Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Gaining insight into protein measurements
• Part 2 of 3: Calculating protein calories
• Part 3 of 3: Choose the right proteins
• Tips

Knowing how to calculate calories in protein (protein) can be useful in meal planning. Protein is essential for maintaining good health, as insufficient protein can lead to fatigue, hunger and other physical complaints. Calculating the number of calories in protein and meal planning will help alleviate problems due to too much or too little protein.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Gaining insight into protein measurements

1. Find out how much protein you need in your diet. Protein as a food group is an important part of the food pyramid. Foods made from meat, fish, poultry, eggs, soy products, nuts and seeds are considered part of the protein food group.
   • The amount of protein you need in your diet depends on your age and gender. Adult women need about 150 grams of protein per day. If you are pregnant, you may need to include more protein in your diet, depending on your weight and the stage of your pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your protein intake during pregnancy.
   • Men under 50 need about 180 grams of protein every day. Men over 50 only need about 150 grams of protein daily.
2. Know how to estimate the amount of protein. Many people do not know what 30 grams of protein is. It depends on the type of protein you are consuming.
   • 30 grams of meat, poultry or fish equals 30 grams of protein equivalent (that which belongs to the protein food group). With other foods, protein is diluted or combined with other nutrients in the food. This changes how protein is measured.
   • 1/4 cup of cooked beans contains about 8 grams of protein equivalent. An egg contains 28 grams of protein equivalent. A tablespoon of peanut butter or other nut butter also contains about 28 grams of protein equivalent. 15 grams of nuts or seeds count as 30 grams of protein equivalent.
3. Read nutrition labels if possible. If you are unsure of the exact amount of protein in a product, use nutrition labels. These should inform you sufficiently about the amount of protein in a particular food, as well as the percentage of your daily protein requirement that it entails. But keep in mind that nutrition label calculations are based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. Also try to be honest about how much of a particular product you eat. Many people underestimate or overestimate how much of a product they consume.

Part 2 of 3: Calculating protein calories

1. Calculate your total daily calories from protein. For fitness, you may need a rough estimate of the amount of calories you consume per day that come from protein. This allows you to calculate things like your macronutrient requirement. It is quite easy to determine how many of your daily calories come from protein.
   • Find out how much protein you consumed in total on a particular day. You can use an online calorie calculator to calculate the grams of protein in a particular food you consume. You can also use the nutrition labels.
   • A gram of protein contains about 4 calories. Multiply the total amount of protein in grams by 4 to determine how many calories of protein you consumed in a day.
   • For the conversion from ounces to grams it can be useful to use an online conversion system. The amount of grams per ounce is not a whole number, somewhere around 28.3. It can be difficult to calculate by hand and the conversion may be easier to do through an online system. You may also need to round numbers while converting ounces to grams.
2. Determine the percentage of protein in a particular food. It can also be useful to know how much protein a certain food contains. If you are trying to eat a certain percentage of high-protein foods, this information is essential.
   • Check how many grams of protein a food contains. Divide that amount by the total number of calories in the food. Then multiply the sum by 100.
   • Suppose a food has 200 calories and 8 grams of protein. In that case you divide 200 by 8, resulting in 16. When this is multiplied by 100, it comes out to 16. That food contains 16% protein.
3. Estimate your protein requirement. If you want to apply this knowledge to your diet, find out what you need for a healthy diet. You can do this by talking to a doctor or fitness specialist about your diet, lifestyle, and any weight loss goals you have. A fitness specialist or doctor can tell you approximately how many protein calories you should eat and what a high or low percentage of protein is in a particular food based on your specific needs.
   • It is generally believed that your diet should consist of 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein and 20% fat. This depends on your diet, so consult your doctor or dietitian first. However, being aware of the percentage of protein in your diet can be helpful because many people consume too much of at least one of these macronutrients.

Part 3 of 3: Choose the right proteins

1. Choose protein from lean, low-fat source. If you're concerned about your dietary choices, choose lean, low-fat sources of protein instead of the less healthy options. Turkey, seafood and poultry are good sources of protein because they are low in fat and often lower in calories.
   • If you are a vegetarian, you can get protein from eggs, nuts, beans, soy products and cheese. Stick to low-fat cheese as a healthy option.
2. Prepare protein in a healthy way. The way in which you prepare protein can ensure that it provides more or fewer calories. Avoid frying or cooking egg whites in a lot of oil or butter. Use olive oil (good for the heart) when preparing protein sources. Boil or poach eggs instead of frying them. Don't use too much salt. Excess salt consumption can lead to problems such as high blood pressure.
3. Avoid processed meats. Processed meats, such as those in frozen foods or deli meats, often contain more fat and calories than necessary. They often also contain too much salt. Choose fresh meat when possible.

Tips

• Once you've calculated the calories from protein for your favorite foods, keep these numbers in a table for quick reference.