Protein Science
PDCAAS vs DIAAS: how protein quality is measured
Two scores, one question: how much of a food’s protein can your body actually use?
Free protein calculator + food database
Know exactly how much protein you need.
Get your daily protein target in seconds, then see how much protein is in every food, which sources your body absorbs best, and when to eat them. Built for athletes, vegans, parents, seniors and patients.
- PDCAAS & DIAAS quality scores
- Vegan to carnivore
- No paid food-industry bias
Built on
- USDA FoodData Central
- FAO / WHO DIAAS
- PDCAAS
- KDOQI 2020
- Peer-reviewed research
Personal Protein Calculator
How much protein do you need?
The RDA (0.8 g/kg) is a minimum, not a goal. Your target changes with age, activity, goals, pregnancy and health. Get a quick estimate, then personalize it.
Open the full calculatorThe Encyclopedia
Every protein source. Yes, even fruit.
Eight categories, one standard. Every entry is scored for quality, leucine, digestion speed, cost and carbon footprint.
Animal
Poultry, red meat, game, fish, shellfish, eggs & dairy
40 foods
Plant
Legumes, soy, nuts, seeds, grains & pseudo-grains
37 foods
Fruit
Guava, avocado, jackfruit, durian & dried fruit
16 foods
Fungi
Mushrooms, mycoprotein & nutritional yeast
5 foods
Algae
Spirulina & chlorella
2 foods
Insect
Cricket, mealworm & locust
3 foods
Cultured
Cultivated / lab-grown proteins
1 food
Supplements
Whey, casein, pea, rice, hemp & collagen
6 foods
One platform
Answers to every protein question
Protein Encyclopedia
Protein per 100 g and per serving, amino acid highlights, PDCAAS/DIAAS, allergens, cost and CO₂ for every source.
ExplorePersonal Calculator
Targets by age, weight, sex, activity, goal, pregnancy, senior status and clinical mode, with a meal-by-meal split.
ExploreTiming & Absorption
Leucine threshold, post-workout window, pre-sleep casein and a distribution planner for your day.
ExploreMeal Builder
Add foods, see protein and leucine add up, and get told when a meal is (or isn’t) a complete protein.
ExploreAI Coach “Pro” In the app
Ask any protein question and get answers that cite peer-reviewed sources.
ExploreClinical Modes In the app
Kidney, PKU, pregnancy, senior and pediatric modes built with clinicians, plus doctor-ready exports.
ExploreProtein quality
25 grams isn’t always 25 grams.
DIAAS measures how much of a food’s protein your body can actually use. Animal, dairy and soy proteins score high; many plant proteins are limited by one amino acid, which is why pairing matters.
How quality is scoredBuilt for every body
Different bodies. Different needs.
Athletes & lifters
1.6–2.2 g/kg, leucine thresholds and training-day timing.
Vegans & vegetarians
Complete-protein pairing and plant bioavailability.
Parents
Needs by age from infancy to teens, plus picky-eater ideas.
Seniors 65+
1.0–1.2 g/kg minimum to help prevent sarcopenia.
Pregnant & nursing
+25 g/day and food-safety-first protein choices.
Clinical patients
Kidney disease, PKU and diabetes, guided with your care team.
Myth
“You can only absorb 30 g of protein per meal.”
Not true. Protein is absorbed steadily (~5–10 g per hour) and nearly all of it is used. Total daily intake matters most, followed by spreading it across 3–4 meals of ~0.4 g/kg with 2.5–3 g of leucine each.
Plan your protein timingLearn
Protein science, made simple
Protein Science
Leucine: the switch that turns on muscle growth
Not all amino acids are equal for muscle. Leucine acts as a trigger — and most meals need about 2.5–3 g of it.
Plant-Based
Complete protein for vegans: pairing made simple
Beans are low in methionine; grains are low in lysine. Put them together across the day and you have a complete protein.
Coming to iOS & Android
The whole encyclopedia, in your pocket.
Tracker, barcode scanner, AI Coach “Pro”, clinical modes and more. Join the waitlist for early access and launch pricing.