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Eat Right First: Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats

Illustration of protein for building the body and carbohydrates and fats for energy.

The practical protein target below is an example for generally healthy adults, not a universal treatment prescription. Dietary needs vary with age, activity and health.

You need to get your diet right first: protein is primarily responsible for “building the body,” while carbohydrates and fats are the body’s main sources of energy.

For generally healthy adults, about 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day can be used as a practical daily target. EFSA and the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 give a general adult reference intake of 0.83 g/kg/day; 1 g/kg/day is a rounded practical target used in this article, rather than the official reference value. [1],[3]

For example, a 60 kg adult would aim for about 60 g of protein per day using this practical target.

For people who do strength training or aim to build muscle, protein intake can be increased to around 1.5–2.0 g/kg/day. This lies within the ISSN position statement’s range of 1.4–2.0 g/kg/day for most exercising adults. [2]

The primary role of protein is to build and maintain body tissues, including muscles and organs, and to support the production of enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and other essential molecules. Protein also supplies energy, although its essential role here is tissue maintenance and repair. [3]

Therefore, the first priority is to make sure you are getting enough protein. Once your total calorie intake is established, the balance between carbohydrates and fats can be adjusted according to your activity level, metabolic health, and preferred dietary approach.

If total calorie intake and protein intake are kept the same and you choose a low-carbohydrate diet, the energy lost by reducing carbohydrates needs to be replaced mainly by fat.

Conversely, with the same total calorie and protein intake, if you choose a low-fat diet, the energy lost by reducing fat needs to be replaced mainly by carbohydrates. This describes energy substitution, not a recommendation to adopt either diet. [3]

Putting the numbers in context

For general dietary planning, NNR 2023 recommends 45–60% of energy from carbohydrates and 25–40% from fat. Food quality matters: favour fibre-rich carbohydrate sources and unsaturated fats. Norway’s nutrient reference values are based on NNR 2023. [3],[4]

References

  1. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). EFSA sets population reference intakes for protein. 2012
  2. Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:20. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8.
  3. Nordic Council of Ministers. Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 — Recommendations. 2023
  4. Helsedirektoratet. Referanseverdier for energi og næringsstoffer. 2023

Sources checked: 3 October 2026.