How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day? Spoiler: Less Rocket Science, More Rule of Three.

Social media has two kinds of people.

One group says: “Protein? You barely need any.” The other: “Two grams per kilo, right now, and with a shake.”

Both sound very sure of themselves. Both can’t be right at the same time.

Luckily, the answer is pretty unspectacular.

The baseline: 0.8 grams per kilo

For healthy adults, the German Nutrition Society gives a reference value of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. From age 65 it’s about 1 gram.

The calculation is surprisingly unspectacular:

Body weight in kilos × 0.8 = grams of protein per day.

At 60 kilos that’s 48 grams. At 70 kilos, 56. At 85 kilos, 68.

That’s it. No algorithm, no powder, no subscription.

And if you work out?

Then a bit more is fine.

For people who train regularly, 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilo is often quoted, depending on goal, training volume and daily life. If you’re building muscle or training in a calorie deficit, you’ll land toward the upper end. If you jog easily twice a week, toward the lower end.

At 70 kilos that’s 84 to 140 grams.

The range is wide because people differ. That’s not science dodging the question, that’s just how it is.

Women, men, pregnancy

The reference value is per kilogram of body weight. For women and men it starts out the same, because the maths runs on your weight, not your gender.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding the need is higher. How much exactly is something to talk through with your doctor, not to research between two comment sections.

The same goes for kidney disease and other conditions: different rules apply, and they belong in individual advice.

Where does protein actually come from?

Much more often than you’d think, from perfectly normal food.

Eggs, skyr, quark, yogurt, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, fish, poultry, nuts, oats. Bread and pasta contribute a bit too, and it adds up.

If you want to see what’s really in 100 grams, there’s a list of foods high in protein with values from the German food code (BLS).

A small reality check: those values are per 100 grams. You rarely eat 100 grams of lupin flour. You eat a portion of something.

Does it all have to happen at once?

No.

You don’t have to hit the same number at every meal. What matters more is that the day roughly adds up to what you set out to eat. A decent portion of protein per meal helps, and breakfast is often where there’s the most room to move.

A croissant is a wonderful thing, by the way. As a protein source it’s rather modest.

And how do you know where you stand today?

That’s the really interesting question. Not “How much should I eat?” but “How much have I had so far?”

That’s what Foodisco is for. You see the day’s totals for protein, carbs and fat without adding anything up in your head. And if protein is still missing in the evening, the coach points it out and suggests a meal that closes the gap.

No nutrition tribunal. Just a number when it helps.

What to take home from the party

Your reference value is easy to work out: body weight × 0.8 as a baseline, 1.2 to 2.0 if you train regularly.

Normal food and a bit of overview do the rest.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or compete in sport, get individual advice.

And if you’d rather not add it all up in your head every day: Foodisco shows you where you stand today. 🪩