Fitness

What high protein has to mean

"High protein" is a regulated claim in India. It is not a share of calories and it is not a fixed number of grams. Schedule I of the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018 sets it as a percentage of the Recommended Dietary Allowance, and lets the maker meet it on any one of four bases.

Meera NApproved 2026-10-05

In force — Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018, Schedule I item 11

Generic packet back with chickpeas, yogurt and boiled eggs — Illustrative artwork

Claim	Per 100 g (solids)	Per 100 ml (liquids)	Per 100 kcal	Per serving
Source of protein (also "contains", "provides")	10% of RDA	5% of RDA	5% of RDA	10% of RDA
High / rich in protein	20% of RDA	10% of RDA	10% of RDA	20% of RDA

Which RDA

Regulation 2(1)(n) points to the current ICMR nutrient requirements and RDAs for Indians. The 2020 ICMR-NIN report sets the adult protein RDA at 0.83 g per kg of body weight per day — 54.0 g a day for the reference man (65 kg) and 45.7 g for the reference woman (55 kg). The claims regulation does not say which reference person to use, so the gram equivalents below are shown both ways.

Claim, per 100 g of a solid food	Against 54.0 g/day (reference man)	Against 45.7 g/day (reference woman)
Source of protein (10% RDA)	at least 5.4 g	at least 4.6 g
High in protein (20% RDA)	at least 10.8 g	at least 9.1 g

Two cautions on the table. The "per serving" route uses the serve size the maker declares, so a large serve makes the claim easier to reach; compare per 100 g when in doubt. And the same percentages apply per 100 kcal, which favours low-energy foods: a product with 100 kcal and 5.4 g protein per 100 g qualifies as a source on the per-kcal basis.

What the claim does not cover

Protein quality. The claim counts grams against the RDA; it says nothing about amino-acid completeness. ICMR-NIN itself notes that people on cereal-based diets with low-quality protein need about 1 g/kg/day.

The rest of the pack. A high-protein bar can also be high in sugar or saturated fat. The claim is about one nutrient.

Supplements. Schedule I, Note 1 sends protein powders and similar products sold as health supplements to the separate 2016 nutraceutical regulations. The thresholds above are for ordinary foods.

If a product makes a function claim about protein — muscle, growth, repair — regulation 7(1)(b) requires it to be at least a "source" under Schedule I first. No protein content, no protein story.

Protein in four reference portions

Cooked chickpeas

1 cup, boiled without salt

14.5 g protein

Plain whole-milk yogurt

170 g

5.9 g protein

Large boiled egg

1 egg, 50 g

6.3 g protein

Example protein bar

Per bar · example label

10 g protein

Reference-food values vary. The bar is an example label, not a verified product. Reference values: NDSU, reviewed November 2017; USDA, 2018; University Hospitals egg reference (publication date not stated).

Sources

Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018: reg 2(1)(n) (RDA definition, ICMR values apply), reg 5(3) (nutrient content claims per Schedule I), reg 7(1)(b) (health claims require source/high status), Schedule I item 11 (protein) and Note 1 (health supplements), Schedule II (synonyms). FSSAI compendium Version IV, 14.12.2022.

ICMR-NIN, A Brief Note on Nutrient Requirements for Indians, the RDA and EAR, 2020: protein RDA 0.83 g/kg/day, EAR 0.66 g/kg/day; Table 2a (adult man 65 kg: 54.0 g/day; adult woman 55 kg: 45.7 g/day); footnote on cereal-based diets (1 g/kg/day).

FSSAI amendments page for the Advertising and Claims Regulations, 2018, checked 30 Sep 2026.