Protein Intake Calculator
Your weight and goal in, a daily protein range out — then split into meal-sized 30 g blocks and the foods that deliver them for the fewest calories.
Daily protein
—
30 g of protein for the fewest calories
| Food | Amount for 30 g protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Cod (cooked) | 147 g | 123 kcal |
| Shrimp (cooked) | 125 g | 124 kcal |
| Canned tuna (in water) | 118 g | 136 kcal |
| Crab (cooked) | 168 g | 139 kcal |
| Lobster (cooked) | 158 g | 141 kcal |
| Turkey breast (roasted) | 100 g | 146 kcal |
| Tilapia (cooked) | 115 g | 147 kcal |
| Halibut (cooked) | 133 g | 148 kcal |
| Whey protein (dry) | 38 g | 148 kcal |
| Spirulina (dried) | 52 g | 151 kcal |
| Chicken breast (roasted) | 97 g | 160 kcal |
| Scallops (cooked) | 146 g | 162 kcal |
Common questions
How much protein do I need per day?
The adult RDA is 0.8 g per kg of body weight — a floor to avoid deficiency, not an optimum. Active people and anyone trying to build or keep muscle are usually pointed to 1.2–2.0 g/kg; research on resistance training finds gains level off around 1.6 g/kg.
Should older adults eat more protein?
Many researchers argue adults over 65 need 1.0–1.2 g/kg to slow age-related muscle loss, above the 0.8 g/kg RDA. Kidney disease is the big exception — ask your clinician first.
Is it better to spread protein across meals?
Roughly 0.3–0.4 g/kg per meal (often 25–40 g) across three or four meals is the pattern most studies use. The daily total still matters most.
Method & sources
Grams per kg of body weight per day: 0.8 (RDA), 1.2–1.6 (active), 1.6–2.2 (resistance training), 1.6–2.4 (energy deficit), 1.0–1.2 (adults over 65). Per-meal figures divide the midpoint by your meal count. Food amounts are computed from USDA FoodData Central per-100 g values. Kidney disease, pregnancy and some medications change protein needs — check with your clinician.
- National Academies — DRIs for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, protein and amino acids (2005)
- ISSN position stand: protein and exercise (Jäger et al., 2017)
- Morton et al., 2018 — meta-analysis of protein supplementation and resistance training
- USDA FoodData Central
Per food: 30 g protein, weighed · protein per calorie · GLP-1 protein calculator · perimenopause protein