Food & nutrition · Macros
Macros from calories calculator.
Enter your daily calories and a percentage split. Get grams of carbohydrate, protein and fat, per day and per meal, and see where each sits against the adult reference ranges.
Inputs
Grams per day
Enter your numbers.
How to convert calories to grams of macros
Multiply your calories by each percentage to get the calories from that macro, then divide by the energy per gram: 4 kcal for carbohydrate, 4 for protein and 9 for fat. These are the Atwater general factors USDA FoodData Central uses. Health Canada's Dietary Reference Intakes give an Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range for adults 19 and over of 45 to 65% of energy from carbohydrate, 10 to 35% from protein and 20 to 35% from fat. A split inside those ranges is within the reference; a split outside them is flagged, not judged.
Worked example. At 2,000 kcal with a 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 30% fat split: carbohydrate is 800 kcal, or 200 g; protein is 600 kcal, or 150 g; fat is 600 kcal, or 67 g. Carbohydrate at 40% is below the 45 to 65% adult range; protein and fat are within theirs. Over 4 meals that is about 50 g carbs, 38 g protein and 17 g fat per meal.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a gram of protein, carbs and fat?
4 kcal per gram of protein, 4 per gram of carbohydrate and 9 per gram of fat, the Atwater general factors used by USDA FoodData Central.
What is a healthy macro split?
Health Canada gives adult ranges of 45 to 65% carbohydrate, 10 to 35% protein and 20 to 35% fat. Within those ranges, the right split depends on your health and goals.
Why do my percentages need to total 100?
Each percentage is a share of your total calories, so together they must account for all of them.
Does this set my calorie target?
No. It converts a target you already have. Use a calorie calculator or a dietitian to set it.
Does alcohol or fibre change it?
Alcohol also supplies energy but is not counted here. Fibre and sugar alcohols have their own energy values on labels.
Sources
Checked
- Health Canada: Dietary reference intakes tables, reference values for macronutrients
- USDA FoodData Central: Foundation Foods documentation
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Scope
Percent-to-gram conversion with adult reference ranges. Ranges are for healthy adults 19 and over; children, pregnancy and medical conditions differ. General information, not medical or dietetic advice. Needs differ with age, health conditions, pregnancy and medication, so talk to a registered dietitian or your doctor about your own targets.