How much protein is in one egg?

One large egg has about 6 grams of protein and 72 calories. Two eggs is about 12 grams, which is roughly half of what a breakfast needs to actually hold you until lunch. This is the most common reason a breakfast that feels healthy leaves you hungry by ten in the morning.

Which foods have the most protein per calorie?

Shrimp, cod, egg whites, turkey breast, halibut, and canned tuna in water lead on protein per calorie, all delivering roughly 20 to 25 grams of protein per 100 calories. Chicken breast, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese follow close behind. Nuts, seeds, and cheese sit at the other end: they contain protein, but they are primarily fat foods.

How much protein is in Greek yogurt?

A standard 175 gram container of plain 0% Greek yogurt has about 18 grams of protein for around 100 calories. Plain regular yogurt has about 8 grams for the same portion, and flavored versions cut the protein further while adding 10 to 20 grams of sugar.

What are the highest protein plant foods?

Seitan leads at about 24 grams per 100 grams, followed by tempeh at 19 grams, lentils and edamame at 18 grams per cooked cup, and firm tofu at about 15 grams per 100 grams. Lentils and beans bring substantial fiber alongside the protein, which is why they hold you longer than the protein number alone suggests.

How much protein is actually in your food

Per real serving, not per 100 grams, because nobody eats 100 grams of peanut butter. Sort by protein per calorie to see which foods are genuinely protein foods and which ones just have some protein in them.

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The calories that come with ten grams of protein

The same ten grams of protein, from five different foods.

Egg whites
46 cal
Canned tuna, in water
50 cal
Cheddar cheese
161 cal
Peanut butter
271 cal
Almonds
296 cal

Same ten grams of protein at both ends, and more than six times the calories to get it. That gap is what the rest of this page is about.

The number that matters more than the total

Almost every protein list ranks food by grams per serving. That tells you half the story. A quarter cup of almonds and three egg whites both give you about 7 to 11 grams of protein, but the almonds carry 207 calories and the egg whites carry 51.

So this list also carries protein per 100 calories. Sort by it and the picture reorganizes itself:

20 g or more per 100 calories. Egg whites, canned tuna, shrimp, cod, turkey breast. These are protein foods with almost nothing else attached.
10 to 20 g. Chicken, lean beef, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu. The everyday workhorses.
5 to 10 g. Lentils, beans, quinoa, milk. Real protein, packaged with carbs or fat.
Under 5 g. Nuts, seeds, cheese, bacon. Fine foods. Not protein foods, whatever the label implies.

None of this makes almonds bad. It just means that if you are trying to hit a protein target, reaching for almonds takes about six times the calories that reaching for tuna does.

Those tiers, drawn

Grams of protein per 100 calories. The bars fade as the food slides down the four groups above.

Egg whites
21.6 g
Canned tuna, in water
20.2 g
Chicken breast, skinless
18.8 g
Greek yogurt, plain 0%
18 g
Cottage cheese, 2%
14.1 g
Bacon
6.7 g
Cheddar cheese
6.2 g
Almonds
3.4 g

Bacon and cheddar land in the same place, which surprises people. Both carry real protein. Both bring a great deal of fat along with it.

Where most people lose the day

Breakfast. An egg is 6 grams. Two slices of toast add 8. A bowl of oatmeal is 5. A perfectly reasonable-looking breakfast lands around 12 to 15 grams, when the number that actually holds you is closer to 25 or 30.

That gap is why the mid-morning search for something sweet feels like it comes out of nowhere. It does not. It comes out of breakfast. The protein article covers what the research says about the amount, and the macro calculator gives you your own number to aim at.

Search a food

Showing all 56 foods, grouped.

Meat & poultry

Chicken breast, skinless1 breast, cooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 31 g

Calories 165

Per 100 cal 18.8 g

Turkey breastCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 29 g

Calories 135

Per 100 cal 21.5 g

Sirloin steakCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 29 g

Calories 210

Per 100 cal 13.8 g

Pork chopCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 28 g

Calories 231

Per 100 cal 12.1 g

Ground turkey, leanCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 27 g

Calories 176

Per 100 cal 15.3 g

Chicken thigh, skinlessCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 26 g

Calories 209

Per 100 cal 12.4 g

Pork tenderloinCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 26 g

Calories 143

Per 100 cal 18.2 g

Ground beef, leanCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 26 g

Calories 217

Per 100 cal 12 g

LambCooked (100 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 25 g

Calories 258

Per 100 cal 9.7 g

Deli turkey slices2 oz (56 g)Meat & poultry

Protein 12 g

Calories 60

Per 100 cal 20 g

Bacon2 slicesMeat & poultryHere because people assume it is a protein food. It is mostly a fat food.

Protein 6 g

Calories 90

Per 100 cal 6.7 g

Fish & seafood

TilapiaCooked (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 26 g

Calories 129

Per 100 cal 20.2 g

SalmonCooked (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 25 g

Calories 206

Per 100 cal 12.1 g

ShrimpCooked (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 24 g

Calories 99

Per 100 cal 24.2 g

CodCooked (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 23 g

Calories 105

Per 100 cal 21.9 g

HalibutCooked (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 23 g

Calories 111

Per 100 cal 20.7 g

Sardines, canned1 tin (92 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 23 g

Calories 191

Per 100 cal 12 g

Canned salmonDrained (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 22 g

Calories 142

Per 100 cal 15.5 g

Canned tuna, in water1 can, drained (85 g)Fish & seafoodThe cheapest 20 grams of protein in the store.

Protein 20 g

Calories 99

Per 100 cal 20.2 g

ScallopsCooked (100 g)Fish & seafood

Protein 20 g

Calories 111

Per 100 cal 18 g

Eggs & dairy

Greek yogurt, plain 0%1 container (175 g)Eggs & dairyThe 175 g cup is the standard Canadian size. Flavored versions drop the protein and add 10 to 20 g of sugar.

Protein 18 g

Calories 100

Per 100 cal 18 g

Skyr, plain1 container (175 g)Eggs & dairy

Protein 18 g

Calories 110

Per 100 cal 16.4 g

Ricotta, part skim1/2 cup (124 g)Eggs & dairy

Protein 14 g

Calories 171

Per 100 cal 8.2 g

Cottage cheese, 2%1/2 cup (113 g)Eggs & dairy

Protein 13 g

Calories 92

Per 100 cal 14.1 g

Egg whites3 whites (99 g)Eggs & dairy

Protein 11 g

Calories 51

Per 100 cal 21.6 g

Milk, 2%1 cup (250 mL)Eggs & dairy

Protein 8 g

Calories 122

Per 100 cal 6.6 g

Yogurt, plain regular3/4 cup (175 g)Eggs & dairyLess than half the protein of Greek for the same spoonful.

Protein 8 g

Calories 107

Per 100 cal 7.5 g

Cheddar cheese1 oz (28 g)Eggs & dairy

Protein 7 g

Calories 113

Per 100 cal 6.2 g

Cheese string1 stick (28 g)Eggs & dairy

Protein 7 g

Calories 80

Per 100 cal 8.8 g

Egg1 largeEggs & dairyThis is the number that quietly wrecks breakfast. Two eggs is 12 g, not the 25 to 30 g that actually holds you.

Protein 6 g

Calories 72

Per 100 cal 8.3 g

Plant proteins

SeitanCooked (100 g)Plant proteinsVaries a lot by brand, so check the package.

Protein 24 g

Calories 140

Per 100 cal 17.1 g

Tempeh100 gPlant proteins

Protein 19 g

Calories 192

Per 100 cal 9.9 g

Lentils1 cup cooked (198 g)Plant proteinsAlso about 16 g of fiber, which is why lentils punch above their protein number for staying full.

Protein 18 g

Calories 230

Per 100 cal 7.8 g

Edamame, shelled1 cup (155 g)Plant proteins

Protein 18 g

Calories 188

Per 100 cal 9.6 g

Tofu, firm100 gPlant proteins

Protein 15 g

Calories 144

Per 100 cal 10.4 g

Black beans1 cup cooked (172 g)Plant proteins

Protein 15 g

Calories 227

Per 100 cal 6.6 g

Chickpeas1 cup cooked (164 g)Plant proteins

Protein 15 g

Calories 269

Per 100 cal 5.6 g

Kidney beans1 cup cooked (177 g)Plant proteins

Protein 15 g

Calories 225

Per 100 cal 6.7 g

Green peas1 cup cooked (160 g)Plant proteins

Protein 8 g

Calories 134

Per 100 cal 6 g

Soy milk, unsweetened1 cup (250 mL)Plant proteinsThe only plant milk with protein comparable to dairy. Almond milk has about 1 g.

Protein 7 g

Calories 80

Per 100 cal 8.8 g

Nuts & seeds

Hemp hearts3 tbsp (30 g)Nuts & seedsThe highest protein per spoonful of anything in this group. Easy to add to yogurt or oatmeal.

Protein 10 g

Calories 166

Per 100 cal 6 g

Pumpkin seeds1/4 cup (32 g)Nuts & seeds

Protein 9 g

Calories 180

Per 100 cal 5 g

Peanut butter2 tbsp (32 g)Nuts & seeds

Protein 7 g

Calories 190

Per 100 cal 3.7 g

Almonds1/4 cup (35 g)Nuts & seeds

Protein 7 g

Calories 207

Per 100 cal 3.4 g

Sunflower seeds1/4 cup (35 g)Nuts & seeds

Protein 6 g

Calories 204

Per 100 cal 2.9 g

Walnuts1/4 cup (30 g)Nuts & seedsA fat food with some protein attached, not a protein food.

Protein 5 g

Calories 196

Per 100 cal 2.6 g

Chia seeds2 tbsp (24 g)Nuts & seedsBetter counted as fiber. About 10 g of it per serving.

Protein 4 g

Calories 138

Per 100 cal 2.9 g

Grains & starches

Chickpea pasta85 g dryGrains & starchesRoughly double regular pasta for the same portion.

Protein 13 g

Calories 190

Per 100 cal 6.8 g

Quinoa1 cup cooked (185 g)Grains & starches

Protein 8 g

Calories 222

Per 100 cal 3.6 g

Pasta, regular1 cup cooked (140 g)Grains & starches

Protein 8 g

Calories 220

Per 100 cal 3.6 g

Oats, dry1/2 cup (40 g)Grains & starchesOatmeal on its own is a carb breakfast. It needs help.

Protein 5 g

Calories 150

Per 100 cal 3.3 g

Rice, brown1 cup cooked (195 g)Grains & starches

Protein 5 g

Calories 218

Per 100 cal 2.3 g

Whole wheat bread1 sliceGrains & starches

Protein 4 g

Calories 80

Per 100 cal 5 g

Convenience

Whey protein powder1 scoop (30 g)ConvenienceThe fastest way to close a gap, and the least interesting. Food first where you can.

Protein 24 g

Calories 120

Per 100 cal 20 g

Plant protein powder1 scoop (33 g)Convenience

Protein 20 g

Calories 130

Per 100 cal 15.4 g

Protein bar1 barConvenienceRanges wildly. A bar worth eating has protein closer to 20 g than 10, and under about 10 g of sugar.

Protein 15 g

Calories 210

Per 100 cal 7.1 g

About these numbers

Values are rounded to whole grams and calories from standard food composition data, and they will vary with cut, brand, cooking method, and how generous your idea of a serving is. Treat them as close enough to plan with, not as lab measurements. Packaged foods are the ones that vary most, so read the label on anything that came in a wrapper.

Cooked weights are given for meat and fish because that is what ends up on the plate. Raw weights run higher, since meat loses roughly a quarter of its weight in water during cooking.

Knowing the numbers is not the same as eating them

A list like this is only useful if it turns into dinner. If you would rather skip the arithmetic, the Plate Builder puts a plate together for you in about a minute from whatever you already have. If you want your own protein target first, the macro calculator works it out from your height and activity.

Protein is only half the plate that holds you. The fiber reference is the companion to this page, and it marks which foods carry the soluble fiber that flattens blood sugar.

And if the reason you are reading a protein list at four in the afternoon is that the cravings are winning, that is the actual problem worth solving. The sugar-craving cycle explains why it keeps happening.

Take the free craving quiz