High-Protein Foods List: 300+ Foods, Protein per 100g
300+ foods ranked by protein per 100 g and by protein per calorie — meat, fish, dairy, legumes and snacks, with a free sortable table you can filter.
Every 'high-protein foods' list ranks by grams per 100 g, which quietly rewards foods that are also enormous in calories. What matters when you are eating to a target is protein density: how much protein you get per 100 calories.
Here is the list sorted the useful way, along with the swaps that add 20 g of protein to a meal without changing what it tastes like.
Highest density: protein per calorie champions
Egg white, white fish (cod, haddock, tilapia), shrimp, chicken breast, turkey breast, non-fat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, seitan, tuna in water, and plain whey. These deliver 15–22 g of protein per 100 kcal, which means they fill a target without filling your calorie budget.
If you are dieting and struggling to hit protein, build meals around this column first and add fats deliberately afterwards.
Strong, moderate-calorie options
Salmon, eggs, lean beef, pork loin, tempeh, tofu, paneer, halloumi, edamame, lentils, black beans, chickpeas, Greek yogurt (full-fat), and milk. These bring 8–14 g per 100 kcal, plus fats or fibre you actually want.
Legumes are the value play: cheap, shelf-stable, and they bring fibre that keeps you full three hours later.
Looks high-protein, is not
Nuts and nut butters (mostly fat), most protein bars (often 30% sugar alcohols and syrup), quinoa (a good grain, but only about 4 g per cooked 100 g), and 'protein' breads and cereals that add two grams over the standard version.
None of these are bad foods. They just cannot be the reason your plate hits 40 g.
Four swaps worth 20 g
Regular yogurt → Greek yogurt (+9 g per serving). Rice-only bowl → rice plus 150 g lentils (+13 g). Toast and jam → toast, cottage cheese and seeds (+18 g). Side salad → side salad plus 100 g grilled chicken (+31 g).
Drop any of these into the Procaaf scratchpad and watch the protein bar move in real time — the swap is easier to believe when you see the number change.
Sort the full list yourself
The full Procaaf database — 300+ foods with protein, calories, carbs, fats and protein density per 100 g — is available as a sortable, searchable table at procaaf.com/protein-in. Filter to vegetarian, non-veg or liquids, sort by protein per calorie, then click any food for portion-by-portion numbers.
Every food page also links to side-by-side comparisons (paneer vs tofu, whey vs casein, rice vs quinoa) at procaaf.com/compare, so you can settle a swap in one screen.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the highest-protein vegetarian food?
- Seitan (about 25 g per 100 g), followed by tempeh, firm tofu, edamame and paneer. Combined with a grain, they cover all essential amino acids.
- Is chicken or fish better for protein?
- Per calorie, white fish and chicken breast are nearly identical. Fatty fish like salmon brings less protein per calorie but adds omega-3 fats, so alternating is the sensible answer.
- The Hidden Protein Gap: Why Most Women Eat Half of What They NeedMost women get 40–60 g of protein a day when their body needs 90–120 g. Here is where the gap comes from, what it costs you, and how to close it with real food.
- Protein for Women: The Myths, the Real Numbers, and Easy PlatesWomen need more protein than the labels suggest — especially after 30. What the research actually says, how much to eat per meal, and plates that make it easy.
- Protein Powder vs Whole FoodWhey, casein, soy and pea protein compared on cost, digestion and amino acid profile — and when real food wins outright.
- How Much Protein Do You Need Per Day?Bodyweight-based protein targets for weight loss, muscle gain and maintenance — plus how to split them across a normal day of eating.
Continue reading
- Practical · 6 minBest Foods by Protein Per 100 Calories
A ranked look at protein density: which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories, and which high-protein foods are quietly calorie-heavy.
- Meal Plans · 7 min1500-Calorie High-Protein Meal Plan
A full 1500 calorie day with 140 g protein: exact foods, grams and the macro split, plus how to scale it up or down for your own weight.
- Muscle Gain · 9 minBest Protein Sources for Muscle Gain, Ranked
The highest-quality protein sources for building muscle, ranked by protein per 100 calories, leucine content and how easy they are to eat every day.
