How Much Protein Is in It?
Type a food, get its USDA number: protein per 100g cooked, per serving, per 100 calories. 64 foods, every one linked to its USDA FoodData Central entry.
Rankings: cheapest protein per gram · 112 recipes by protein per calorie
Protein Per 100g: Quick Answers
The top questions landing on this page, answered from the USDA entries in the table below. Per 100g of cooked food unless stated.
How much protein is in a chicken thigh?
A boneless, skinless chicken thigh has 24.8g of protein per 100g cooked (USDA, roasted). One small thigh (52g of cooked meat) works out to about 12.9g. Skin-on thigh has 23.3g per 100g. Full breast-vs-thigh comparison →
Chicken thigh vs breast: which has more protein?
Breast wins: 31g vs 24.8g per 100g cooked (USDA). Per 100 calories the gap widens — 18.8g vs 13.9g — because thigh carries more fat. Thigh wins on cost, reheating, and forgiveness. See the full comparison →
Is there more protein in salmon or chicken?
Chicken breast has more: 31g vs 25.4g per 100g cooked (USDA, wild Atlantic salmon). Per 100 calories chicken breast also leads, 18.8g to 14g — salmon's extra calories are the omega-3 fats that are the reason to eat it anyway. Chicken vs beef vs fish, in full →
Protein in salmon vs chicken vs steak
Per 100g cooked: chicken breast 31g, lean top sirloin steak 30.6g, wild Atlantic salmon 25.4g (USDA). Chicken and steak are effectively tied; salmon trails by about 5g but leads on omega-3s.
Does fish or chicken have more protein?
Per 100g cooked, chicken breast (31g) edges most fish — cod 22.8g, salmon 25.4g, yellowfin tuna 29.2g (USDA). Per 100 calories, fish flips it: shrimp delivers 24.2g and canned tuna 22g against chicken breast's 18.8g.
Is there more protein in chicken or beef?
At the lean end it's a wash: chicken breast 31g vs lean top sirloin 30.6g per 100g cooked (USDA). Per 100 calories chicken breast leads 18.8g to 16.7g, and fattier beef falls further behind — 85% ground beef delivers 10.4g per 100 calories.
Protein in cod vs chicken
Cooked Atlantic cod has 22.8g per 100g; chicken breast has 31g (USDA). Flip to per-100-calories and cod wins, 21.7g to 18.8g — cod is one of the leanest proteins in the table.
Protein in pork vs beef
Matched lean-for-lean they're close: pork tenderloin 26.2g vs lean top sirloin 30.6g per 100g cooked (USDA). Per gram of protein delivered they're effectively tied (about 5.5 vs 6.0 calories per gram of protein). Pork vs beef, cut by cut →
Protein in tuna vs salmon
Nearly identical: light canned tuna 25.5g vs Atlantic salmon 25.4g per 100g (USDA). Tuna is far leaner (116 vs 182 calories per 100g); salmon has roughly 19x the omega-3s. Cooked yellowfin is the fresh-fish protein peak at 29.2g. Tuna vs salmon, in full →
Protein in cottage cheese vs Greek yogurt
Per 100g it's a coin flip: nonfat cottage cheese 10.3g vs nonfat Greek yogurt 10.2g (USDA dry-curd entry — many commercial nonfat tubs run a point or two higher). The differences that matter are sodium, calcium, and how each cooks. Yogurt vs cottage cheese →
Protein in ground turkey vs ground beef
Ground turkey has 27.4g per 100g cooked vs 25.9g for 85% lean ground beef (USDA). About a gram and a half apart — the lean ratio on the label matters more than the animal. Ground turkey vs ground beef →
How much protein is in cooked shrimp per 100g?
Cooked shrimp has 24g protein per 100g (USDA). That works out to 24.2g per 100 calories — the most protein-dense common food by calorie in this table. Shrimp is also low-cost frozen and cooks in 3 minutes.
How much protein is in chicken breast per 100g?
Cooked chicken breast has 31g protein per 100g (USDA). Per 100 calories, that's 18.8g — rank #15 of 64, behind most seafood. The most popular protein is not the most calorie-efficient one.
How much protein is in canned tuna per 100g?
Light tuna canned in water has 25.5g protein per 100g drained (USDA). At 22g per 100 calories it's one of the most efficient foods here, and one of the cheapest per gram of protein — see the cost ranking. Canned in oil drops to 14.7g per 100 calories.
How much protein is in cod per 100g?
Cooked Atlantic cod has 22.8g protein per 100g (USDA); raw it's about 18g. Per 100 calories cod delivers 21.7g, in the top tier alongside mahi-mahi and turkey breast. It's one of the leanest white fish available.
How much protein is in cooked hake per 100g?
Cooked hake has about 24g protein per 100g (USDA FoodData Central). Like most white fish, hake is extremely lean, with nearly all calories coming from protein — the same pattern as the cod entry in the table.
How much protein is in pork tenderloin per 100g?
Cooked pork tenderloin has 26.2g protein per 100g (USDA). At 18.3g per 100 calories it's nearly as efficient as chicken breast (18.8g) and often costs less. Pork vs beef →
How much protein is in beef per 100g?
It depends on the cut. Lean top sirloin has 30.6g per 100g cooked; 85% ground beef has 25.9g (USDA). Per 100 calories the spread is bigger: 16.7g for lean sirloin vs 10.4g for 85/15.
How much protein is in egg whites per 100g?
Egg whites have 10.9g protein per 100g raw (USDA) — but 21g per 100 calories, top ten in efficiency. Whole eggs drop to 8.1g per 100 calories because yolk fat adds calories without proportional protein.
Full Ranking: All 64 Foods
Show the full table — ranked by protein per 100g, with per-100-calorie and per-serving numbers
| # | Food | g protein/100g | g protein/100 cal | cal/100g | g protein/serving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whey protein isolate no cook | 58.1 | 16.2 | 359 | 17.4 |
| 2 | Parmesan cheese no cook | 35.8 | 9.1 | 392 | 10.0 |
| 3 | Bacon (cooked) | 33.9 | 7.2 | 468 | 8.1 |
| 4 | Beef jerky no cook | 33.2 | 8.1 | 410 | 9.3 |
| 5 | Beef brisket | 32.2 | 14.6 | 221 | 27.4 |
| 6 | Chicken breast (skinless) | 31.0 | 18.8 | 165 | 26.4 |
| 7 | Beef sirloin (lean) | 30.6 | 16.7 | 183 | 26.0 |
| 8 | Turkey breast | 29.5 | 21.7 | 136 | 25.1 |
| 9 | Tuna (yellowfin, cooked) | 29.2 | 22.5 | 130 | 24.8 |
| 10 | Beef chuck (pot roast) | 29.2 | 10.3 | 283 | 24.8 |
| 11 | Tuna (canned, oil) no cook | 29.1 | 14.7 | 198 | 32.9 |
| 12 | Lamb leg (lean) | 28.3 | 14.8 | 191 | 24.1 |
| 13 | Duck breast (skinless) | 27.6 | 19.7 | 140 | 23.5 |
| 14 | Beef tenderloin | 27.5 | 15.0 | 183 | 23.4 |
| 15 | Turkey (ground) | 27.4 | 13.5 | 203 | 23.3 |
| 16 | Whole chicken | 27.3 | 11.4 | 239 | 23.2 |
| 17 | Tilapia (cooked) | 26.2 | 20.5 | 128 | 22.3 |
| 18 | Pork tenderloin | 26.2 | 18.3 | 143 | 22.3 |
| 19 | Ground beef (85% lean) | 25.9 | 10.4 | 250 | 22.0 |
| 20 | Pork chop (lean) | 25.8 | 13.9 | 186 | 21.9 |
| 21 | Ground pork | 25.7 | 8.7 | 297 | 21.8 |
| 22 | Tuna (canned, water) no cook | 25.5 | 22.0 | 116 | 28.8 |
| 23 | Salmon (Atlantic, wild) | 25.4 | 14.0 | 182 | 21.6 |
| 24 | Chicken thigh (boneless) | 24.8 | 13.9 | 179 | 12.9 |
| 25 | Sardines (canned, oil) no cook | 24.6 | 11.8 | 208 | 22.6 |
| 26 | Shrimp (cooked) | 24.0 | 24.2 | 99 | 20.4 |
| 27 | Mahi-mahi (cooked) | 23.7 | 21.7 | 109 | 20.1 |
| 28 | Swordfish (cooked) | 23.4 | 13.6 | 172 | 19.9 |
| 29 | Chicken drumstick | 23.4 | 12.3 | 191 | 16.8 |
| 30 | Chicken thigh (skin-on) | 23.3 | 10.0 | 232 | 19.8 |
| 31 | Elk (raw) | 23.0 | 20.7 | 111 | 26.0 |
| 32 | Venison (raw) | 23.0 | 19.2 | 120 | 26.0 |
| 33 | Cheddar cheese no cook | 22.9 | 5.7 | 403 | 6.4 |
| 34 | Cod (Atlantic, cooked) | 22.8 | 21.7 | 105 | 19.4 |
| 35 | Halibut (cooked) | 22.5 | 20.3 | 111 | 19.1 |
| 36 | Mozzarella no cook | 22.2 | 7.4 | 299 | 6.2 |
| 37 | Peanut butter no cook | 22.2 | 3.7 | 598 | 7.1 |
| 38 | Almonds no cook | 21.2 | 3.7 | 579 | 5.9 |
| 39 | Tempeh | 20.3 | 10.6 | 192 | 16.8 |
| 40 | Crab meat | 19.4 | 20.0 | 97 | 16.5 |
| 41 | Lobster (cooked) | 19.0 | 21.3 | 89 | 16.1 |
| 42 | Bison (ground) | 18.7 | 8.4 | 223 | 21.1 |
| 43 | Catfish (cooked) | 18.4 | 12.8 | 144 | 15.6 |
| 44 | Italian sausage | 18.4 | 5.7 | 324 | 15.3 |
| 45 | Smoked salmon no cook | 18.3 | 15.6 | 117 | 10.4 |
| 46 | Tofu (firm) | 17.3 | 12.0 | 144 | 21.8 |
| 47 | Ham (deli, sliced) no cook | 16.8 | 15.7 | 107 | 9.4 |
| 48 | Feta cheese no cook | 14.2 | 5.4 | 265 | 4.0 |
| 49 | Eggs (whole) | 12.6 | 8.1 | 155 | 6.3 |
| 50 | Scallops (raw) | 12.1 | 17.5 | 69 | 10.3 |
| 51 | Edamame (frozen) | 11.9 | 9.8 | 121 | 8.9 |
| 52 | Ricotta (part-skim) no cook | 11.4 | 8.3 | 138 | 7.1 |
| 53 | Cottage cheese (full fat) no cook | 11.1 | 11.3 | 98 | 12.5 |
| 54 | Egg whites | 10.9 | 21.0 | 52 | 3.6 |
| 55 | Cottage cheese (nonfat) no cook | 10.3 | 14.3 | 72 | 11.6 |
| 56 | Greek yogurt (nonfat) no cook | 10.2 | 17.3 | 59 | 17.3 |
| 57 | Lentils (cooked) | 9.0 | 7.8 | 116 | 8.9 |
| 58 | Pinto beans | 9.0 | 6.3 | 143 | 7.7 |
| 59 | Black beans | 8.9 | 6.7 | 132 | 7.7 |
| 60 | Chickpeas | 8.9 | 5.4 | 164 | 7.3 |
| 61 | Kidney beans | 8.7 | 6.9 | 127 | 7.7 |
| 62 | Cream cheese no cook | 6.2 | 1.8 | 350 | 1.7 |
| 63 | Peas (green) | 5.4 | 6.7 | 81 | 4.3 |
| 64 | Milk (whole) no cook | 3.1 | 5.1 | 61 | 7.6 |
What the Data Reveals
Per calorie, seafood owns the top of the table
9 of the 12 most calorie-efficient foods here are seafood. Shrimp leads at 24.2g per 100 calories, cooked yellowfin tuna delivers 22.5g, canned tuna 22g. The first non-seafood entries are turkey breast (21.7g) and egg whites (21g). Chicken breast comes in at 18.8g — rank #15.
Why? Lean fish is protein with almost nothing else attached — minimal fat, zero carbs. Why doesn't everyone eat fish? Cost, prep, availability, and taste. Efficiency on paper doesn't survive contact with your actual kitchen, which is why most people rotate two or three proteins, not six species of fish.
The form matters more than the animal
Same animal, different numbers depending on what you grab, in grams of protein per 100 calories:
Tuna: cooked yellowfin (22.5g) → canned in water (22g) → canned in oil (14.7g). Oil takes a third off the efficiency.
Chicken: breast (18.8g) → boneless skinless thigh (13.9g) → thigh with skin (10g). A 47% drop from the same bird.
Eggs: whites (21g) → whole (8.1g). Yolks have protein, but the fat craters the ratio.
The spread within a single animal often exceeds the spread between animals. "I eat chicken" isn't specific enough — chicken breast and skin-on thigh aren't in the same tier.
Per 100g and per 100 calories tell different stories
Ranked per 100g, the leaders are concentrated foods: whey isolate (58.1g), parmesan (35.8g), bacon (33.9g), beef jerky. They're dense because they're dry — nobody eats 100g of parmesan. Ranked per 100 calories, lean seafood takes over. And ranked per dollar, the list reshuffles again — that one has its own article: the cheapest protein per gram, priced from government data.
The practical shortlist
Cross the lenses — efficient per calorie, cheap per gram, sold everywhere, hard to ruin — and a short list keeps surviving: canned tuna, turkey breast, chicken breast, tilapia, pork tenderloin. None is #1 on any single metric. All are top-15 on most of them. That's why they work in practice, not just on a spreadsheet.
Now Cook With Them
This page ranks the raw ingredients. To see how they perform in actual meals:
- 112 Recipes Ranked by Protein-Per-Calorie — same methodology, applied to full recipes you can make this week
- Protein Calculator — figure out how much protein you actually need per day
Methodology
Metric: Grams of protein per 100 calories = (protein per 100g ÷ calories per 100g) × 100. The lookup also shows protein per 100g cooked and per typical serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy dataset first, Foundation Foods where noted. Every entry was re-verified against its USDA record in July 2026; the food name links straight to the entry at fdc.nal.usda.gov, so you can check any number without trusting us.
Serving sizes are typical household measures (1 large egg, ½ cup cooked, 3 oz cooked meat) — labeled on each result and approximate where package sizes vary.
What this doesn't measure: amino acid completeness, digestibility, micronutrients (salmon has omega-3s, beef has heme iron), satiety, or taste. These matter. They're just not what this metric captures.
Cooking doesn't destroy protein. Boiled, baked, grilled — all methods preserve 95%+ of protein content.