High Protein Foods — Complete List with Macros
Every major high-protein food ranked with exact macros per 100g. Use this as your reference guide for building high-protein meals.
How to Use This List
This reference page covers protein content, calories, carbohydrates, and fat for every major protein food source — animal proteins, plant proteins, dairy, and supplements. All values are per 100g of cooked or ready-to-eat food unless otherwise noted.
When comparing protein sources, it helps to think about protein density — the grams of protein per 100 calories — rather than just protein per 100g. A food might be high in protein per 100g but also very high in fat (like cheese), meaning you need to eat a lot of calories to get a meaningful protein dose. The best protein sources for fat loss are high in protein per calorie. The best sources for bulking just need to be high in protein total, regardless of calories.
For practical shopping and meal planning, also consider protein per dollar and prep time. Canned tuna has excellent protein per dollar. Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store is high-protein with zero prep. Greek yogurt is portable, no-cook, and available everywhere. The "best" protein source is the one you'll actually eat consistently.
Animal Proteins
| Food | Per 100g | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (cooked) | 100g | 165 | 31g | 0g | 3.6g |
| Chicken thigh (cooked) | 100g | 209 | 26g | 0g | 11g |
| Turkey breast (cooked) | 100g | 157 | 30g | 0g | 3.5g |
| Tuna (canned in water) | 100g | 116 | 26g | 0g | 1g |
| Salmon (cooked) | 100g | 208 | 28g | 0g | 10g |
| Tilapia (cooked) | 100g | 128 | 26g | 0g | 2.7g |
| Shrimp (cooked) | 100g | 99 | 24g | 0g | 0.3g |
| Egg whites | 100g | 52 | 11g | 0.7g | 0.2g |
| Whole eggs | 100g | 155 | 13g | 1.1g | 11g |
| Ground beef 90% lean | 100g | 215 | 26g | 0g | 12g |
| Pork loin (cooked) | 100g | 182 | 27g | 0g | 8g |
| Bison (cooked) | 100g | 143 | 28g | 0g | 2.4g |
Dairy & Eggs
| Food | Per 100g | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt (0% fat) | 100g | 59 | 10g | 3.6g | 0.4g |
| Cottage cheese (low-fat) | 100g | 98 | 11g | 3.4g | 4.3g |
| Skyr (Icelandic yogurt) | 100g | 65 | 11g | 4g | 0.2g |
| Parmesan cheese | 100g | 392 | 36g | 3.2g | 26g |
| Low-fat mozzarella | 100g | 254 | 24g | 2.8g | 16g |
| Whey protein powder | 100g | 400 | 80g | 6g | 7g |
| Casein protein powder | 100g | 375 | 77g | 8g | 2g |
Plant Proteins
| Food | Per 100g | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tofu (firm) | 100g | 144 | 17g | 3g | 8g |
| Tempeh | 100g | 195 | 20g | 7.6g | 11g |
| Edamame (cooked) | 100g | 121 | 11g | 8.9g | 5.2g |
| Lentils (cooked) | 100g | 116 | 9g | 20g | 0.4g |
| Black beans (cooked) | 100g | 132 | 8.9g | 24g | 0.5g |
| Chickpeas (cooked) | 100g | 164 | 8.9g | 27g | 2.6g |
| Seitan | 100g | 370 | 75g | 14g | 1.9g |
| Pea protein powder | 100g | 400 | 80g | 7g | 8g |
Calculate Your Protein Target
Use our Protein Calculator to find exactly how many grams of protein you need daily based on your body weight, activity level, and goal.
Calculate Your Protein →Best Protein Sources by Situation
On the Go / No Refrigeration
- • Canned tuna / pouched tuna
- • Beef or turkey jerky (low-sodium)
- • Protein bars (20g+ protein, low sugar)
- • Hard-boiled eggs (4–6 hours unrefrigerated is fine)
- • Protein powder (add water anywhere)
Budget-Friendly Protein
- • Eggs (~$0.15/egg, ~6g protein)
- • Canned tuna (~$1/can, ~26g protein)
- • Chicken thighs (cheaper than breast)
- • Cottage cheese (~$3/lb, ~25g/cup)
- • Dried lentils (~$1.50/lb, lots of meals)
Meal Prep Friendly
- • Chicken breast (bake 3–4 lbs at once)
- • Ground turkey (brown in bulk)
- • Hard-boiled eggs (cook a dozen)
- • Canned fish (no prep needed)
- • Cottage cheese / Greek yogurt (no prep)
Highest Protein Per Calorie
- • Egg whites: 21g protein / 100 cal
- • Shrimp: 24g protein / 99 cal
- • Non-fat Greek yogurt: 17g / 100 cal
- • Tilapia: 20g / 100 cal
- • Tuna (canned): 22g / 100 cal
Understanding Protein Quality
Not all protein is created equal. Protein quality is determined by two factors: amino acid profile (does it contain all essential amino acids?) and digestibility (how much of that protein can your body actually absorb and use?).
Animal proteins — meat, fish, eggs, and dairy — are "complete proteins," meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids your body cannot produce on its own. They also have high bioavailability: your body absorbs and uses 90–95% of the protein in most animal sources.
Most plant proteins are "incomplete" — they're low in one or more essential amino acids. Soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame) and quinoa are notable exceptions as complete plant proteins. For plant-based eaters, eating a variety of protein sources throughout the day (legumes + grains, for example) effectively covers all essential amino acids.
The PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score) is the most widely used measure of protein quality. Whey protein, casein, eggs, and soy all score 1.0 (the maximum). Most animal proteins score 0.9–1.0. Most plant proteins score 0.5–0.7, meaning you need to eat more total protein from plant sources to get the equivalent muscle-building effect.