Most lists of high-protein foods only give grams per 100 g. That hides something that matters a lot when you are watching calories: how much protein you get for the energy. Salmon and chicken have similar protein per 100 g, but chicken gives you more than twice as much for the same calories.
So this list has both.
Meat and fish
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, raw | 24.4 g | 23.2 g |
| Cod fillet | 17.5 g | 23.3 g |
| King prawns, raw | 17.6 g | 22.9 g |
| Tuna, tinned in brine | 24.9 g | 22.8 g |
| Chicken breast, raw | 24.0 g | 22.6 g |
| Chicken thigh, skinless, raw | 20.9 g | 19.2 g |
| Extra lean beef mince (5%) | 21.9 g | 16.8 g |
| Salmon fillet, farmed | 20.4 g | 9.4 g |
Chicken thighs are worth a look: a little more fat than breast, but they stay juicy when reheated, which makes them easier to batch cook. Salmon is lower on this list because of its fat, but that fat is mostly the omega-3 kind, so it earns its place in a week for other reasons.
Eggs and dairy
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Quark | 14.6 g | 19.7 g |
| Cottage cheese, reduced fat | 10.6 g | 15.6 g |
| Greek-style yoghurt, 0% fat | 7.3 g | 13.3 g |
| Eggs | 12.6 g | 9.6 g |
Quark is the quiet winner: almost as protein-dense for its calories as chicken, and it works in sweet and savoury dishes.
Plant protein
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Tempeh | 20.7 g | 12.5 g |
| Tofu | 8.1 g | 11.1 g |
| Frozen edamame beans | 12.2 g | 8.6 g |
| Red kidney beans, tinned | 8.6 g | 8.6 g |
| Red lentils, dried | 25.6 g | 8.2 g |
Plant foods carry more carbohydrate alongside their protein, so they score lower per calorie. Mixing sources across the day (beans with tofu, lentils with soya yoghurt) is the easy way to a high-protein vegan week.
How to use this
- For a cut, lean on the top of each table: more protein for fewer calories.
- For a bulk, the calories in salmon, eggs and lentils are no bad thing.
- Build meals around one protein from these lists, then add carbs and veg to fit your targets.
Not sure what your protein target is? Read how much you need, or work it out with the free calculator.
Where the numbers come from
All figures are from McCance and Widdowson's Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID), the UK government's reference food data, except Greek-style 0% yoghurt, which is from a named product's label via Open Food Facts. Liftprep calculates every recipe's macros from the same data. Protein per 100 kcal is protein per 100 g divided by calories per 100 g. Brands vary a little; your pack's label is the final word.