Every fitness influencer has a different number. Some say 1g per pound. Some say 1.5g. Some say you need 200g minimum or your gains are toast. Meanwhile, the average vegetarian is eating 50-60g and wondering if that's a problem.
Let's look at what the research actually says.
The Research
The most comprehensive meta-analysis on this topic (Morton et al., 2018, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine) looked at 49 studies and found that protein intake of 0.73g per pound of bodyweight per day (1.6g/kg) is the point where additional protein stops providing measurable benefits for muscle growth.
For a 175lb person, that's about 128g per day.
Not 200g. Not 300g. 128g.
But Wait, There's a Range
The researchers noted that individual variation exists. Some people may benefit from up to 1g per pound (2.2g/kg). So for that same 175lb person, the practical range is 128-175g per day.
My recommendation: aim for 0.8-1g per pound. That gives you a comfortable margin above the minimum without requiring you to eat protein at every waking moment.
What Does This Mean for Vegetarians?
It means 150g is a great target for most lifters. And that's absolutely achievable on a vegetarian diet. I hit it regularly with meals like protein chana masala (25g per serving) and paneer tikka masala (22g per serving).
Timing Matters (A Little)
Protein timing isn't as critical as people make it sound. You don't need to chug a protein shake within 30 seconds of your last rep. But spreading protein intake across 3-5 meals does seem to be better than eating it all at once.
The muscle protein synthesis window after training is actually about 24-48 hours, not 30 minutes. So relax, go home, and cook a proper meal. Your crispy tofu stir fry will work just fine as a post-workout dinner even if it's an hour after you leave the gym.
Quality Matters Too
Not all protein is equal. Animal proteins are "complete," meaning they have all essential amino acids. Most plant proteins are incomplete on their own. But this is easily solved by combining sources throughout the day:
- Rice + beans = complete protein
- Dal + rice = complete protein
- Chickpeas + quinoa = complete protein
- Tofu and edamame are already complete on their own
You don't even need to combine them in the same meal. Your body pools amino acids over the course of the day.
The Bottom Line
If you're a vegetarian who lifts and you're eating around 0.8g of protein per pound of bodyweight, you're in the optimal range. That's about 130-150g for most people. More than that isn't harmful, it's just not necessary for muscle growth.
Stop stressing about hitting some arbitrary number from a TikTok video. Focus on consistently eating protein-rich meals, training hard, sleeping well, and being patient. The gains will come.