High-Protein Foods Chart: 40 Foods by Portion and Calories

This high-protein foods chart compares 40 foods by portion, weight, and calories. In the selected USDA records, cooked skinless chicken breast provides 25.7 g protein per 85 g; plain nonfat Greek yogurt provides 15.5 g per 150 g container.

Values come from USDA's FNDDS 2021–2023 data, released in October 2024. We checked the records and calculated these portions on September 11, 2026. That check date does not mean the foods were newly measured in 2026.

This article is a food reference, not a personal nutrition plan or medical advice. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice specific to your medications.

High-protein foods chart by portion, 100 g, and calories

Find your food and check how it was prepared. Then read its portion and protein amount. On a phone, scroll sideways for the weight-based and calorie-based comparisons. The rows are grouped by food type, not ordered from healthiest to least healthy.

Portions are comparison amounts. For most meats and cooked fish, we use an editorial 85 g cooked portion. The 28 g chia and sesame portions are also editorial weighed amounts. Other portions use USDA household weights or stated fractions of them. None is a recommendation for how much you should eat; FDA makes the same distinction for label serving sizes.

The table includes protein-rich foods alongside nuts and grains for comparison. Inclusion does not certify a food for an FDA “high protein” label claim. The figures report protein grams, without a protein-quality adjustment; FDA distinguishes protein grams from the calculation used for protein percent Daily Value.

Meat, poultry, and seafood

These are edible cooked or drained weights. Canned tuna means light tuna in water, drained; sardines mean oil-packed drained fish with edible bones. The beef and salmon rows represent USDA blends. See the preparation labels before comparing them with your own food. Source records.

Eggs and dairy

The whole-egg weight excludes the shell. Yogurt rows distinguish nonfat from whole-milk Greek yogurt; neither stands in for every yogurt brand. Cottage cheese is the 2% milkfat recipe, and mozzarella is low-moisture, part-skim. Use the package label when your product differs. Source records.

Soy foods and legumes

The tofu record uses soft tofu, not firm or extra-firm. Mature soybeans and edamame include added oil or fat in their USDA recipes; the other cooked beans and lentils listed here have no added fat. Their cooking liquid and preparation still matter. Source records.

Nuts, seeds, and spreads

Weights refer to edible kernels, not shells. The unsalted pistachio recipe includes oil. Peanut butter is smooth and salted. Chia and sesame use a weighed 28 g comparison; the chart does not turn that weight into an assumed spoonful. Source records.

Grain comparisons

These rows show what grains add to a meal. Quinoa and oatmeal are weighed after cooking; the oatmeal uses water, not milk. Bread is a commercial whole-wheat slice. These forms come from the same USDA release as the other foods.

Should you compare protein per serving or per 100 g?

Use protein per portion to estimate what is on your plate. The per-100-g column compares equal weights. A cup of milk and a spoonful of peanut butter are different amounts of food, as their USDA portion weights show, so these columns answer different questions.

Pumpkin seed kernels illustrate the difference. The selected record has 29.8 g protein per 100 g, but the chart's 28.35 g portion has 8.4 g. Plain nonfat Greek yogurt has less protein per 100 g, yet its larger 150 g container has 15.5 g. Both comparisons are correct for the listed USDA foods.

For a different amount, multiply the protein per 100 g by your food weight in grams, then divide by 100. A doubled portion doubles the calculated protein and calories for that same food. This is a scaling calculation using the USDA values. If you switch products or change the recipe, start with the matching label or food entry instead.

How do you calculate protein per 100 calories?

Divide protein grams by calories for the same amount of food, then multiply by 100. Here, “calories” means kcal, the energy unit in the USDA records. The formula uses unrounded values:

Protein per 100 kcal = protein grams ÷ kcal × 100. This chart's calculation uses USDA protein and energy values.

For the chicken breast record, that is 30.2 ÷ 161 × 100 = 18.8 g protein per 100 kcal after rounding. We calculate from USDA's per-100-g values, so rounded portion calories do not change the denominator.

This is an energy-based comparison, not a weight-loss recommendation. It cannot tell you which food meets all your needs. The calculation does not measure digestibility or amino-acid quality, which FDA considers separately when calculating protein percent Daily Value.

Fiber is another separate question. If that matters to your comparison, use our high-fiber foods chart alongside this one rather than trying to get a complete nutrition score from a single column.

If you also want to compare iron, our iron-rich foods list shows total iron by edible portion. Match the preparation and gram weight before comparing the two charts.

Why do raw and cooked protein numbers differ?

Match the food's state to the weight you record. USDA's chicken breast entry includes a cooking moisture adjustment, while its oatmeal entry includes water in the recipe. A cooked gram weight and a raw gram weight are not interchangeable in these source records.

For chicken weighed after cooking, use a cooked-food entry. For oats weighed dry before cooking, use the dry product's label. Do not apply this chart's cooked-oatmeal values to a bowl of dry oats. With canned fish, compare the drained fish amount with the drained-food row, not the unopened can's total contents.

A food name can have several valid database entries. USDA's documentation distinguishes survey foods, branded-label foods, and other data types. Our table keeps one survey release throughout. Its generic entries cannot describe every cut of meat, brand of tofu, or homemade recipe exactly.

How can you compare plant foods with meat or dairy?

Start with amounts you would actually use. In this chart, half a cup of cooked lentils supplies 8.1 g protein and a cup of cooked quinoa supplies 7.4 g. Together, those specified portions contain 15.5 g, calculated before rounding from the USDA values. That is a protein subtotal, not a complete meal prescription.

The chart's soft tofu, soy milk, and dry-roasted peanuts have different USDA portion weights and recipes. Compare the portion you plan to eat first. The 100 g and 100 kcal columns let you hold weight or energy constant.

If your chosen tofu is firm or your yogurt contains added ingredients, check that product's Nutrition Facts label. A close name is not enough to make it the same food.

Does the chart tell you how much protein you need?

No. FDA's 50 g protein Daily Value is a label reference, not an individual target assigned by this chart. The table does not calculate a personal daily goal or tell you to raise or lower your intake.

For adults with chronic kidney disease, NIDDK recommends working with a dietitian or health professional to find the right protein balance. Some people may need moderate amounts, while too little can lead to malnutrition. Kidney disease is not a reason to set your own blanket protein ban.

For medication-related meal questions, our guide to taking medication with food covers that separate topic. Follow your own prescription instructions and ask your pharmacist about any planned changes.

For Android medication reminders, download Pillo on Google Play.

Frequently asked questions

Is protein per 100 g the same as protein per serving?

Only if that serving weighs 100 g. Per-100-g values compare equal weights; per-serving values depend on the stated food amount. FDA explains that serving sizes are not recommendations for how much to eat.

What is the formula for protein per calorie?

Divide protein grams by kcal for the same food amount. Multiply by 100 to report grams per 100 kcal, as this chart does with USDA protein and energy data. Use unrounded values when available; the result describes protein relative to energy, not overall food quality.

Should I weigh chicken before or after cooking?

Use a food entry that matches when you weigh it. This chart uses cooked chicken, so its gram portions mean edible weight after cooking. The USDA source record includes a moisture adjustment; do not apply the cooked row to raw chicken weight.

Which plant foods have protein in this chart?

Soy foods, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and grains all contribute protein in the selected USDA records. Their amounts differ by preparation and portion. Compare the listed forms, and check the package when yours differs.

Can I use this chart to set my daily protein goal?

Use it to estimate protein in listed foods, not to set a personal target. If you have chronic kidney disease, NIDDK advises an individual protein balance with your dietitian or health professional. This reference does not replace that plan.

Where do the protein chart numbers come from?

We selected 40 distinct records from the USDA FNDDS 2021–2023 JSON download. Each row uses the record's protein and energy per 100 g, scaled to its edible portion weight. We checked both the additional descriptions and the recipe ingredients before choosing the public labels.

Protein displays round half-up to one decimal; calories round to whole kcal. Totals and protein-per-calorie calculations use unrounded source values. Small differences between a calculation using displayed numbers and the chart can therefore come from rounding. These are reference estimates, not a laboratory test of the food on your plate.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before making any changes to your medication routine.