Plan protein from plant sources.
Plant proteins are generally less digestible than animal proteins and are more often limited in one essential amino acid, usually lysine in grains or methionine in legumes. Scoring measures such as DIAAS put most single plant sources between 0.5 and 0.9 against roughly 1.0 for dairy and egg. Dividing the body-weight target by that quality score raises the gram figure so the usable protein still lands where you intended, and spreading it across several distinct sources is what covers the amino acid gaps.
Quality-adjusted target
Plant target = body weight x grams per kg / quality score
Per source
Grams per source = plant target / number of distinct sources
These figures are population-average estimates for general planning only and are not medical or dietetic advice. Individual energy and nutrient needs vary widely with body composition, activity, medication and health status. Consult a qualified health professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to what you eat, and especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or have a medical condition or a history of disordered eating.
Around 70 percent for a grain-heavy diet, 80 for a mixed one built on legumes, tofu and seitan, and 90 or above if soy and pea protein dominate — both score close to animal sources.
No. The amino acid pool turns over across the day, so eating a variety of sources over 24 hours is sufficient. Combining within a meal matters only when total intake is marginal.
Because the constraint is usable protein, not feeding frequency. Raising the gram target compensates for what is not absorbed; spacing it out is a separate question handled by the protein timing calculator.