Plateknow Turn a calorie number into grams of protein, fat and carbs. The calculator shows the published range for each and flags a split outside it — without changing it for you.
That is the target. The hard part is the other half — knowing what you actually ate.
Download freeMacro ranges: protein, fat and carbs as a share of calories
| Macronutrient | Published band | Energy per gram |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 10–35% of calories | 4 kcal |
| Fat | 20–35% | 9 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 45–65% | 4 kcal |
These are the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges from the Dietary Reference Intakes (Institute of Medicine, 2005), wide because the evidence does not favour one split inside them. The default 20 / 30 / 50 sits inside all three and is not a recommendation. A low-carb split is flagged as outside the carbohydrate band, not rewritten.
Macro calculator for food and recipes
Percentages to grams is one division; the hard part is knowing the grams in the food on your plate. A photo will not read macros off a plate exactly, but Plateknow shows protein, fat and carbs for each meal, correctable in one tap.
What calories should I put in a macro calculator?
Your maintenance calories (TDEE) from the calorie calculator linked below, or any total you already use — the split works the same either way.
Is a macro calculator different for women?
The published ranges are the same for women and men. What differs is the calorie total, which the calorie calculator works out from weight, height, age and sex.
What macro split is best for muscle gain?
No split is published as best. For muscle, protein is usually set per kilogram instead: 1.6–2.0 g/kg in the 2016 joint position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine. The protein calculator works it out.
Do the three have to add up to 100?
Yes — they are shares of the same calories. The calculator waits for 100 rather than quietly adjusting one of them.
What about fibre and sugar?
Both sit inside the carbohydrate share. The result shows fibre separately at 14 g per 1,000 calories, and added sugars carry their own FDA Daily Value of 50 g on a 2,000-calorie reference.
Institute of Medicine, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (2005) — Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges, and the fibre Adequate Intake of 14 g per 1,000 kcal. FDA, Daily Values on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels — added sugars 50 g on a 2,000-calorie reference. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine, joint position on nutrition and athletic performance (2016) — protein 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg.