Note: This calculator is for general adults, not for pregnancy dieting. If you are pregnant, please follow your doctor’s advice.
Protein Intake Calculator
Get your daily protein range in grams, a per-meal target and the exact foods to hit it.
Your three protein levels
| Level | Grams per day | Best for |
|---|
Foods to hit your target
| Food | One serving | Protein | Servings for one meal |
|---|
Values are typical averages. Combine foods, since one meal rarely comes from a single source.
How to use this calculator
- Choose your sex and enter your age. The tool is for adults aged 18 and over.
- Enter your weight (kg or lb) and your height (cm or ft/in).
- Pick your goal: stay healthy, lose fat, build muscle or endurance training.
- Pick your activity level. If you are between two options, choose the lower one.
- Select your diet type so the food list matches what you eat, and choose how many meals you have a day.
- Optional: add body fat % for a more accurate result, and your daily calories to see what share of your diet is protein.
- Press Calculate my protein. You will get a daily target, a healthy range, a per-meal amount and a food table.
- Spread your protein across the day and check your result again if your weight or training changes.
This tool gives estimates for healthy adults and is not medical advice. If you have kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take regular medication, ask your doctor before changing your protein intake.
Protein Intake Calculator
How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?
Protein is the nutrient that protects your muscle, keeps you full and helps you recover from training. The right amount depends on your body weight, your goal and how active you are. Our protein intake calculator turns those details into a daily target in grams, a healthy range, a per-meal amount and a list of foods that fit your diet, including vegetarian and vegan options.
Quick Answer: How Much Protein Per Day?
| Who you are | Protein per kg of body weight per day |
|---|---|
| Sedentary adult (minimum to avoid deficiency) | 0.8 g |
| Healthy, moderately active adult | 1.0 to 1.6 g |
| Fat loss while keeping muscle | 1.2 to 2.2 g |
| Building muscle | 1.4 to 2.2 g |
| Endurance athlete | 1.2 to 1.8 g |
| Adults aged 65 and over | 1.0 to 1.5 g |
If you want one number to remember, 1.6 g per kg (about 0.7 g per lb) suits most active adults who want to keep or build muscle.
What Is a Protein Intake Calculator?
A protein intake calculator estimates how many grams of protein you should eat every day. It multiplies a weight basis by a grams-per-kg value chosen for your goal and activity. A good calculator also shows a range instead of one rigid number, because your needs shift with your training and diet.
How Does This Calculator Work?
- Goal and activity. We pick a range (minimum, recommended, high) from sports nutrition research and consensus statements.
- Weight basis. For people with higher body fat, full body weight overstates protein needs. We cap the weight used (using height, and body fat % if you enter it) so the result is realistic.
- Age. For adults 65 and over we use an older-adult range, because muscle responds less to protein with age.
- Diet type. Vegans get about 10% more, because plant proteins are digested slightly less efficiently.
- Per-meal split. Your daily total is divided by your number of meals, and we warn you if a meal is too small or too big.
- Food list. You see how many servings of each food make up one meal.
Protein Formula With Example
Example: a 70 kg woman, 165 cm, exercising 3 days a week, losing fat.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Weight basis | Lower of 70 kg and 27 × 1.65² (73.5 kg) | 70 kg |
| Recommended level | 1.6 g per kg | 1.6 |
| Daily target | 70 × 1.6 | 112 g |
| Range | 70 × 1.2 to 70 × 2.2 | 84 to 154 g |
| Per meal (4 meals) | 112 ÷ 4 | 28 g |
What Does the Research Say?
- Minimum: The standard recommended allowance for healthy adults is 0.8 g per kg per day. It is designed to prevent deficiency, not to optimise muscle or fat loss. India’s ICMR-NIN guidance is in a similar range.
- Active people: The International Society of Sports Nutrition and the American College of Sports Medicine support roughly 1.4 to 2.0 g per kg for people who train.
- Muscle gain: A 2018 meta-analysis of 49 trials (Morton et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine) found that benefits for strength training levelled off around 1.6 g per kg. Some people may benefit from up to about 2.2 g per kg.
- Older adults: Expert groups suggest 1.0 to 1.2 g per kg for healthy older adults and 1.2 to 1.5 g per kg for those with illness, to fight age-related muscle loss.
- Upper limits: Studies in healthy people have not shown harm from high intakes, but going far above 2.2 g per kg brings no extra muscle benefit. People with kidney disease must follow their doctor’s advice.
Protein Chart by Body Weight
Daily protein in grams at four common levels (healthy weight adults).
| Body weight | 0.8 g/kg (minimum) | 1.2 g/kg (active) | 1.6 g/kg (recommended) | 2.0 g/kg (high) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 40 g | 60 g | 80 g | 100 g |
| 60 kg | 48 g | 72 g | 96 g | 120 g |
| 70 kg | 56 g | 84 g | 112 g | 140 g |
| 80 kg | 64 g | 96 g | 128 g | 160 g |
| 90 kg | 72 g | 108 g | 144 g | 180 g |
If you carry a lot of extra body fat, use the calculator above. It adjusts for this.
Protein for Weight Loss
When you eat fewer calories, your body can burn muscle as well as fat. Higher protein helps you lose fat while keeping muscle, and it keeps you fuller on fewer calories. Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg and pair it with strength training. Work out your calories first with our Calorie Deficit Calculator.
Protein for Muscle Gain
Protein supplies the building blocks, but training provides the signal. Target 1.6 to 1.8 g per kg, train each muscle group at least twice a week and eat enough total calories. Without resistance training, extra protein is mostly burned for energy.
How Much Protein Per Meal?
Research suggests that roughly 0.25 to 0.4 g per kg per meal, which is about 20 to 40 g for most adults, switches on muscle repair well. Eating most of your protein at dinner and very little at breakfast is a common mistake, especially in South Asian diets where meals are carb-heavy.
| Meals per day | Daily target 100 g | Daily target 130 g |
|---|---|---|
| 3 meals | 33 g each | 43 g each |
| 4 meals | 25 g each | 33 g each |
| 5 meals | 20 g each | 26 g each |
Best Protein Sources (With Indian Options)
| Food | Serving | Protein (approx.) | Diet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 100 g | 31 g | Non-veg |
| Fish, cooked | 100 g | 20 g | Non-veg |
| Egg | 1 large | 6 g | Non-veg |
| Whey protein | 1 scoop (30 g) | 24 g | Vegetarian |
| Paneer | 100 g | 18 g | Vegetarian |
| Curd (dahi) | 1 cup (200 g) | 7 g | Vegetarian |
| Milk | 1 glass (250 ml) | 8 g | Vegetarian |
| Soya chunks, dry | 30 g | 15 g | Vegan |
| Tofu | 100 g | 8 g | Vegan |
| Chana, boiled | 1 katori (150 g) | 13 g | Vegan |
| Rajma, cooked | 1 katori (150 g) | 13 g | Vegan |
| Dal, cooked | 1 katori (150 g) | 9 g | Vegan |
| Peanuts | 30 g | 8 g | Vegan |
Sample Vegetarian Day Near 100 g Protein
| Meal | Food | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 roti-sized besan chilla with 1 cup curd | 20 g |
| Mid-morning | 1 glass milk and 30 g peanuts | 16 g |
| Lunch | 1 katori dal, 1 katori rajma, 2 roti, salad | 28 g |
| Evening | 1 scoop whey or 1 cup curd | 7 to 24 g |
| Dinner | 100 g paneer or 30 g soya chunks sabzi, 2 roti | 24 g |
Vegetarian and Vegan Protein Tips
- Combine pulses (dal, rajma, chana) with grains (roti, rice) across the day for a fuller amino acid profile.
- Soya, tofu and paneer are the most protein-dense vegetarian foods.
- Vegans should aim for about 10% more total protein and include soy regularly.
- A whey or plant protein powder is convenient, not compulsory.
Signs You May Not Be Eating Enough Protein
- Constant hunger soon after meals
- Slow recovery and persistent muscle soreness
- Losing muscle or strength while dieting
- Brittle nails, hair thinning and slow wound healing
- Frequent illness
These can have other causes, so see a doctor if they continue.
Is Too Much Protein Harmful?
For healthy adults, intakes up to roughly 2.2 g per kg are considered safe and useful. Very high intakes rarely add benefit and can crowd out fibre-rich foods. If you have kidney disease, liver disease or diabetes, or you are pregnant, get personal advice before changing your intake.
Common Mistakes
- Using the same number as a friend with a different body and goal
- Eating most protein in a single meal
- Counting the whole weight of a food instead of its protein content
- Ignoring total calories and fibre
- Adding protein but skipping strength training
Related Calculators
- Calorie Deficit Calculator
- Macro Calculator
- BMR and TDEE Calculator
- BMI Calculator
- Body Fat Percentage Calculator
- Water Intake Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein do I need per day?
Most healthy adults need between 0.8 and 1.6 g per kg of body weight. People who lift weights or diet for fat loss do better at 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg.
How much protein do I need to lose weight?
Aim for 1.6 to 2.2 g per kg per day. It protects muscle and keeps you full while you eat fewer calories.
How much protein do I need to build muscle?
Around 1.6 to 1.8 g per kg per day, together with regular resistance training and enough calories.
Can I eat 100 g of protein a day as a vegetarian?
Yes. Milk, curd, paneer, dal, rajma, chana, soya chunks and peanuts can get you there. Whey or plant protein makes it easier.
Is 30 g of protein per meal too much?
No. Around 20 to 40 g per meal is a useful target for most adults.
Should I use my current weight or goal weight?
Use current weight if you are near a healthy weight. If you carry a lot of body fat, use a capped or lean-mass based weight, which our calculator does automatically.
Do older adults need more protein?
Yes. Adults 65 and over are advised to eat roughly 1.0 to 1.5 g per kg to protect muscle.
Is too much protein bad for kidneys?
Research in healthy people has not shown kidney damage from higher intakes. People who already have kidney disease must follow their doctor’s limits.
Is protein powder necessary?
No. It is only a convenient way to reach your target when food alone is difficult.
How often should I recalculate?
Whenever your weight changes by 4 to 5 kg or your training or goal changes.
Final Thoughts
Start with the recommended number from the calculator, spread it across your meals, choose foods you enjoy and train consistently. Adjust after two to three weeks based on hunger, energy and progress.