Foods Highest in Protein

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Top 50 whole foods per 100g, from USDA Standard Reference and Foundation databases

Soy protein isolate, potassium type ranks #1 of 50 for Protein, at 88.3G per 100g (177% of the FDA Daily Value).

What These Protein Rankings Mean

This ranking surfaces the top 50 whole foods for Protein, pulled from USDA Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Those two sources intentionally exclude branded and processed entries, which keeps the list focused on raw ingredients where nutrient content reflects the food itself rather than fortification or recipe adjustments. The FDA Daily Value for Protein is 50G, so every row translates directly into a percent-DV figure for an adult on a 2,000-calorie diet.

At the top of the ranking sits Soy protein isolate, potassium type, delivering 88.3G per 100g, 177% of the Daily Value in a 100g portion. The top three (Soy protein isolate, potassium type, Soy protein isolate, Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened) together form a practical "big lever" set, foods where a single serving meaningfully moves daily intake. The visual bars beside each row scale against the top food, so you can see at a glance whether a lower-ranked food is still a strong source or a distant runner-up.

Because this page excludes branded products, it is the right tool for comparing whole-food cooking choices rather than packaged-food shopping decisions, for those, the per-food pages and the branded search tools cover the same nutrient at product level. All values are reported per 100g edible portion, which means the raw numbers can be directly compared but real-world servings differ (a 100g portion of spinach is very different from 100g of almonds by volume). The nutrition guides linked below explain how to translate % DV and per-100g figures into practical daily targets and how to read nutrition labels when comparing whole foods to their processed equivalents.

→ Compare the top three Protein sources side-by-side

# Food Amount % DV
1 Soy protein isolate, potassium type 88.3 G 177%
2 Soy protein isolate 88.3 G 177%
3 Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened 85.6 G 171%
4 Egg, white, dried, stabilized, glucose reduced 84.1 G 168%
5 Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, dried (Alaska Native) 82.6 G 165%
6 Egg, white, dried, powder, stabilized, glucose reduced 82.4 G 165%
7 Egg, white, dried 81.1 G 162%
8 Egg, white, dried 79.9 G 160%
9 Beverages, Protein powder whey based 78.1 G 156%
10 Steelhead trout, dried, flesh (Shoshone Bannock) 77.3 G 155%
11 Egg, white, dried, flakes, stabilized, glucose reduced 76.9 G 154%
12 Vital wheat gluten 75.2 G 150%
13 Whale, beluga, meat, dried (Alaska Native) 69.9 G 140%
14 Beverages, ABBOTT, EAS whey protein powder 66.7 G 133%
15 Soy protein concentrate, produced by alcohol extraction 63.6 G 127%
16 Soy protein concentrate, produced by acid wash 63.6 G 127%
17 Fish, cod, Atlantic, dried and salted 62.8 G 126%
18 Fish, whitefish, dried (Alaska Native) 62.4 G 125%
19 Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, partially dried (Alaska Native) 62.4 G 125%
20 Fish, salmon, chum, dried (Alaska Native) 62.1 G 124%
21 Snacks, pork skins, plain 61.3 G 123%
22 Salmon, red (sockeye), filets with skin, smoked (Alaska Native) 60.6 G 121%
23 Fish, herring eggs, Pacific, dry (Alaska Native) 60.4 G 121%
24 Caribou, shoulder meat, dried (Alaska Native) 59.4 G 119%
25 Beverages, Whey protein powder isolate 58.1 G 116%
26 Snacks, pork skins, barbecue-flavor 57.9 G 116%
27 Seaweed, spirulina, dried 57.5 G 115%
28 Walrus, meat, dried (Alaska Native) 57.0 G 114%
29 Smelt, dried (Alaska Native) 56.2 G 112%
30 Beverages, Protein powder soy based 55.6 G 111%
31 Egg substitute, powder 55.5 G 111%
32 Gelatin desserts, dry mix, reduced calorie, with aspartame, added phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vitamin C 55.3 G 111%
33 Gelatin desserts, dry mix, reduced calorie, with aspartame, no added sodium 55.3 G 111%
34 Beverages, nutritional shake mix, high protein, powder 53.6 G 107%
35 Tofu, dried-frozen (koyadofu) 52.5 G 105%
36 Tofu, dried-frozen (koyadofu), prepared with calcium sulfate 52.4 G 105%
37 Peanut flour, defatted 52.2 G 104%
38 Caribou, rump meat, half dried (Alaska Native) 52.1 G 104%
39 Soy flour, defatted 51.5 G 103%
40 Flour, soy, defatted 51.1 G 102%
41 Seeds, sesame flour, low-fat 50.1 G 100%
42 Protein supplement, milk based, Muscle Milk Light, powder 50.0 G 100%
43 Seeds, cottonseed flour, low fat (glandless) 49.8 G 100%
44 Soy flour, low-fat 49.8 G 100%
45 Soy meal, defatted, raw 49.2 G 98%
46 Seeds, cottonseed meal, partially defatted (glandless) 49.1 G 98%
47 Egg, whole, dried, stabilized, glucose reduced 48.2 G 96%
48 Egg, whole, dried 48.1 G 96%
49 Seeds, sunflower seed flour, partially defatted 48.1 G 96%
50 Egg, whole, dried 48.0 G 96%

Frequently Asked Questions

What food is highest in Protein?

Soy protein isolate, potassium type is the food highest in Protein, with 88.3G per 100g. That provides 177% of the Daily Value.

How much Protein do I need per day?

The FDA Daily Value for Protein is 50G, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Individual needs may vary based on age, sex, and health conditions. Consult a healthcare professional for personalized recommendations.

What are good whole food sources of Protein?

Top whole food sources of Protein include Soy protein isolate, potassium type, Soy protein isolate, Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened, and more. These rankings are based on USDA Standard Reference and Foundation food data, measured per 100g edible portion.

Source: USDA FoodData Central — Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Branded and processed products are excluded. All values per 100g edible portion.
Source: FDA Daily Value reference — Protein DV = 50G based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
This information is for reference only and should not replace professional dietary advice.

Read our methodology , how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.