How much protein do you need?
Get a realistic daily target in under 30 seconds — and see how to reach it with normal food.
YOUR PRACTICAL DAILY STARTING TARGET
Make it manageable
This is just one way to spread protein across the day. Total daily intake matters more than hitting exact meal numbers.
What does protein look like in food?
As rough examples, 100g cooked chicken breast provides about 30g; 200g high-protein yoghurt can provide about 20g (check the label); and 150g cooked firm tofu often provides roughly 18–25g depending on the product.
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For generally healthy adults aged 18+. These are estimates, not medical advice. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, have a history of disordered eating or need condition-specific nutrition support, consult an appropriately qualified professional. If you have a higher bodyweight relative to height, a personalised calculation may be more appropriate than multiplying current bodyweight.
How is this calculated?
For non-training general health, the UK adult reference intake is approximately 0.75g/kg/day. For people training, research supports roughly 1.4–2.0g/kg/day, with around 1.6g/kg/day a practical muscle-building starting point. During fat loss with resistance training, needs vary with energy deficit, training and body composition. These figures are estimates, not exact individual requirements.
Sources: ISSN position stand (2017); Morton et al. meta-analysis; NHS food guidance.