Protein Intake Calculator: Are you Consuming Adequate and Appropriate Proteins?

Is your protein intake on point? Would you like to know if you’re consuming the right quantities of protein?

Protein Intake Calculator is designed to help you quickly and easily get an idea of whether or not your protein intake is in the appropriate range for your body. It can calculate for you a personalised range for calories, grams of fat and grams of carbohydrates.

Protein Intake Calculator can also tell you how many calories and how much protein per day you need to consume in order to be healthy.

Start using Protein Intake Calculator, the dietary guideline and fitness app!

Proteins are the building blocks of the body and are responsible for all growth and repair processes. The body needs regular protein intake to build and restore its tissues. Protein accounts for 20-35% of the daily calorie intake, being one of the three major nutrients. Yet the average Indian diets are mostly deficient in proteins providing nearly 30-40 g protein per day. 

This is because of several reasons such as availability of a few high protein vegetarian food sources, poor quality and low bioavailability of protein foods, etc.

Proteins, however, have gained a lot of eminence in today’s world. But even after understanding the significance of proteins, either people are unable to meet their individual protein demands or some are exceeding their requirements. This is because of the lack of information about the recommended protein intake per day.

Understand, some random person cannot tell you your calorie and protein requirement just by looking at you. Suppose if you and your friend go to a gym and ask the trainer about your protein demands, and he suggests the same requirement for both of you which may be as high as 150 g per day or maybe more, irrespective of your credentials; is there any way possible by which he can predict your correct requirement! 

The answer is no. This type of incident occurs because of a lack of awareness amongst the general public.

Why is it important to consume adequate and appropriate proteins?

Protein is an essential nutrient that plays many vital roles in our bodies. It is the building block of muscles, bones, skin, and other tissues. Protein also helps to maintain healthy skin, hair, and nails. It plays a crucial role in the production of enzymes, hormones, and other important molecules. Without adequate protein intake, our bodies would not be able to function properly.

In addition to its structural and regulatory functions, protein is also an important source of energy. When carbohydrates and fats are not available, the body can break down proteins for energy. However, this is not an ideal source of energy, as it can lead to the breakdown of muscle tissue and other vital organs if protein intake is not adequate.

Research has shown that consuming an adequate amount of protein can have numerous health benefits. Adequate protein intake can help to maintain muscle mass and strength, especially in older adults. It can also help to support weight loss by reducing hunger and increasing feelings of fullness. Protein can also help to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Understanding Your Protein Needs: How Much Should You Really Be Eating?

Let’s talk about how much protein you should be eating each day. The amount of protein your body needs depends on a variety of factors, such as your height, ideal body weight, medical history, and physical activity level.

For example, if you’re an Indian who lives a sedentary lifestyle, you’ll need between 0.8 and 1 gram of protein per kilogram of your ideal body weight. If you’re more active, you’ll need even more protein. That’s because protein helps to build and repair muscle, which is especially important if you’re doing intense workouts.

Some people make the mistake of thinking they need 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight, but that’s actually too much. If you’re not very active, you only need about 0.36-0.4 grams of protein per pound of your ideal body weight. So, make sure you’re calculating your protein intake correctly, and don’t forget to get protein from both your diet and supplements if needed.

A Guide to Calculating Daily Intake and Supplement Dosages

It’s important to determine your goals first, as not everyone who wants to increase their protein intake is trying to become a bodybuilder. It could be for fitness, muscle retention, or even weight loss.

The amount of protein you need depends on how much you exercise. For example, if you’re an Indian male with an ideal body weight of 65 kg and you exercise two and a half hours a day, you’ll need about 118 g of protein every day. But if you exercise less than an hour a day, you’ll only need around 80 g of protein per day. Keep in mind that you might not be able to meet your protein needs through diet alone, and you may need a protein supplement.

Let’s say you’re consuming 68 g of protein through your diet, but you need to supplement with protein to meet your daily requirements. The first person would need to consume 50 g of protein through a supplement, while the second person would only need 12 g.

If you’re looking for specific protein supplements, Optimum Nutrition (ON) Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein provides 24 g of protein per scoop. The first person would need two scoops per day, while the second person would only need half a scoop.

Nutrabay Pure Series Whey Protein Concentrate provides 23.4 g of protein per scoop. The first person would also need two scoops per day, while the second person would only need half a scoop.

Remember, it’s essential to know your recommended dietary intake of protein to make sure you’re meeting your daily requirements.

How Much Protein Per Day to Build Muscles?

Getting the right balance of calories and protein is crucial for maintaining overall health. But when it comes to building muscle, you’ll need a higher intake of both. 

For someone working hard at the gym to build muscles, daily protein requirements can reach up to 2 grams per kilogram of ideal body weight or even higher. Along with that, you’ll need more calories to fuel your workouts.

Now, it’s important to understand that there are two types of people when it comes to muscle building:

1. Professional Bodybuilders

These are individuals who pursue bodybuilding as a full-time or part-time career. They’re focused on competing and spend a significant amount of their day working out. Their goals are ambitious, and to achieve them, they engage in high-intensity training, which causes extensive muscle tissue breakdown. 

As a result, their calorie and protein needs are much higher. They typically require 1.5 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight.

For instance, let’s say someone has been training hard for the past 4-5 months, aiming to become a professional bodybuilder. They have an ideal body weight of 80 kg and engage in intense strength training 5-6 days a week, for two hours in the morning and one hour in the evening. 

This individual would need roughly 130 grams of protein at this stage. As their muscles grow, their protein intake must increase to maintain and gain even more muscle mass. A high protein diet and around two scoops of a high-quality protein supplement daily would be essential.

2. Fitness Enthusiasts Seeking a Muscular Physique (but not professional bodybuilders)

These individuals don’t plan to make bodybuilding a career, but they want to stay fit and maintain a muscular appearance. They typically can’t dedicate as much time to working out as professionals do. With shorter workout sessions and less muscle tissue damage, their protein needs are lower compared to professional bodybuilders. 

However, if they aspire to achieve a physique like a professional bodybuilder, they must first commit to the same workout regimen and protein intake.

For example, let’s consider someone who’s been working out at the gym for the last 1-2 months with the goal of getting fit or gaining some muscle. They have an ideal body weight of 70 kg and exercise 4-5 days a week for an hour each day. 

This person would need around 80-84 grams of protein daily to gain and maintain muscle mass. A high protein diet and about one scoop of a high-quality protein supplement daily would be necessary.

Factors to consider when determining protein intake

When it comes to protein intake, there’s a lot more to consider than just how much chicken breast or tofu you’re eating. In fact, there are several factors that can impact the optimal amount of protein for your body’s needs. Here are five factors to consider when determining your protein intake:

1. Age

As we age, our bodies become less efficient at synthesising protein. That means older adults require a higher intake of protein to maintain muscle mass and prevent age-related muscle loss. So, if you’re getting up there in years, it might be time to up your protein game.

2. Gender

Sorry ladies, but men generally require more protein than women. That’s because men tend to have larger muscle mass and higher levels of testosterone. However, your protein needs can vary based on your body weight and physical activity level.

3. Body weight

If you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle, protein is a key nutrient to focus on. Individuals who are overweight or obese may require a higher intake of protein to support weight loss and maintain muscle mass. On the other hand, individuals who are underweight or have a low body mass index (BMI) may require a higher intake of protein to support muscle growth and repair.

4. Physical activity level

If you’re a gym junkie or a weekend warrior, your protein needs may be higher than someone who’s more sedentary. Resistance training and other types of physical activity require a higher intake of protein to support muscle growth and repair. Even if you’re not a serious athlete, regular exercise can increase your protein needs

5. Dietary goals

Whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan, or just trying to eat healthier, your dietary goals can impact your protein intake. Vegetarians and vegans may require a higher intake of plant-based proteins to meet their protein needs. Individuals who are trying to lose weight or gain muscle may also require a higher intake of protein to support their goals.

How Much Protein Per Day to Lose Weight?

People trying to lose weight need to have a low- calorie diet, with adequate protein intake per day so that they don’t lose their muscle mass. 

For example, A person targeting weight loss has a current bodyweight of 90 kg (ideal body weight of 70 kg), exercises 4-5 days a week for an hour every day. He would require around 70 g of protein per day in order to prevent muscle loss. Both whey protein (such as Dymatize Iso-100 Protein etc) and plant-based protein with low carbohydrate and sugar (such as EVLution Nutrition Stacked Plant Protein etc) support fat loss and muscle retention.

Best Protein Supplement

The most significant parameters to check the goodness of a protein supplement is:

• PDCAAs should be 1
• Should have a high biological value
• Protein “as is” percentage should be high (you can check with the brand).
• Good protein supplements take some time to dissolve in water or milk.

In short whey, casein, soy or a blended protein, either of them can prove to be a suitable protein for you provided that you act smart while choosing the right protein as per your target. If you are not sure about the correct protein and the right dosage for you, then you should consult a clinical nutrition expert to guide you about the same. 

Conclusion: Are You Consuming Appropriate Proteins?

After having a clear understanding of the individual protein requirements, it is very essential to know the correct proteins for you. You must have often heard about good quality and bad quality proteins.

Good quality proteins consist of nearly all essential amino acids (which the body cannot produce) making it highly available for the body. There are various parameters to check the quality of proteins such as PDCAAs, Net- Protein Utilisation, Biological value of Proteins, etc.

Considering all these parameters, the good quality protein foods include eggs, chicken breast, fish such as Salmon, meat products, soy foods, milk and milk products, nuts, etc.

Whereas poor quality protein foods that lack some essential amino acids include legumes, corn, beans, etc. It doesn’t mean that these foods are bad, but they are not complete proteins. These foods lead to more formation of protein by-products (which the body needs to remove) and hence these foods are restricted for people not having healthy kidneys.