Tools
Protein Source Comparison
How do common protein sources compare? I put chicken, fish, dairy, plant proteins, and whey on the same table: protein per serving and protein per 100 calories, both from USDA data, so you can compare a chicken breast to a scoop of whey on equal terms instead of guessing.
Sort by whichever number matters to you, or pin a few to compare side by side. For cost, the protein-per-dollar calculator works from your own store's prices.
Check up to 4 to compare them side by side.
| Compare | Source | Serving | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whey protein powder | 1 scoop (32g) | 25g | 113 | 22.1g | |
| Canned light tuna (in water) | 3 oz, drained | 16g | 73 | 21.9g | |
| White fish (cod) | 4 oz cooked | 26g | 119 | 21.8g | |
| Egg whites | 1 cup | 26g | 126 | 20.6g | |
| Shrimp | 4 oz cooked | 26g | 135 | 19.3g | |
| Chicken breast | 4 oz cooked | 35g | 187 | 18.7g | |
| Greek yogurt (nonfat) | 1 cup | 23g | 134 | 17.2g | |
| Pork loin | 4 oz cooked | 31g | 196 | 15.8g | |
| Plant protein powder | 1 scoop (36g) | 21g | 140 | 15.0g | |
| Cottage cheese (low fat) | 1 cup | 24g | 180 | 13.3g | |
| Ground beef 90/10 | 4 oz cooked | 29g | 231 | 12.6g | |
| Tofu (firm) | 1 cup | 23g | 202 | 11.4g | |
| Salmon | 4 oz cooked | 25g | 234 | 10.7g | |
| Tempeh | 4 oz | 23g | 221 | 10.4g | |
| Edamame | 1 cup | 18g | 188 | 9.6g | |
| Eggs | 2 large | 13g | 143 | 9.1g | |
| Lentils (cooked) | 1 cup | 18g | 230 | 7.8g | |
| Black beans (cooked) | 1 cup | 15g | 227 | 6.6g | |
| Milk (2%) | 1 cup | 8g | 122 | 6.6g | |
| Chickpeas (cooked) | 1 cup | 15g | 269 | 5.6g | |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 7g | 191 | 3.7g |
Side by side
How the numbers are calculated
Protein per 100 calories is the protein in a serving divided by its calories, times 100. It shows how much of a food's calories come along with its protein. A 4 oz cooked serving of chicken breast has 35g of protein and 187 calories, so it works out to 18.7g of protein per 100 calories.
The protein and calorie figures come from USDA FoodData Central. The table doesn't show cost, because prices change by store and week. For protein per dollar, put your own prices into the protein-per-dollar calculator.
Most protein per 100 calories
| Source | Serving | Protein | Per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whey protein powder | 1 scoop (32g) | 25g | 22.1g |
| Canned light tuna (in water) | 3 oz, drained | 16g | 21.9g |
| White fish (cod) | 4 oz cooked | 26g | 21.8g |
| Egg whites | 1 cup | 26g | 20.6g |
| Shrimp | 4 oz cooked | 26g | 19.3g |
| Chicken breast | 4 oz cooked | 35g | 18.7g |
Most protein per serving
| Source | Serving | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 4 oz cooked | 35g | 187 |
| Pork loin | 4 oz cooked | 31g | 196 |
| Ground beef 90/10 | 4 oz cooked | 29g | 231 |
| White fish (cod) | 4 oz cooked | 26g | 119 |
| Shrimp | 4 oz cooked | 26g | 135 |
| Egg whites | 1 cup | 26g | 126 |
Serving sizes aren't equal across foods, so a big number here can just mean a big serving. That's why the per-100-calorie column is the fairer side-by-side.
Animal, dairy, and plant sources
In this list, meat and seafood run from 10.7 to 21.9g of protein per 100 calories, dairy and eggs from 6.6 to 20.6g, and the plant sources from 3.7 to 11.4g. Plant foods tend to bring more carbs and calories along with their protein, which is why they sit lower on that measure. The high-protein foods guide covers stacking a few plant sources over a day instead of leaning on one.
For more foods by category, see the high-protein foods guide, plus high-protein meats and high-protein vegetables. To see what these servings add up to against the published protein reference points for your weight, try the protein calculator.
Sources
- Protein and calories: USDA FoodData Central, with the entry for each food listed in the site's data file. The two protein powders use a typical scoop, so your label wins.
Questions about this tool
- Which protein source has the most protein for the fewest calories?
- In this list, canned tuna, whey protein, white fish, egg whites, and shrimp lead on protein per 100 calories, all lean, low-fat sources. Fattier proteins like salmon or peanut butter carry real nutritional value too, they just cost more calories per gram of protein.
- What is the cheapest way to get protein?
- Prices change too much by store and week for one list to answer that reliably, so this table leaves cost out. Put your own shelf prices into the protein-per-dollar calculator, and it ranks them by protein per dollar.
- Are these numbers exact for what I buy?
- No, treat them as a starting comparison, not a receipt. Protein and calorie figures are sourced from USDA FoodData Central for the listed serving size where a confident match exists, but they'll still vary by cut, brand, and preparation.