Macronutrient ratios on a low carb diet

Author: Adrianna Kalista

Adrianna Kalista

Passionate about writing and a graduate in clinical dietetics. She is particularly interested in phytotherapy and the effects of ketogenic nutrition on cognitive brain function.

Review: Amelie Szczepanski

Amelie Szczepanski

Graduate in dietetics. She is interested in the ketogenic diet and its effects. She is responsible for content creation and content verification on the website.

What will you learn from the article?

What proportions in a low carb diet?

There is no single right answer to the question of what proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates a low carb diet should contain. The macros should be tailored to the individual in each case, varying according to the purpose of the diet and the type of diet – low carb diets have their own specificities and their extremes, which serve to achieve different goals. Proportionally, however, all low carb diets (as the name suggests) are characterised by the lowest percentage of carbohydrates, a predominance of fat consumption and a moderate supply of protein.

What does the macro look like on a low carb?

Although the topic of the breakdown of low-carbohydrate diets is quite broad, it is fair to say that the ‘typical’ macronutrient breakdown breaks down as follows: fats 60-75% of total calorie intake, proteins 20-30% and carbohydrates 5-10% – the exact percentages depend on how the low carb diet is balanced. Macros for specific low-carb diets?

• Low-Carb High-Fat – LCHF – is a less restrictive version of low-carb that allows a slightly higher carbohydrate intake and is suitable for people who want to restrict carbohydrates without putting the body into a state of ketosis:
  • Carbohydrates: 10-20% of calories = 50-100g
  • Protein: 20-25% of calories = 100-125 g
  • Fat: 55-65% of calories = 122-144 g

• Moderate Low-Carbohydrate diet – is a more balancedlow-carbohydrate diet with mild carbohydrate restriction
  • Carbohydrates: 20-30% of calories = 100-150g
  • Protein: 20-25% of calories = 100-125g
  • Fats: 45-55% of calories = 100-122 g

• Atkins diet – a staged plan in which the amount of carbohydrates varies according to the phase. In the induction phase (the most restrictive phase) it looks like this:
  • Carbohydrate: 5-10% of calories = 25-50 g
  • Protein: 25-30% of calories = 125-150 g
  • Fats: 60-70% of calories = 133-156 g
  • *In subsequent phases, the Atkins diet gradually increases carbohydrates, decreasing fats.

• Ketogenic diet – based on minimal carbohydrate intake and very high fat content:
  • Carbohydrates: 5-10% of calories = 25-50g
  • Protein: 15-20% of calories = 75-100 g
  • Fat: 70-80% of calories = 156-178 g
  • *This ratio is necessary to put the body into ketosis, when ketones become the main source of energy.

How many grams of protein on a low carb?

The recommended daily intake of protein on a low-carbohydrate dietaverages between 1.2 and 2.0 g of protein per kilogram of body weight. For physically active or strength-trained people, this value can be higher and can even reach 1.6 g/kg body weight. This means that for a person weighing 70 kg, the daily protein intake should be between 84 and 140 g.

How many grams of fat on a low carb?

Fats should be the main source of energy in a low carb diet. Assuming that fats are expected to provide around 60-75% of total calories, for a person with a daily calorie requirement of 2000 kcal, the amount of fat should be between 133 and 167 g per day (assuming that 1 g of fat provides around 9 kcal).

How many carbs on a low-carbohydrate diet?

Carbohydrates on a low-carbohydrate diet should make up only 5-10% of your total calorie intake. This means limiting them to around 20-100g per day. This value may vary depending on the type of diet (e.g. ketogenic vs. moderate low-carbohydrate).

How do I calculate the requirement in a low carb diet?

What to do to calculate the calorie requirements and the correct macronutrient ratios in a low-carbohydrate diet?

Calculate your basal calorie requirements (BMR).

This can be done using the Mifflin-St Jeor formula or the Harris-Benedict formula. The Mifflin-St Jeor formula is newer and often considered more accurate:

• For men: BMR = (10 x body weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (5 x age) + 5
• For women: BMR = (10 x body weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (5 x age) – 161

Example – for a woman weighing 60 kg, 165 cm tall and 30 years old: BMR = (10 x 60) + (6.25 x 165) – (5 x 30) – 161 = 1365 kcal

Take into account your level of physical activity

Multiply the BMR by the appropriate activity factor to get the total daily caloric expenditure (TDEE):

• 1.2 – for a sedentary lifestyle (low activity)
• 1.375 – for low activity (light exercise 1-3 times a week)
• 1.55 – for moderate activity (moderate exercise 3-5 times per week)
• 1.725 – for high activity (vigorous exercise 6-7 times per week)
• 1.9 – for very high physical activity (e.g. physical work)Example – a woman with a moderately active lifestyle (factor of 1.55), her TDEE would be: 1365 x 1.55 = 2115 kcal

Determine the macronutrient ratio

Based on your total calorie requirements (TDEE), determine the percentage of protein, fat and carbohydrates for your low-carb diet.

Example for different variations of the low-carb diet with a TDEE of 2115 kcal:

Standard low-carb diet:

• Carbohydrates: 10-20% = 50-100 g (approx. 210-420 kcal)
• Protein: 20-25% = 105-131 g (approx. 420-525 kcal)
• Fat: 55-65% = 129-153 g (approx. 1095-1370 kcal)

Moderately low-carbohydrate diet:

• Carbohydrates: 20-30% = 100-150 g (approx. 420-630 kcal)
• Protein: 20-25% = 105-131 g (approx. 420-525 kcal)
• Fats: 45-55% = 106-129 g (approx. 955-1095 kcal)

Ketogenic diet (very low carbohydrate):

• Fat: 70-80% = 164-188 g (approx. 1480-1690 kcal)
• Carbohydrates: 5-10% = 25-50 g (approx. 105-210 kcal)
• Protein: 15-20% = 79-105 g (approx. 315-420 kcal)

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