Protein Calculator

What are Proteins?

Proteins are one of three primary macronutrients that provide energy to the human body, along with fats and carbohydrates. Proteins are also responsible for a large portion of the work that is done in cells; they are necessary for proper structure and function of tissues and organs, and also act to regulate them.

They are comprised of a number of amino acids that are essential to proper body function, and serve as the building blocks of body tissue. There are 20 different amino acids in total, and the sequence of amino acids determines a protein's structure and function.

How Much Protein Do I Need?

The amount of protein that the human body requires daily is dependent on many conditions, including overall energy intake, growth of the individual, and physical activity level. The recommended range of protein intake is between 0.8 g/kg and 1.8 g/kg of body weight, dependent on activity level and goals.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

Age Group	Protein Needed (grams/day)
Age 1-3	13
Age 4-8	19
Age 9-13	34
Age 14-18 (Girls)	46
Age 14-18 (Boys)	52
Age 19-70+ (Women)	46
Age 19-70+ (Men)	56

Foods High in Protein

There are many different combinations of food that a person can eat to meet their protein intake requirements. For many people, a large portion of protein intake comes from meat and dairy, though it is possible to get enough protein while meeting certain dietary restrictions.

Food	Protein Amount
Egg (1 large/50g)	6 g
Milk (1 cup/8 oz)	8 g
Meat (1 slice/2 oz)	14 g
Seafood (2 oz)	16 g
Chicken Breast (3 oz)	26 g
Greek Yogurt (1 cup)	17 g
Dry Beans (1 cup/92g)	16 g
Nuts (1 cup/92g)	20 g
Tofu (1 cup)	20 g
Quinoa (1 cup cooked)	8 g