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Usage Note

• Nutrition data are calculated per 100g (3.5 oz) of food weight.
• Click on column header to sort foods by name or by nutrient content. Click again to reverse sort order.
• Click on a number in table footer to go to a particular page.

Choose nutrition data to display

• Check or uncheck the nutrients in list below to choose which nutrition data to display.
• Abbreviations: g = gram, mg = milligram, mcg = microgram, kcal = kilocalorie, kJ = kilojoule.

Calories (kcal)
Energy (kJ)
Protein (g)
Percentage of Calories from Protein (%)
Total Fat (g)
Carbohydrate (g)

About This Protein Rich Foods Database

This unique protein database provides not only the absolute protein content of foods by food weight but also the percentage of calories of foods from protein. The ability to search and sort foods by any of these criteria (food name, protein, protein calorie) makes this database a most convenient tools to compare and identify high-protein foods.

Protein

information from the National Institutes of Health

Proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. These body proteins are constantly being broken down and replaced. The protein in the foods we eat is digested into amino acids that are later used to replace these proteins in our bodies. Proteins from meat and other animal products are complete proteins. This means they supply all of the amino acids the body can't make on its own. Plant proteins are incomplete. You must combine them to get all of the amino acids your body needs.

It is important to get enough dietary protein. You need to eat protein every day, because your body doesn't store it the way it stores fats or carbohydrates. The average person needs 50 to 65 grams of protein each day. This is the amount in four ounces of meat plus a cup of cottage cheese.

For protein quality of 8,000+ common foods see: Protein Quality of Foods.

Who might benefit from a high-protein diet?

A high-protein diet is often recommended by bodybuilders and nutritionists to help build muscle and lose fat. It should not be confused with low-carb diets, such as the Atkins Diet, which are not calorie-controlled and which often contain large amounts of fat.

High-protein Food and Weight Training

Protein is described as essential by advocates of the high-protein diet, which includes a large proportion of the bodybuilding community. Protein provides the muscle with amino acids required to repair the damage done by anaerobic exercise. Some consume protein supplements after bodybuilding workouts, as they provide a quick and easily consumable protein source. Alternatively, meat, beans, or other high-protein foods are consumed.

It is worth noting that it is possible to maintain a strict vegan high-protein diet, though due to the lower nutrient density of plant-based foods this requires a larger absolute volume of food compared to a non-vegan diet. Simply put, vegans must consume more vegan food to get more protein.

Although some testing shows that the body will absorb and use a greater amount of protein after bodybuilding-type exercises than under more sedentary circumstances, and some studies on weight training show clinically significant gains in muscle with a very high protein diet when compared to more moderate intake, in some studies increased protein intake fails to translate into functional differences. However, consistently consuming less protein than an individual's body requires (estimated as 0.7 g of protein per kg of body weight per day for a sedentary individual) causes loss of existing lean body mass, even with an excessively high-calorie diet.

Our Protein and Amino Acid Online Databases

See our most complete directory of Protein and Amino Acid Online Databases with nutrient databases from the US, UK, Canada, France, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, etc.

Foods with Highest Calorie Content from Protein

The foods in list below are true protein rich foods: those not only with high protein content per food weight but also with highest percentage of their calories coming from protein (as opposed to calories from fat, carbohydrate and alcohol).
Protein contents are in grams per 100 grams of food weight and % Protein Calorie is the percentage of calories of a food contributed by its protein.

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

23.6

96

Frog legs, steamed

25.5

93

Tuna, canned, water pack

29.2

93

Moose, cooked

22.4

93

Cod, steamed or poached

24.4

93

Pike, steamed or poached

17.6

92

Cod, smoked

62.8

92

Cod, dried, salted

62.8

92

Fish, dried

17.9

92

Cod, dried, salted, salt removed in water

23.9

92

Haddock, steamed or poached

25.2

92

Haddock, smoked

29.6

92

Tuna, fresh, steamed or poached

23.4

92

Tuna, fresh, raw

10.9

91

Egg, white only, raw

10.9

91

Egg, white only, cooked

24.2

90

Perch, steamed or poached

31.7

90

Cheese, Mozzarella, nonfat or fat free

17.8

90

Fish, raw

23.3

89

Fish, cooked

20.3

89

Lobster, cooked

20.3

89

Lobster, steamed or boiled

20.3

89

Lobster, without shell, steamed or boiled

20.3

89

Lobster, canned

20.5

88

Crab, canned

45.3

88

Flounder, smoked

18.8

88

Flounder, raw

23.6

88

Flounder, steamed or poached

51.7

87

Shrimp, dried

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

20.4

87

Shrimp, canned

16.6

86

Crayfish, boiled or steamed

23.2

86

Whiting, steamed or poached

17.3

86

Cheese, cottage, dry curd

17.1

86

Cheese, cottage, salted, dry curd

26.3

86

Conch, baked or broiled

28.4

84

Bison, cooked

18.6

84

Ocean perch, raw

29.8

84

Venison/deer steak, cooked

23.3

84

Ocean perch, steamed or poached

20.0

83

Crab, hard shell, steamed

20.0

83

Crab, cooked

30.1

83

Gizzard, cooked

31.1

81

Beef, dried, chipped, uncooked

24.0

81

Fish, canned

28.7

81

Chicken, breast, stewed, skin not eaten

27.6

81

Shrimp, cooked

26.5

81

Shrimp, steamed or boiled

32.9

81

Rabbit, wild, cooked

29.8

80

Turkey, light meat, cooked, skin not eaten

29.8

80

Turkey, light meat, roasted, skin not eaten

23.0

80

Sea bass, steamed or poached

28.5

80

Chicken or turkey pate with vegetables, diet

36.1

80

Venison/deer, stewed

36.1

80

Venison/deer

36.1

80

Venison/deer ribs, cooked

36.1

80

Venison/deer, roasted

26.3

80

Fish, steamed

30.6

80

Turkey, wing, cooked, skin not eaten

27.0

80

Goat, baked

27.0

80

Goat, boiled

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

27.0

80

Goat ribs, cooked

30.8

79

Chicken, breast, skin not eaten

30.8

79

Chicken, breast, roasted, broiled, or baked, skin not eaten

35.1

79

Venison/deer, cured

29.6

77

Octopus, steamed

29.7

77

Octopus, dried, boiled

56.5

77

Octopus, dried

25.4

77

Octopus, smoked

22.5

76

Sweetbreads, cooked

22.3

76

Smelt, steamed or poached

32.9

76

Veal, cooked, lean only eaten

32.9

76

Veal cutlet or steak, broiled, lean only eaten

32.9

76

Veal cutlet or steak, lean only eaten

32.9

76

Veal cutlet or steak, fried, lean only eaten

33.3

76

Chicken, breast, fried, no coating, skin not eaten

33.3

76

Chicken, breast, coated, baked or fried, prepared with skin, skin/coating not eaten

33.3

76

Chicken, breast, coated, baked or fried, prepared skinless, coating not eaten

31.2

76

Sturgeon, smoked

23.6

75

Porgy, steamed or poached

18.9

75

Porgy, raw

29.6

75

Caribou, cooked

27.3

75

Tuna, fresh, cooked

27.3

75

Tuna, fresh, baked or broiled

30.6

74

Squirrel, cooked

27.8

74

Wild pig, smoked

28.2

74

Armadillo, cooked

47.3

73

Snails, steamed or poached

21.9

73

Fish, baked or broiled

16.0

73

Clams, canned

15.8

73

Clams, steamed or boiled

12.8

73

Clams, raw

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

23.2

73

Cornish game hen, roasted, skin not eaten

23.2

73

Cornish game hen, cooked, skin not eaten

27.5

73

Veal cutlet or steak, broiled

27.5

73

Veal cutlet or steak, broiled, lean and fat eaten

28.2

73

Heart, cooked

29.2

72

Turkey, light and dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten

27.0

72

Kidney, cooked

29.3

72

Turkey, light or dark meat, smoked, cooked, skin not eaten

26.5

72

Goat, fried

22.5

72

Pike, baked or broiled

27.9

72

Pork, tenderloin, cooked

24.9

72

Salmon, steamed or poached

24.9

72

Salmon, dried

35.9

72

Veal cutlet or steak, lean and fat eaten

29.1

72

Turkey, light meat, breaded, baked or fried, skin not eaten

17.9

72

Squid, steamed or boiled

15.6

72

Squid, raw

59.1

72

Squid, dried

14.9

72

Squid, pickled

17.9

72

Squid, canned

12.4

71

Cheese, cottage, lowfat, low sodium

22.1

71

Haddock, cooked

22.1

71

Haddock, baked or broiled

22.5

71

Croaker, steamed or poached

12.4

71

Cheese, cottage, lowfat (1-2% fat)

19.8

71

Lobster, baked or broiled

20.9

71

Cod, baked or broiled

22.6

71

Perch, baked or broiled

23.5

71

Salmon, cooked

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

27.8

70

Yeast extract spread

22.1

70

Venison/deer with gravy (mixture)

12.4

69

Cheese, cottage, lowfat, lactose reduced

19.4

69

Mullet, raw

24.5

69

Mullet, steamed or poached

34.7

69

Beaver, cooked

28.1

69

Chicken, drumstick, roasted, broiled, or baked, skin not eaten

28.1

69

Chicken, drumstick, skin not eaten

33.9

69

Abalone, steamed or poached

22.0

69

Flounder, cooked

22.0

69

Flounder, baked or broiled

25.1

69

Swordfish, steamed or poached

17.1

68

Turkey or chicken breast, prepackaged or deli, luncheon meat

27.3

68

Chicken, drumstick, stewed, skin not eaten

29.2

68

Tuna, fresh, dried

11.5

68

Marinated fish (Ceviche)

21.4

68

Whiting, cooked

21.4

68

Whiting, baked or broiled

10.9

67

Cheese, cottage, lowfat, with vegetables

26.6

67

Shark, steamed or poached

26.6

67

Ray, steamed or poached

33.7

67

Veal cutlet or steak

27.6

67

Pork, tenderloin, baked

25.1

67

Pork roast, smoked or cured, cooked, lean only eaten

25.1

67

Ham, smoked or cured, cooked, lean only eaten

29.9

67

Steak, cooked, lean only eaten

29.8

67

Beef steak, lean only eaten

29.8

67

Beef steak, broiled or baked, lean only eaten

24.5

66

Shrimp, baked or broiled

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

28.1

66

Beef, bacon, cooked, lean only eaten

21.8

66

Ocean perch, cooked

21.8

66

Ocean perch, baked or broiled

19.6

66

Turkey ham, sliced, extra lean, prepackaged or deli, luncheon meat

19.6

66

Shrimp teriyaki (shrimp with soy-based sauce) (mixture)

26.9

66

Turkey light or dark meat, stewed, skin eaten

26.9

66

Turkey, light or dark meat, stewed

28.4

66

Cheese, Swiss, lowfat

17.3

66

Capicola

17.3

66

Ham, sliced, extra lean, prepackaged or deli, luncheon meat

17.3

66

Ham, luncheon meat, chopped, minced, pressed, spiced, lowfat, not canned

18.3

65

Salmon, smoked

18.7

65

Chicken in butter sauce with potatoes and vegetable (diet frozen meal)

15.7

65

Fish with tomato-based sauce (mixture)

27.0

65

Turkey, light or dark meat, stewed, skin not eaten

28.9

65

Turkey

28.2

65

Turkey, light or dark meat, battered, fried, skin not eaten

17.5

65

Gefilte fish

27.1

64

Chicken, stewed, skin not eaten

18.5

64

Ham, smoked or cured, canned, lean only eaten

20.7

64

Sturgeon, baked or broiled

20.0

64

Sturgeon, cooked

20.0

64

Sturgeon, steamed

28.5

64

Turkey, dark meat, roasted, skin not eaten

28.3

64

Turkey, thigh, cooked, skin not eaten

28.3

64

Turkey, drumstick, cooked, skin not eaten

28.3

64

Turkey, drumstick, roasted, skin not eaten

18.7

64

Fish, smoked

16.2

64

Scallops, steamed or boiled

Protein (g)

% Protein Calorie

Foods with Highest Percentage of Calories from Protein

20.2

64

Scallops, baked or broiled

28.8

63

Chicken, chicken roll, roasted

28.7

63

Chicken, roasted, broiled, or baked, skin not eaten

28.7

63

Chicken, skin not eaten

29.9

63

Veal chop, lean only eaten

26.4

63

Trout, steamed or poached

28.8

63

Beef liver, braised

21.9

63

Goat head, cooked

29.6

63

Chicken, breast

29.6

63

Chicken, breast, skin eaten

29.6

63

Chicken, breast, roasted, broiled, or baked

29.6

63

Chicken, breast, roasted, broiled, or baked, skin eaten

21.1

63

Chicken or turkey teriyaki (chicken or turkey with soy-based sauce)

26.3

63

Beef liver, fried

26.1

63

Veal chop, broiled, lean only eaten

26.2

63

Veal, roasted, lean only eaten

27.0

63

Chicken, wing, stewed, skin not eaten

30.2

62

Chicken, wing, roasted, broiled, or baked, skin not eaten

30.2

62

Chicken, wing, skin not eaten

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