Is there protein on your plate?

Everyone’s thinking about protein and how to include it in their meals. But how should you go about adding protein without exactly overhauling your life? Amita Gadre gives you simple and actionable tips to make everyday Indian meals protein-forward.

Many people come to me with the same question, worded a hundred different ways. “I’m eating properly; why am I always tired?” Or, “I go to the gym, but nothing is changing.” Or simply, “My doctor says I have low protein, but I don’t know how to start. “And when I sit with them, and we go through what they actually eat in a day, I can almost always spot the problem before they finish talking. Nearly 95 per cent of the time, it’s that they’re eating without protein in mind. And that one gap is behind more of their symptoms than they realise.

So let me ask you directly, how much protein did you eat yesterday? Not roughly. Not “I had two eggs, so probably enough.” Actually, think about it. Because here’s what most of us don’t know: Most Indians following a traditional vegetarian diet consume only about 30 to 40 grams on a good day. The body actually requires nearly double that, around 0.8 to 1 gram for every kilogram of body weight.

The solution isn’t to abandon the food you love or start eating like a bodybuilder. It’s something far simpler, and that’s exactly what protein-forward thinking is about.

Protein-forward thinking simply means one thing: before you plan any meal, you ask one question first: Where is my protein coming from? The vegetables, the carbohydrates, the flavour, all of that comes second.

The good part is that we already have everything we need in our kitchens. For vegetarians: paneer, tofu, dals, lentils, sprouts, tempeh, curd, milk. For non-vegetarians: eggs, chicken, fish.

The real challenge is how often protein shows up on your plate- every single day; and whether you’re eating enough of it.

One of the most effective strategies is to start with one meal at a time, maybe breakfast. Many people eat virtually no protein in the morning, a cup of chai and two biscuits, perhaps. Swapping just that first meal to include moong dal chilla or two whole eggs can add 10 to 12 grams before the day has properly begun. Just this small addition can make a huge difference in your day. Perhaps the most important shift is psychological. Most people wait until they’ve planned what they want to eat and then try to fit protein in afterwards. Protein-forward thinking reverses that order entirely. Pick your protein source first. Build the flavour around it. Within a few weeks, what feels like discipline becomes habit, and what felt like effort becomes instinct. Your body is extraordinarily capable of thriving on a plant-based diet or a mix of both plant and animal-based diets. But it needs consistent, adequate protein to do so.

One step at a time, one meal at a time, is not a compromise. It is, in fact, exactly how lasting habits are built.

YOUR AIM

〉Ideal daily protein target for a healthy adult: 0.8 - 1 g per kg of body weight daily 

〉Ideal protein aim per meal: 15-20 g/day 

How to think protein-forward at every meal

〉Choose your protein anchor first. Before deciding anything else, ask: dal, paneer, curd, egg, chicken or soy?

〉Estimate your quantity. Aim for at least one cup (200 - 240 ml) per meal. 

〉Build the rest around it. Add your vegetables, carbohydrates, and seasoning. The protein is already sorted.

How much protein is in your food?

Common portions and approximate protein content

•One cup cooked rajma — ~15g 

•100g paneer — ~18g 

•One cup curd (dahi) — ~6g

•One glass milk (250 ml) — ~8g 

•Two moong dal chilla — ~10g 

Protein-forward swaps

•Along with plain roti and sabzi, add a big bowl of thick moong dal.
•Instead of poha alone for breakfast, pair it with two boiled eggs or high-protein yoghurt.
•Instead of vegetable pulao, try rajma/tofu pulao.
•Instead of a bhel or chivda as a snack, eat boiled chana chaat. 

(The author is a nutritionist and author of What, How Much & How to Eat: Simple and Sustainable, published by Bloomsbury India.)