Food Sources Of Proteins
Dietary sources of complete proteins are mainly eggs, milk, meat, fish, and poultry. Eggs should be noted for providing the optimal mixture of essential amino acids. Here are the protein ratings of some common foods, reflecting how good of a source they are:
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As you can see, both animals and plants produce proteins containing essential amino acids, but whereas animal sources usually provide a complete amino acids mix, individual vegetables usually offer only a limited set of amino acids, therefore food variety is more important when it comes to plant sources. There is no difference in the same amino acid, if it is derived from an animal or vegetable source. Reliance on animal sources for protein is associated with higher intake of cholesterol and fatty acids.
Despite being key for muscle building, simply eating a lot of protein will not automatically result in muscle gains, so don’t opt for a diet with a very high protein percentage when using the protein calculator thinking that you will become the Hulk. In fact, proteins that are not immediately needed will be transformed or discarded. Consuming too much proteins is not harmless, too, as this would put a strain on your liver and kidneys, which will struggle to process and excrete the excess.
Dog Food Calculator: Quantity Converter
The energy content of dog food is listed as number calories per given quantity of food.
For example: Calories are listed as:
- kcal per cup or
- kilo joules per 100 grams
- kilo joules per kilogram
- kilo joules per pound of pet food
Please note-The terms kilocalories in pet foods and calories in human foods are interchangeable! For example, a large apple is 120 human calories which if fed to a dog is counted as 120 kilocalories.
To convert to your desired quantity measurement use the following conversions:
To convert kcal/ kg to kcal/ lb divide by 2.2
E.g. 3250 Kcal/ kg = 1477 kcal per lb
To convert kcal/ kg to kcal/ oz. divide by 35
E.g. 3250 Kcal/ kg = 93 kcal per oz.
To convert kcal/ kg to kcal/ 100g divide by 10.
E.g. 3250 kcal/ kg = 325 kcal per 100 grams
NB. 1 ounce = 28.35 grams, 1 kg = 1000 grams
Protein Calculator: How Much Protein Do I Need
Determining how much protein to eat per day is important for any lifter, athlete, or person, period! Here’s the number to aim for to build muscle, lose weight, and support your exercise goals.
CALORIES | MACRONUTRIENTS | PROTEIN | ALL NUTRITION CALCULATORS
The amount of protein you need depends on a number of factors, including your weight, age, goals, and activity level. The daily minimum recommended by the National Institutes of Health is 0.36 grams per pound of body weight for a sedentary person. However, if you do intense workouts, have a physically demanding job, or both, experts say you may need moreâperhaps as much as double.
This calculator will tell you how much protein to eat each day based on your specific body and lifestyle. Dial in this nutritional priority to take control of your nutrition and nail your goals!
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Optimal Daily Protein Intake For Older Adults
Sarcopenia is a muscle disorder. It is defined as an impairment of physical function combined with a loss of muscle mass. It is the primary age-related cause of frailty.
Frailty is associated with a higher risk of disabilities that affect your ability to perform daily activities, a higher risk of having to go to a nursing home, and a higher risk of experiencing falls, fractures, and hospitalizations.
The link between sarcopenia, frailty, and associated morbidities may explain why sarcopenia is associated with a greater risk of premature death and reduced quality of life. This isnt a rare issue, either: in the US, over 40% of men and nearly 60% of women over the age of 50 have sarcopenia, and more than 10% of people in their 20s.
Reference: Janssen et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002.
Fortunately, sarcopenia is neither inevitable nor irreversible some seniors have built more muscle in their old age than they ever had in their youth. The older you get, though, the greater your muscles anabolic resistance , and so the greater the protein intake and exercise volume youll need to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
Notably, doubling protein intake from 0.8 to 1.6 g/kg has been shown to significantly increase lean body mass in elderly men. Similar observations have been made in elderly women who increase their protein intake from 0.9 to 1.4 g/kg. Even a small increase in protein intake from 1.0 to 1.3 g/kg has minor benefits towards lean mass and overall body composition.
Let A Machine Do The Math
Now, that was fun! But if youre uninterested in manually performing the calculations above, you can consider using the Free Dieting Macronutrient Calorie Counter. Both these tools are extremely helpful and let you use pre-defined ratios or define your own.
This post provided you with a general idea of how to calculate your daily macronutrient requirements. In later posts we will take an even deeper look into each macronutrient and discuss the various differences between the subcategories of each macronutrient. For example, there are various types of fatspolyunsaturated, monounsaturated, trans and saturated fatsand our bodies treat each of these differently.
REFERENCES
3.
4. Sacks FM, Bray GA, Carey VJ, et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Engl J Med. 2009 360:859-73
5.What Is the Minimum Percentage of Fat That Should Be Consumed by Adults? Retrieved 1/11/2016 from
Read Also: Fat Protein Efficient Diet Food List
How To Use The Protein Calculator
This protein calculator estimates your total daily energy expenditure and then calculates a percentage of it, depending on the selected protein percent of your total calorie intake.
To calculate your calorie needs, you have to enter age, gender, height, weight and activity level , which are all needed for the estimation. Finally, enter the percentage of total calories that you want to consume in proteins – you can check a list of proteins in common diets below. The tool will display the amount and caloric equivalence of the proteins you need to eat per day.
How To Calculate The Protein In Your Dog Food
Dogs are omnivores, which means they can eat, and thrive on, plant matter and animal matter. But dogs do have specific protein requirements. A study by the National Academy of Sciences determined that most adult dogs need a minimum of 10% of their diet to be protein, although puppies, nursing mothers, and elderly dogs may require up to 50%. A dogs diet should also contain no more than 50% carbohydrates. Other dietary components include fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Your vet can help you determine how many grams of protein, fat, and carbohydrates your dog needs on a daily basis.
To determine the amount of protein on a dry matter basis, simply divide the reported amount of protein by the total amount of dry matter in the can. Then, multiply the result by 100.
Knowing how much to feed your dog is great, but how do you know that your food provides all the nutrients needed? We prepared a special article right for you on essential nutrients your dog needs
Commercial dog foods are required to list minimum amounts of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of fiber and water. The simplest way to determine how much protein you dog gets every day is to take the grams of food given and multiply it times the percentage of protein. Lets say you feed one 1lb can of wet dog food per day, which is 454 grams. The food contains 10% protein. 0.10 x 454g = 45g. If this matches up to the recommendation of your vet, then youre probably on the right track.
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Based On Weight And Activity
There are other ways to get a more specific protein goal that may take into account lean muscle mass and/or physical activity level.
The average adult needs a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. One kilogram equals 2.2 pounds, so a person who weighs 165 pounds, or 75 kg, would need about 60 grams of protein per day.
However, your protein needs may increase if you are very active. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the Dietitians of Canada suggest that athletes need more protein.
These organizations suggest that athletes consume between 1.2 grams and 2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, with endurance athletes at the lower end of this range and strength and power athletes at the higher end.
How To Calculate Ratios For Adults Under 5 Feet Tall Babies & Children Under 12 Years Old
Note: Ratios are based up on the number of calories needed daily, which are translated into protein, fat and carb gram ratios.
Also Check: Fat Protein Efficient Body Meal Plan
Some Basic Macronutrient Knowledge
Macronutrients are the nutrients that provide us with the energy needed by our bodies for growth, metabolism and other functions. The prefix macro means large macronutrients are needed in large quantities in contrast to micronutrients .
Proteins, fats and carbohydrates make up the group of macronutrients. Let us take a moment to briefly look at each of these macronutrients.
Carbohydrates: These are a major source of energy for our bodies and are stored in our muscles and liver for later use. Foods that contain large amounts of carbohydrates include fruits, grains and roots . Carbohydrates provide 4 Calories of energy per gram. Check out this post to learn more about carbohydrates.
Proteins: Our bodies use proteins to grow tissue and muscle, repair organs and to create hormones and enzymes proteins are also used for energy when carbohydrates are unavailable. Foods that contain high levels of protein include poultry, fish, beans, diary, nuts and legumes. Proteins provide 4 Calories of energy per gram.
Fats: In order to absorb vitamins, our bodies need fats. Foods that contain a high percentage of fat include cooking oils, butter, nuts and cheese. Of the three macronutrients, fats contain the highest number of calories per gram fats provide 9 Calories of energy per gram.
Table 1. IOMs Macronutrient Ranges Recommendations
Energy Value Of Dietary Fibre
A value of 2 Cal per gram should be used for the dietary fibre portion of the fibre source.
A value of less than 2 Cal per gram may be used for the dietary fibre content if a specific value is available for the fibre source.
Energy value of bran
The energy value of the fibre portion of wheat bran is 0.6 Cal / g and the wheat bran itself has an energy value of 2.4 Cal / g.
Energy value of inulin
An energy value of 2 Cal per gram should be used for inulin.
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Choosing The Right Proteins
Optimal Daily Protein Intake For Healthy Sedentary Adults
For adults, the US Recommended Dietary Allowance for protein is 0.8 g/kg. However, a more appropriate statistical analysis of the data used to establish the RDA suggests this number should be higher: 1.0 g/kg.
Note that, contrary to popular belief, the RDA doesnt represent an ideal intake. Instead, it represents the minimum intake needed to prevent malnutrition. Unfortunately, the RDA for protein was determined from nitrogen balance studies, which require that people eat experimental diets for weeks before measurements are taken. This provides ample time for the body to adapt to low protein intakes by down-regulating processes that are not necessary for survival but are necessary for optimal health, such as protein turnover and immune function.
An alternative method for determining protein requirements, called the Indicator Amino Acid Oxidation technique, overcomes many of the shortcomings of nitrogen balance studies. Notably, it allows for the assessment of protein requirements within 24 hours, thereby not leaving the body enough time to adapt. Studies using the IAAO method have suggested that about 1.2 g/kg is a more appropriate RDA for healthy young men, older men, and older women.
Further evidence that the current RDA for protein is not sufficient comes from a randomized controlled trial that confined healthy, sedentary adults to a metabolic ward for eight weeks. The participants were randomized into three groups:
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Optimal Daily Protein Intake For Pregnant Women
The protein RDA for pregnant women is 1.1 g/kg. This value was estimated by adding three values:
The RDA for a healthy adult
The amount of additional body protein a pregnant woman accumulates
The amount of protein used by the developing fetus
However, as we saw previously with non-pregnant healthy adults, the RDA may not be sufficient, let alone optimal. Theres some IAAO evidence that the RDA for pregnant women should be about 1.66 g/kg during early gestation and 1.77 g/kg during late gestation . Moreover, a meta-analysis of 16 intervention studies reported that protein supplementation during pregnancy led to reduced risks for the baby:
34% lower risk of low gestational weight
32% lower risk of low birth weight
38% lower risk of stillbirth
This effect was more pronounced in undernourished women than in adequately nourished women. Importantly, these values were determined from sedentary women carrying one child, meaning that pregnant women who engage in regular physical activity or are supporting the growth of more than one child may need even higher amounts.
Also, keep in mind that we can only tell you what the studies reported we cant possibly know about your health and your pregnancy specifically. Please be sure to consult with your obstetrician/gynecologist before making any changes.
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How To Calculate Protein Fat And Carb Food Ratios
Adults under 5 feet tall, babies and children under 12 years of age calculate their ratios differently than adults 5 feet tall and children 12 years and oldersee the section below for people under 5 feet tall, babies, and children under 12 years of age.
Caution: Do not translate calculated grams to amounts, quantities, weight, size, etc. of foods you need to consume because it doesnt work that way.
Use a Nutritional Calculator to Figure Out the Quantities of Foods You Need to Consume in order to meet your calculated protein, fat and carb ratios. Some people use Fitday.com to help with planning this out.
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How To Get Enough Protein
Youve used our table or calculator to determine how much protein you need in a day, but the numbers dont look right. Lets say youre 125 pounds, of healthy weight, physically active, and trying to get even leaner. You discover that your optimal intake starts at 102 grams of protein. Isnt that too much for someone so light?
So it may seem at first blush. But lets take a step back. Lets say youre 125 pounds, of healthy weight, sedentary, and just trying to keep the same body composition. Your optimal intake starts at 68 grams of protein so 272 kcal . Not so daunting, now, is it?
Next, you decide to add physical exercise, in order to get even leaner. If you are 125 pounds and run at 7.5 mph for just ½ hour, you burn 375 kcal, compared to 41 for computer work. In other words, you burn 334 kcal more than when sitting and typing just about the least physically demanding activity.
If you took those added kilocalories solely as protein, that would make 84 grams of protein. Add 84 grams to your optimal protein intake when you dont exercise, and you get 152 grams of protein way more than your 102 grams starting target.
We can also calculate from the other direction. Youre 125 pounds and of healthy weight, going from sedentary to active in order to get even leaner: how will your protein intake change?
