Food guide
High-protein foods
Updated October 11, 2026 · MyPlate
Use a USDA serving, not a rounded slogan. Roasted skinless chicken breast is 31.0 g of protein and 165 kcal per 100 g (FDC 171477). The table below is every higher-protein row from our FoodData Central chart, with the amount we actually fetched. Pair the grams with your target from the protein calculator.
A "high-protein food" list is only useful if the portion is named. Per 100 g and per cup are different meals. This page copies the chart. It does not estimate foods that were not returned by FoodData Central. If a food you like is missing, it was not in the fetched set, so it is not given a number here.
Chart, higher-protein rows
| Food | Amount | Protein | kcal | FDC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, roasted, skinless | 100 g | 31.0 g | 165 | 171477 |
| Turkey breast, roasted | 3 oz (85 g) | 25.6 g | 125 | 171496 |
| Tofu, firm | 1/2 cup (126 g) | 21.8 g | 181 | 172475 |
| Shrimp, cooked | 3 oz | 20.4 g | 84 | 175180 |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked | 3 oz | 18.8 g | 175 | 175168 |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 17.9 g | 230 | 172421 |
| Tuna, light, canned in water | 3 oz | 16.1 g | 76 | 334194 |
| Black beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15.2 g | 227 | 173735 |
| Kidney beans, cooked | 1 cup | 15.3 g | 225 | 175194 |
| Cottage cheese, 2% fat | 100 g | 11.0 g | 84 | 328841 |
| Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat | 100 g | 10.3 g | 61 | 330137 |
| Egg, whole, raw | 1 large | 6.3 g | 72 | 171287 |
| Egg white, raw | 1 large | 3.6 g | 17 | 172183 |
| Cheddar cheese | 1 oz | 6.6 g | 116 | 328637 |
| Peanut butter, smooth | 2 tbsp | 7.1 g | 191 | 172470 |
The full chart, including lower-protein foods, is on calories in food. Egg details are on calories in an egg. Chicken details are on calories in chicken breast.
Worked day aimed at about 100 g
Add protein, and add calories so the day still fits a deficit if that is the goal.
- 100 g roasted chicken: 31.0 g protein, 165 kcal.
- 3 oz tuna in water: 16.1 g, 76 kcal.
- 100 g nonfat Greek yogurt: 10.3 g, 61 kcal.
- 1 cup cooked lentils: 17.9 g, 230 kcal.
- 2 large raw eggs: 12.6 g, 144 kcal (6.3 g and 72 kcal, twice).
Protein: 31.0 + 16.1 + 10.3 + 17.9 + 12.6 = 87.9 g. Calories: 165 + 76 + 61 + 230 + 144 = 676 kcal. A 70 kg adult at 1.4 g/kg needs 98 g, so this set is 10 g short. One more large egg white (3.6 g, 17 kcal) and another 100 g of the yogurt (10.3 g, 61 kcal) brings protein to 87.9 + 3.6 + 10.3 = 101.8 g and calories to 676 + 17 + 61 = 754 kcal. That is the protein food, not the whole menu. Put it next to the target from the protein calculator and the calorie target from the deficit calculator.
Common mistakes
- Reading the chicken row as "one breast." It is 100 g.
- Swapping raw salmon for cooked salmon. Cooked farmed Atlantic salmon in the chart is 175 kcal and 18.8 g protein per 3 oz (FDC 175168).
- Calling peanut butter a lean protein. Two tablespoons are 7.1 g protein and 191 kcal, mostly fat.
- Ignoring carbohydrate in beans and lentils. A cup of lentils is 39.9 g of carbohydrate as well as 17.9 g of protein.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC IDs in the table, retrieved 11 October 2026. Values are the same as the site chart.
- For how many grams to aim at, see how much protein per day and the ISSN position stand.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a high-protein food?
On this page it means a USDA serving with a large share of its calories from protein, listed with the FDC ID. Chicken breast, tuna, shrimp, turkey, egg whites, and nonfat Greek yogurt rank high per calorie in our chart.
How much protein is in chicken breast?
Roasted skinless chicken breast is 31.0 g protein and 165 kcal per 100 g (FDC 171477).
Are plant foods on the list?
Yes. One cup of cooked lentils is 17.9 g protein and 230 kcal (FDC 172421). Firm tofu, half a cup, is 21.8 g protein and 181 kcal (FDC 172475). They also contain carbohydrate, so log both.
Is Greek yogurt high in protein?
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt in the chart is 10.3 g protein and 61 kcal per 100 g (FDC 330137). The record is per 100 g because the portion name on that food was not a clear household measure.
How do I hit a gram target?
Add the protein column until you reach the grams from the protein calculator. A worked sum is on this page.
Can I use a different brand?
These rows are specific FDC foods. A flavored yogurt or breaded chicken is a different food. Use the label for packaged products.