Why is eating enough protein important?
Protein is a building block of every cell in your body. It plays an important role in building and maintaining muscle mass, repairing tissues, and supporting a healthy immune system. Eating a high protein diet will also keep you feeling full for longer, which can help curb cravings and prevent overeating.
How does the Daily Protein Intake Calculator work?
The Daily Protein Intake Calculator enters your age, gender, weight, activity level, and wellness goals into scientifically-backed formulas to provide you with an accurate estimate of your daily protein needs. Here’s how it works:
1. Enter your personal information: Fill in your age, gender, weight, and activity level. This data helps us understand your unique needs and provide a personalized recommendation.
2. Choose your wellness goal: Are you looking to gain weight, lose weight, or just eat more protein? Your goal will impact the amount of protein you should consume daily.
3. Inform us if you have gut issues: If you have a sensitive stomach, let us know so we can make sure that our products are right for you.
4. Get your results: The daily protein intake calculator will instantly show your recommended daily protein intake in grams.
Please note that this is just an estimate and that your actual protein needs may vary. We recommend that you consult a registered dietitian for a more accurate recommendation.
How do I interpret my results?
The average adult needs to consume 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, which means that a 150 pound person needs 54 grams of protein. This number can vary greatly depending on several factors, however, including sex, body weight, lifestyle, gut health, and wellness goals. Generally speaking, men need more protein than women, bigger people need more protein than smaller people, active people need more protein than sedentary people, and people with gut issues need more protein than people with healthy guts.
The latter is true because gut issues can impair your ability to absorb nutrients from food and cause a loss of appetite, both of which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. The amount of protein you need also depends on your wellness goals. If you are trying to gain weight, lose weight, or build and repair muscle, you need more protein than someone who is not. This is why we made the Daily Protein Intake Calculator. It is by no means a perfect science, but it can certainly help guide you on your wellness journey.
Your personalized protein intake will be displayed in grams, indicating the optimal amount of protein to consume daily to reach your wellness goals. Here is how to translate this number into food choices:
1. Identify protein-rich foods. First, familiarize yourself with dietary protein sources like eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, meat, and seeds.
2. Understand the protein content of foods. Learn the approximate protein content of common high protein foods to help you make informed dietary choices. For example, 3 ounces of cooked chicken breast contains about 21 grams of protein and 3 ounces of tofu contains approximately 7 grams of protein. You can find a comprehensive list of protein content in various foods on the USDA website.
3. Distribute your protein intake throughout the day. Divide your daily protein intake recommendation into multiple meals and snacks. For example, if you want to consume 70 grams of protein daily, you might aim for 3 x 20 gram meals, and 1 x 10 gram snack.
4. Use protein powder to fill in the gaps. Protein powder can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, and other recipes for an easy protein boost.
Do I need protein powder?
Try to get as much protein as you can from normal food. Most people should be able to get more than enough protein from dietary protein sources like eggs, fish, legumes, meat, and nuts. Some people, especially those with dietary restrictions and sensitive stomachs, may struggle to meet their protein needs this way, however. This is where protein powder can help. Adding protein powder to your diet is an easy and convenient way to boost your protein intake. That said, not all protein supplements are created equal.