Protein Content of Foods

Protein is an important part of a well-balanced diet and essential for nearly every process that occurs in your body. Whether you’re looking for ideas to increase your protein intake or simply interested in optimizing your nutrition, this comprehensive guide will address the protein content of foods from several categories, including meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains, vegetables, fruits, and protein supplements.

Make sure to download our Protein Content of Foods PDF.

Importance of protein in a balanced diet

Dietary protein is important for:

• Muscle growth and strength
• Maintenance and repair of all organs, cells, and tissues
• Production of enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters
• Blood sugar regulation
• Digestion and absorption of nutrients

Essential amino acids & complete proteins

There are 20 standard amino acids. Your body makes 11 of these amino acids, which are called non-essential amino acids. The other 9 amino acids can only be obtained from food, and they are called essential amino acids.

Complete proteins are foods that contain all 9 essential amino acids in a high enough amount for optimal use by the body. These mainly include animal products and some soy foods. Most other plant-based foods are low in 1 or more essential amino acids and are referred to as incomplete proteins.

Incomplete proteins can be combined with other foods containing the missing amino acids to help optimize your body’s use of the amino acids. Generally, if you eat enough total protein each day, you won’t need to worry about tracking amino acids, but if you have a restricted diet or follow a vegan diet, you may want to be aware of the essential amino acids that may be low in your diet.

Protein content of foods

Food sources high in protein

While most foods contain some protein, focusing on foods high in protein can make it easier to meet your protein needs.

Foods that tend to be highest in protein per serving include meat, poultry, fish, egg whites, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, super-firm tofu, textured vegetable protein, tempeh, seitan, and protein powder.

Protein in common foods

Below, we compare the protein content of common foods, sorted by the following categories:

• Meat, poultry, & fish
• Dairy & eggs
• Vegan meats
• Legumes
• Nuts & seeds
• Grains
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Non-dairy milk (general options)
• Non-dairy milk (high-protein commercial options)
• Other vegan foods
• Protein powders

You can also download our free PDF reference.

Protein Source	Serving Size	Protein (g)	Calories
Meat, Poultry, & Fish
Beef (ground, 93% lean, raw)	4 oz	24	172
Beef, Ribeye (boneless, trimmed to 0″ fat, raw)	4 oz	25	156
Chicken Breast (boneless, skinless, raw)	4 oz	25	136
Chicken Thigh (boneless, skinless, raw)	4 oz	22	137
Pork Loin Chop (boneless, raw)	4 oz	25	170
Pork Shoulder (boneless, raw)	4 oz	24	145
Salmon (raw)	4 oz	25	148
Shrimp (raw)	4 oz	23	96
Tuna (Skipjack, canned)	4.5 oz	36	150
Turkey Breast (deli sliced)	4 oz	20	120
Turkey (ground, 93%, raw)	4 oz	21	170
Dairy & Eggs
Cheese, Mozzarella (part-skim)	1 oz	7	72
Cheese, Cheddar	1 oz	6.5	114
Cheese, Swiss	1 oz	7.5	110
Cottage Cheese (2%)	4 oz	13	90
Eggs	1 large (50 g)	6	72
Egg whites	3 Tbsp (46 g)	5	25
Greek Yogurt (non-fat, plain)	5.3 oz	18	110
Milk (non-fat)	8 oz	8	80
Ricotta Cheese (whole milk)	4 oz	10	200
Vegan Meats
Beyond Meatballs	4.3 oz	19	290
Gardein Black Bean Burger	1 patty (67 g)	9	170
Impossible Burger Patties	4 oz	19	230
Seitan (Vital Wheat Gluten)	4 oz	37	185
Tempeh	4 oz	24	213
Textured Vegetable Protein	4 oz	26	180
Tofu (super-firm)	4 oz	15	130
Legumes (Cooked)
Adzuki Beans	1/2 cup	8.5	147
Black Beans	1/2 cup	8	114
Black-Eyed Peas	1/2 cup	7	99
Chickpea Pasta	2 oz (uncooked)	14	190
Chickpeas	1/2 cup	7	134
Edamame	1/2 cup	9	190
Fava Beans	1/2 cup	6.5	94
Hummus	1/4 cup	5	155
Kidney Beans	1/2 cup	8	112
Lentils	1/2 cup	9	101
Mung Beans	1/2 cup	7	106
Navy Beans	1/2 cup	7.5	127
Peas	1/2 cup	4	59
Pinto Beans	1/2 cup	11	197
Soybeans	1/2 cup	15	149
Nuts & Seeds (Shelled)
Almond Butter	1 Tbsp	4	100
Almonds	1 oz	6	163
Brazil Nuts	1 oz	4	186
Cashews	1 oz	4	162
Chia Seeds	1 oz	5	138
Flaxseeds	1 oz	6	140
Hazelnuts	1 oz	4	178
Hemp Seeds (shelled)	1 oz	10	180
Peanut Butter	1 Tbsp	4	95
Peanuts	1 oz	7	166
Pecans	1 oz	3	196
Pine Nuts	1 oz	4	191
Pistachios	1 oz	6	161
Pumpkin Seeds	1 oz	9	159
Sesame Seeds	1 Tbsp	1.6	52
Sunflower Seeds	1 oz	6	140
Walnuts	1 oz	4	185
Grains (Cooked)
Amaranth	1/2 cup	2.5	125
Bagel, White	1 bagel (2 oz)	5	150
Bread, Multi-Grain	1 slice (1 oz)	4	75
Brown Rice	1/2 cup	2.5	108
Buckwheat Groats	1/2 cup	2.9	78
Corn	1/2 cup	2.5	76
Millet	1/2 cup	3	103
Oats	1/2 cup	2.5	70
Pasta, Whole-Grain (uncooked)	2 oz	7.5	203
Quinoa	1/2 cup	4	111
Rye Flakes	1/2 cup	4	98
Spelt	1/2 cup	5	123
Teff	1/2 cup	5	127
Tortilla, Corn	1 tortilla (19 g)	1	45
Tortilla, Wheat	1 tortilla (50 g)	6	130
Vegetables (Cooked)
Artichoke Hearts	1 cup	3	42
Broccoli	1 cup	4	54
Collard Greens	1/2 cup	5	62
Mushrooms	1 cup	3.5	44
Spinach	1/2 cup	3	41
Sweet Potato	1 cup	4	180
White Potato	1 cup	1.5	57
Fruit
Apricot (dried)	1/2 cup	2	157
Banana	1 cup (150 g)	1.5	134
Blackberries	1 cup	2	62
Guava	1 cup	4	112
Kiwi	1 cup	2	110
Plantains (cooked)	1 cup (140 g)	2	215
Non-Dairy Milk (General Options)
Almond Milk	8 oz	1	40
Cashew Milk	8 oz	4	130
Coconut Milk	8 oz	0	45
Flax Milk	8 oz	3	50
Hemp Milk	8 oz	3	60
Oatmilk	8 oz	3	80
Rice Milk	8 oz	0.5	115
Soy Milk	8 oz	8	110
Non-Dairy Milk (High-Protein Commercial Options)
Califia Farms Protein Oatmilk	8 oz	8	140
Good Karma Flaxmilk + Protein	8 oz	8	70
Ripple Oatmilk + Protein	8 oz	6	150
Ripple Plant-Based Milk	8 oz	8	80-100
Shroom Junkie Original Plantmilk	8 oz	10	140
Silk Protein Nutmilk	8 oz	10	130-150
Other Vegan Foods
Maca Root Powder	1 Tbsp	3	60
Nutritional Yeast	1 Tbsp	2	15
Seaweed (dried)	1 oz	5	68
Spirulina Powder	1 Tbsp	5	25
Protein Powders
Beef Bone Broth Powder	22 g	20	90
Brown Rice Protein Powder	30 g	25	120
Brown Rice & Pea Protein Blend	30 g	23	120
Casein Protein Powder	30 g	26	110
Collagen Powder (hydrolyzed)	11 g	10	40
Hemp Protein Powder	31 g	12	120
Milk Powder (non-fat)	23 g	8	80
Pea Protein Powder	30 g	27	120
Soy Protein Isolate	19 g	16	70
Whey Protein Isolate	30 g	26	110

Tips for calculating the protein content of foods

If you need more specific nutrition information for certain foods, you can also reference the nutrition label, online databases (like USDA FoodData Central, Nutritionix, My Food Data, or FoodStruct), and mobile apps (like Cronometer or My Fitness Pal).

For the best accuracy in tracking protein in foods, be sure you are using the correct version of the food (i.e. raw, cooked, fried, dried, etc.). Weighing food on a scale using grams also helps with accuracy.

Balancing protein in a healthy diet

A healthy diet includes all three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), along with vitamins and minerals. When determining your individual macronutrient needs, it’s helpful to first calculate your protein needs. Most adults benefit from 1.2-2 g/kg body weight of protein per day, but you can find more specific recommendations in our article, Recommended Protein Intake.

More resources

• What is Protein?
• What Are Amino Acids?
• Recommended Protein Intake
• Tofu vs Chicken
• Peanut Butter Powder Nutrition
• High-Protein Milk
• High-Protein Vegan Snacks
• Vegan Protein Sources Chart (Free PDF)

Want to save this article? Click here to get a PDF copy delivered to your inbox (a link to our Protein Content of Foods PDF is included).

This page may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.