The CalorieKing Protein Guide

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How much protein do I need?

Kids need protein to grow properly

On average, Australians eat far too much protein. The current recommendation is that proteins make up around 15-20 percent of your total calories for the day. Protein has four calories per gram, so for a 2000 calorie-a-day diet you could eat 75-100 grams of protein. However, most of us consume more than that. Eating too much protein is damaging to your body.

A more accurate way of calculating protein needs is to allow 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight. For example, a 60kg person would need 48g of protein per day. Growing children need about one gram of protein for every one kilogram of body weight. For example, a 25 kg child needs about 25 grams of protein a day to sustain her growth.

The table below lists the recommended minimum protein intake for different people.

Recommended Daily Protein Intake (grams)

	Minimum Protein Requirements
Infants:
0-6 months	12g
6-12 months	14g
Children:
1-3 years	14g-26g
4-7 years	18g-38g
8-11 years	27g-52g
Males:
12-15 years	42g-80g
16-18 years	64g-100g
19+ years	60g-100g
Females:
12-15 years	44g-80g
16-18 years	57g-100g
19+ years	52g-100g
Pregnancy	56g-120g
Breastfeeding	66g-120g