Muscle & recovery
Protein provides the amino acids that rebuild the microdamage of training. Getting enough is the single clearest lever for recovery.
25–40 g
Per-meal dose that maximises muscle protein synthesis in most adults.
Volume 01 · A Reference on Protein04 / 2026
The quiet math behindevery gramof protein you eat.
A careful calculator for your daily target, a searchable food calculator, and an editorial journal that treats protein the way it deserves — as the quiet foundation of the body.
01 · The Calculator
A daily protein target,
calibrated to you.
Enter a few details. We combine the Mifflin–St Jeor BMR with research-backed protein ratios for your activity level and goal.
Your daily target1.40 g/kg
101
grams / day
Healthy range: 86 – 115 g
RDA floorYour target
58 g115 g
Per meal
25 g
÷ 4 meals
BMR
1,669 kcal
Mifflin–St Jeor
Baseline
58 g
0.8 g / kg RDA
02 · Why it matters
Protein is the
quiet architecture
of the body.
Every enzyme, every strand of hair, every repaired muscle fibre is built from amino acids. Get this one macronutrient right and most of the rest of nutrition becomes easier — here's why the attention is worth it.
Satiety & metabolism
Higher-protein meals reduce hunger hormones and raise the thermic effect of food — roughly 20–30% of calories are burnt digesting it.
3×
Protein burns up to three times more calories in digestion than fat or carbs.
Aging & cognition
Lean mass is the single best predictor of healthy aging. After 60, protein needs rise meaningfully to protect strength and mobility.
1.2 g/kg
Minimum suggested intake for adults over 60 to preserve lean mass.
Plants are enough
Well-planned plant-based diets can absolutely meet protein needs. Combine legumes, grains and soy — or simply eat enough variety.
9 / 9
Soy, quinoa and buckwheat contain all nine essential amino acids.
03 · Selected reading
Start here, in order.
Short essays we keep returning to. Most of our full journal lives on the Food Protein page.
- 01Primer8 min read
How much protein do you really need per day?
A careful walk through the RDA, the ISSN’s active-adult recommendations, and where recent reviews have shifted the numbers.
- 02Science11 min read
The muscle protein synthesis ceiling, reconsidered
New research suggests larger single doses of protein keep synthesising for longer than we used to believe. Here’s what changed.
- 03Everyday6 min read
The smart grocery list for 120 g of protein a day
A calm, repeatable meal pattern for people who don’t want to weigh their food. Real amounts, real kitchens.
04 · Common questions
Still unsure?
Start here.
Short, evidence-backed answers to the questions we hear most often — written the way we'd explain them to a friend.