There is something to check before reaching for supplements. Daily targets and meal splits.
Protein targets are set from body weight. For adults who do not train, about 0.8g per kg is the floor that prevents deficiency; for people doing strength work or losing weight, a considerably higher 1.2 to 2.0g per kg is commonly recommended. For a 70kg person who trains, that is somewhere between 84g and 140g a day.
With the same daily total, splitting protein across three meals is more useful to the body than loading it at dinner. There is a ceiling on what one meal can put to work, so spreading roughly 20 to 40g per meal is the usual advice. Skipping breakfast in particular pushes the daily total toward the evening. Many experts note that eating protein evenly across meals becomes more important for maintaining muscle as we age.
A rough feel is more practical than memorised numbers. Treating a palm-sized piece of meat or fish as roughly 20 to 30g makes the arithmetic easy.
Beans, tofu, lentils and nuts can cover the target, though plant proteins are often uneven in their essential amino acids. Combining types, such as grains alongside legumes, removes the issue. There is no need to balance within a single meal; variety across the day is enough. Legumes can cause bloating if you suddenly eat a lot, so increase the amount gradually.
The numbers can feel daunting, but thinking of one protein food per meal makes it much simpler. Below is a rough example with an active adult of 60 to 70 kg in mind; use it to see what plays the protein role at each meal rather than for exact figures. Actual content varies by product and cooking method, so get into the habit of checking the nutrition label on the package.
A common problem when people push protein up is that the rest of their diet falls apart. Piling on chicken breast and protein shakes while cutting vegetables and whole grains leaves you short of fibre and prone to constipation, and leaning on red and processed meat raises saturated fat and sodium too. Protein is increased within your total calories, not added on top, so if you are managing your weight you need to trim other sources of energy slightly. Rotating fish, legumes, eggs, dairy and lean meat solves most of these problems and keeps meals from getting boring. Drinking a little more water than usual is also a good idea.
Common mistakes are treating the top of the recommended range as everyone's target, eating protein only right after a workout and neglecting other meals, and not checking the sugar and calories in protein bars and drinks. If you hardly exercise, meeting the general recommendation is enough; if you have started strength training, increasing gradually within the range is plenty. Judge by how your body responds rather than by a single number. Over a few weeks, watch whether recovery after training improves, whether you stay full and whether digestion is comfortable. If you have a specific medical condition or are pregnant or breastfeeding, set your target together with the clinic treating you.
A supplement is a convenient way to close a gap, not a better protein in itself. If meals already reach your target, there is no reason to add one. With kidney disease or a prescribed protein restriction, general ranges do not apply and you should check with whoever is treating you.