and no added sugar.
The suggested use is one serving each day. On a day of travel or a skipped meal, that serving can make up the missing protein while the rest of the day stays the same.
Conclusion
Your daily protein requirement is roughly 0.83 g per kg, which is about 47 g at 57 kg. You can take it with dal, rajma, soy, paneer, milk, curd, nuts and grains, plus eggs, fish or chicken for non-vegetarians. Pair cereals with pulses and spread protein across meals. One Horlicks Protein serving can cover the gap on a day when meals fall short.
Sources
1. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024. https://nin.res.in/dietaryguidelines/pdfjs/locale/DGI_2024.pdf
2. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Indian Food Composition Tables, 2017. https://www.nin.res.in/ebooks/IFCT2017.pdf
3. USDA FoodData Central. Yogurt, plain, whole milk. FDC 171284. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-search/?query=171284&type=SR%20Legacy
4. USDA FoodData Central. Egg, whole, raw, fresh. FDC 171287. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-search/?query=171287&type=SR%20Legacy