Guide
Protein per calorie: foods that give the most
Protein per calorie is grams of protein for every 100 calories: it shows which foods give the most protein for their energy. Lean fish, egg whites, poultry breast and nonfat dairy are near the top, around 20 g per 100 calories.
Published · By GetFoodFacts · the rules are cited to FDA and USDA, the figures computed from USDA FoodData Central (April 30, 2026 release)
The arithmetic
Divide protein by calories and multiply by 100: a food with 25 g of protein and 120 calories per serving gives 20.8 g per 100 calories. Protein itself carries 4 calories a gram, so 25 g per 100 calories is the ceiling: a food that is almost pure protein.
The 15 highest, among everyday USDA foods
| Food | Protein per 100 calories | In a typical portion |
|---|---|---|
| Crustaceans, shrimp, cooked | 24.2 g | 20 g in 3 oz |
| Fish, smoked | 21.8 g | 34 g in 1 cup |
| Fish, haddock, smoked | 21.8 g | 21 g in 3 oz |
| Turkey, retail parts, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted | 21.7 g | 25 g in 3 oz |
| Turkey, drumstick, from whole bird, meat only, roasted | 21.7 g | 26 g in 3 oz |
| Fish, whitefish, mixed species, smoked | 21.7 g | 20 g in 3 oz |
| Fish, perch, steamed | 21.3 g | 33 g in 1 large fillet |
| Turkey from whole, light meat, meat only, with added solution, cooked, roasted | 21.2 g | 23 g in 3 oz |
| Fish, tilapia, steamed | 21.0 g | 34 g in 1 large fillet |
| Crustaceans, crab, queen, cooked, moist heat | 20.6 g | 20 g in 3 oz |
| Mollusks, cuttlefish, mixed species, cooked, moist heat | 20.6 g | 28 g in 3 oz |
| Turkey, whole, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted | 20.5 g | 26 g in 3 oz |
| Cheese, cheddar, nonfat or fat free | 20.5 g | 9.0 g in 1 serving |
| Mollusks, conch, baked or broiled | 20.2 g | 33 g in 1 cup, sliced |
| Emu, full rump, cooked, broiled | 20.0 g | 29 g in 1 serving ( 3 oz ) |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release; foods eaten as everyday portions (the rule on the protein list).
Every food ranked by protein per portion
Sources for this page
- USDA FoodData Central
- the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
- USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies
- the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
- 21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
- the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
- 21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed
- the serving each kind of food is labeled by. ecfr.gov
- FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
- the Daily Values in a table. fda.gov