Your Protein Day Playbook & Everything in Between
"A healthy outside starts from the inside."
We often hear the quote, "You are what you eat," but have you ever thought about how true it is in relation to our diet, especially the role of protein in building and maintaining a healthy body? Our body is primarily made up of proteins and amino acids, which serve as the foundational building blocks that support everything from muscle growth to immune function. However, despite the importance of protein in diet, we often overlook the need for adequate protein intake.
The objective of this blog is to raise awareness about this critical nutrient, highlighting its significance in our daily diets and emphasising its role in overall health and wellness on National Protein Day 2025.
History and Significance of National Protein Day
Protein Day is a global event that is celebrated every year on the 27th of February. However, India is celebrating National Protein Day from 2020 onward, after the initiation of the right to protein, a national-level public health initiative to educate people about the importance of adequate protein consumption.
For National Protein Day 2025, the focus is on urging the food industry and businesses to provide easily accessible, affordable, and protein-rich food options. This initiative aims to promote a nutritionally secure future for everyone, ensuring that protein is an integral part of daily diets to support health and well-being.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), protein consumption in India is alarmingly low, averaging just 48 grams per day, while the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight. National Protein Day India helps spread awareness about this deficit and emphasises the importance of meeting the daily protein requirements to promote better health and well-being.
What are the roles of proteins in our body?
Do you think protein is only for muscle building? No, it's essential for immune defence, tissue repair, and much more. With National Protein Day 2025 coming up, it's the perfect time to explore its benefits. Here, we'll dive into the best sources of protein, signs of deficiency, and easy ways to incorporate protein into your daily routine.
1. Structural Support: Protein is the main component in forming the human body's cells, tissues, and organs. Some structural proteins are keratin, collagen, actin, and myosin, which help give strength, elasticity, and growth to the skin and muscle.
2. Enzymatic Activity: Enzymes are the form of protein that helps speed up our body's chemical reactions. They are important for various metabolic processes like digestion, energy production, and detoxification.
3. Transportation: It helps in the transport of molecules in our body. For example, haemoglobin acts as a two-way respiratory carrier, which involves the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the tissue and also assists in transporting carbon dioxide back to its origin. Similarly, we have myoglobin, which helps to store and transport oxygen in our muscle cells.
4. Immune Function: In our immune system, we have immunoglobulin (antibody), a globular protein that protects our body from various infections caused by foreign particles like bacteria and viruses. Protein helps to defend the body against infections.
5. Hormonal Regulation: Some of the proteins act as hormones which are involved in the regulation of various physiological processes. For example, Insulin is a type of hormonal protein that controls blood sugar levels in our body.
6. Cell Signaling: Proteins are also involved in the cell signalling process, in which the cell can respond to substances outside the cell through signalling molecules. This can be achieved by the receptor protein that binds to the signalling molecule present in the cell. It helps in the coordination and function of the cell.
7. Gene expression: Proteins play a main role in gene expression, a process in which the encoded information in genes is used to synthesise proteins (functional gene products). Thus, protein plays an important role in various cell functions.
What are the diseases related to proteins?
It is important to adhere to the recommended dietary allowance of protein through the diet and protein supplements. Deviations in the RDA of protein intake can lead to abnormalities in our body. Some problems related to protein intake are given below:
- Protein deficiency can lead to poor wound healing in individuals, which can also pave the way for infections.
- The most common protein deficiencies that occur in children are marasmus and kwashiorkor. This is due to the poor intake of protein in the diet.
- Insufficient protein intake can also be associated with liver problems such as liver steatosis and liver cell necrosis.
- Protein deficiency can lead to infections, dehydration, deprivation of vitamins and electrolytes, and also a decreased appetite in individuals.
- In fact, increased protein intake can be associated with a raised risk of cardiovascular events in individuals.
5 Protein-Rich Diets You Need To Know
Incorporating protein-rich foods into your diet is essential for meeting your daily protein requirements and maintaining overall health. Understanding the importance of protein in your diet helps you make better choices for a balanced lifestyle. Here are five great options to include in your daily meals:
1. Eating plant-based foods like leans, spirulina, beans and quinoa, peanuts, and chickpeas helps meet the daily recommended protein requirement in individuals.
2. It is estimated that consuming animal-based protein diets like milk, whey, casein, eggs, and beef can help to meet nearly 1.00 (protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score).
3. Eating seafood like salmon can provide individuals with high-quality, well-balanced, and easily digestible proteins.
4. It is recommended to eat nuts like almonds that can help you meet your body's protein requirement.
5. Dairy products like milk, cottage cheese, and yoghurt can offer a high-protein diet for individuals. Not only are they protein-rich, but they also provide a calcium-rich diet.
Is it good to take protein supplements every day?
Protein supplements can be a helpful way to meet your daily protein requirements if you're unable to get enough protein through food alone. Protein supplements come in various forms, such as powders, bars, and shakes. They provide essential amino acids, like branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which aid in muscle synthesis, support the immune system, and promote satiety.
If you find it challenging to meet your protein needs through whole foods, considering a supplement may be beneficial. However, protein supplements should not replace whole foods entirely, as they don’t offer the full range of nutrients.
A common myth is that protein supplements cause kidney failure, but for healthy individuals, moderate intake is safe. If you have any existing health concerns, particularly with your kidneys, it's best to consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating supplements into your routine.
How do I reach my daily protein intake?
To meet your daily protein requirements, a well-planned high-protein diet can help ensure that you're getting enough of this essential nutrient. Achieving the right balance can boost muscle growth, improve metabolism, and support overall health. Here’s a sample diet chart with common Indian foods that can help you reach your daily protein intake:
Meal | Foods | Protein Content |
| Breakfast | Moong dal chilla (2 pieces) | 12g |
| Omelette (2 eggs) | 12g | |
| Mid-Morning snack | Almonds (10-12 pieces) | 4g |
| Lunch | Paneer (100g) | 18g |
| Lentil dal (1 cup) | 9g | |
| Evening Snack | Chickpea salad (1 cup) | 15g |
| Dinner | Grilled chicken (100g) | 22g |
| Quinoa (1/2 cup) | 4g |
Note: If you're a vegetarian, you can swap soya chunks in place of chicken (which provides about 50g of protein per 100g) and tofu in place of eggs (providing around 8g of protein per 100g) to maintain a balanced protein intake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Why is Protein Important?
Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, supporting immune function, and maintaining muscle mass. A high-protein diet can boost metabolism, improve muscle recovery, and help with weight management. The high protein diet benefits extend to overall health, energy levels, and muscle development.
Q2. What is National Protein Day, and Why is it Celebrated?
National Protein Day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of protein in our daily diets. It highlights the role protein plays in maintaining overall health, supporting muscle growth, and enhancing immunity. The day encourages people to prioritise protein-rich foods for better well-being.
Q3. How much protein do you need daily?
The average adult needs around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. To calculate your specific protein needs, multiply your weight in kilograms by 0.8 or consult a nutritionist for personalised advice.
Q4. What happens if you are protein deficient?
Protein deficiency can lead to muscle weakness, poor immunity, and slow recovery from injuries. Common protein deficiency symptoms include fatigue, hair loss, and swelling in the body.
Q5. How fast does protein powder digest?
Protein powder typically digests within 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the type. Fast-digesting proteins like whey are absorbed more quickly, aiding muscle recovery shortly after consumption.
Wrapping up
Protein is an essential nutrient that needs to be taken in an appropriate amount. The deviation in the RDA may result in various health issues in individuals due to the crucial role played by protein in our bodies. On this National Protein Day, let's educate everyone to overcome and prevent the protein-related health issues that are present all over the nation.
References
1. WHO Technical Report Series, Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition - https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/43411/WHO_TRS_935_eng.pdf
2. LaPelusa A, Kaushik R. Physiology, Proteins. [Updated 2022 Nov 14]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555990/
3. Wu G. Dietary protein intake and human health. Food Funct. 2016 Mar;7(3):1251-65. doi: 10.1039/c5fo01530h. PMID: 26797090. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26797090/
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