Food rankings
Highest-protein foods, ranked
Protein supports muscle repair, satiety, and dozens of metabolic functions, yet not every protein source is equally concentrated. The foods below carry the most protein per 100 grams in our USDA-sourced database, shown on an as-listed basis (raw or prepared exactly as the USDA record specifies), so cooking — which drives off water — often concentrates these figures further. Treat the list as a shortlist for building a higher-protein diet, then size your own targets with the protein calculator.
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central).
Top foods chart
Top 8 · Protein / 100 g
| # | Food | Protein / 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pumpkin seeds 559 kcal · 30 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 30 g |
| 2 | Turkey breast 147 kcal · 30 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 30 g |
| 3 | Tuna (fresh) 130 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 29 g |
| 4 | Tuna (canned in water) 198 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 29 g |
| 5 | Oysters 159 kcal · 29 g protein · Seafood | 29 g |
| 6 | Parmesan cheese 420 kcal · 28 g protein · Eggs & Dairy | 28 g |
| 7 | Chicken thigh 218 kcal · 28 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 28 g |
| 8 | Ground turkey 203 kcal · 27 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 27 g |
| 9 | Swiss cheese 393 kcal · 27 g protein · Eggs & Dairy | 27 g |
| 10 | Pork tenderloin 143 kcal · 26 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 26 g |
| 11 | Tilapia 128 kcal · 26 g protein · Seafood | 26 g |
| 12 | Peanut butter 520 kcal · 26 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 26 g |
| 13 | Pork chop 209 kcal · 26 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 26 g |
| 14 | Ground beef (90% lean) 204 kcal · 25 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 25 g |
| 15 | Sardines 208 kcal · 25 g protein · Seafood | 25 g |
| 16 | Shrimp 99 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 24 g |
| 17 | Mackerel 262 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 24 g |
| 18 | Trout 168 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 24 g |
| 19 | Mussels 172 kcal · 24 g protein · Seafood | 24 g |
| 20 | Lamb chop 315 kcal · 23 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 23 g |
| 21 | Chicken drumstick 191 kcal · 23 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 23 g |
| 22 | Peanuts 588 kcal · 23 g protein · Nuts & Seeds | 23 g |
| 23 | Cheddar cheese 403 kcal · 23 g protein · Eggs & Dairy | 23 g |
| 24 | Cod 105 kcal · 23 g protein · Seafood | 23 g |
| 25 | Chicken breast 106 kcal · 23 g protein · Meat & Poultry | 23 g |
Pumpkin seeds tops the list at 30 g, followed by Turkey breast (30 g) and Tuna (fresh) (29 g). Below are the top 25.
Questions
- Which food is highest on this list?
- Pumpkin seeds ranks first at 30 g. Turkey breast (30 g) and Tuna (fresh) (29 g) follow.
- Does this list account for cooking?
- Values are shown exactly as the USDA entry specifies — some raw, some cooked. Because cooking removes water, a cooked portion of the same food usually shows a higher protein figure per 100 g than its raw form.
- Why rank per 100 g instead of per serving?
- Per 100 g is a fixed, comparable basis across every food, so the ranking reflects the food itself rather than an arbitrary serving size. For protein relative to energy, see our protein-per-calorie ranking.
More rankings
Most protein per calorie, ranked
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 kcal (protein ÷ calories × 100).
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 g (USDA FoodData Central). 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. “Highest-protein foods, ranked.” https://www.nutrifactshub.com/best/high-protein-foods