Food rankings
Most protein per calorie, ranked
Protein density — grams of protein per 100 calories — answers a question absolute protein cannot: which foods deliver protein without dragging along extra energy. It is portion-independent, so a food that ranks highly is efficient gram-for-calorie whether you eat 50 g or 300 g, which is exactly what matters when you are eating in a deficit. Lean proteins and certain vegetables dominate this list, while calorie-dense cheeses, nuts, and fatty cuts rank lower despite respectable absolute protein.
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 kcal (protein ÷ calories × 100).
Top foods chart
Top 8 · g protein / 100 kcal
| # | Food | g protein / 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shrimp 99 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 24.2 g |
| 2 | Tuna (fresh) 130 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 22.4 g |
| 3 | Cod 105 kcal · 23 g protein · Seafood | 21.7 g |
| 4 | Crab 83 kcal · 18 g protein · Seafood | 21.5 g |
| 5 | Lobster 89 kcal · 19 g protein · Seafood | 21.3 g |
| 6 | Chicken breast 106 kcal · 23 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 21.2 g |
| 7 | Egg white 52 kcal · 11 g protein · Eggs & Dairy | 21 g |
| 8 | Turkey breast 147 kcal · 30 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 20.5 g |
| 9 | Tilapia 128 kcal · 26 g protein · Seafood | 20.4 g |
| 10 | Halibut 113 kcal · 22 g protein · Seafood | 19.6 g |
| 11 | Scallops 111 kcal · 21 g protein · Seafood | 18.5 g |
| 12 | Pork tenderloin 143 kcal · 26 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 18.3 g |
| 13 | Oysters 159 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 18.1 g |
| 14 | Cottage cheese 72 kcal · 12 g protein · Eggs & Dairy | 17.2 g |
| 15 | Duck breast 123 kcal · 20 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 16.1 g |
| 16 | Beef sirloin steak 140 kcal · 22 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 15.7 g |
| 17 | Coffee 2 kcal · 0 g protein · Beverages | 15 g |
| 18 | Tuna (canned in water) 198 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 14.7 g |
| 19 | Trout 168 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 14.2 g |
| 20 | Mushrooms 22 kcal · 3 g protein · Vegetables | 14 g |
| 21 | Mussels 172 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 13.8 g |
| 22 | Ground turkey 203 kcal · 27 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 13.5 g |
| 23 | Spinach 23 kcal · 3 g protein · Vegetables | 12.9 g |
| 24 | Chicken thigh 218 kcal · 28 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 12.9 g |
| 25 | Ground beef (90% lean) 204 kcal · 25 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 12.4 g |
Shrimp tops the list at 24.2 g, followed by Tuna (fresh) (22.4 g) and Cod (21.7 g). Below are the top 25.
Questions
- Which food is highest on this list?
- Shrimp ranks first at 24.2 g. Tuna (fresh) (22.4 g) and Cod (21.7 g) follow.
- What is a good protein-per-calorie figure?
- As a rough guide, foods above about 10 g of protein per 100 kcal are protein-dense; lean animal proteins and high-protein vegetables can exceed 15 g per 100 kcal, while most mixed or fatty foods fall well below.
- Why do nuts and cheese rank low here?
- They carry plenty of protein in absolute terms, but their high fat content makes them calorie-dense, so their protein per calorie is modest. They can still be useful where total calories are not a constraint.
More rankings
Highest-protein foods, ranked
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central).
Highest-fiber foods, ranked
Ranked by grams of dietary fiber per 100 g; Daily Value is 28 g.
Highest-calcium foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of calcium per 100 g; Daily Value is 1,300 mg.
Highest-iron foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of iron per 100 g; Daily Value is 18 mg.
Highest-potassium foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of potassium per 100 g; Daily Value is 4,700 mg.
Lowest-calorie foods, ranked
Ranked by lowest calories (kcal) per 100 g.
Lowest-carb foods, ranked
Ranked by lowest total carbohydrate (g) per 100 g.
Highest vitamin C foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of vitamin C per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central). FDA Daily Value: 90 mg.
Highest-magnesium foods, ranked
Ranked by milligrams of magnesium per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central). FDA Daily Value: 420 mg.
References & methodology
- Data source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service — FoodData Central (public domain). Each food links to its individual record.
- Method: Ranked by grams of protein per 100 kcal (protein ÷ calories × 100). Ties are listed in dataset order; the table shows the top 25.
- Daily Values: FDA Nutrition Facts label, 2016 update (adults and children aged 4+).
- Scope: ranked across the 177 common foods in the NutriFactsHub database; it is a representative shortlist, not every food in existence.
- Last reviewed: June 2026.
Cite this page
NutriFactsHub. “Most protein per calorie, ranked.” https://www.nutrifactshub.com/best/highest-protein-per-calorie-foods