Protein density is what matters — grams of protein per 100g of food, and how many calories come with it. Here are the strongest options in every category, straight from the Protein Hunter database.
Two foods can both be called high protein and behave completely differently. Chicken breast gives 31g of protein for 179 calories. Peanuts give 26g, but for 567 calories. Both are protein foods; only one is a lean protein food.
The practical rule: look at protein per 100g first, then look at the calories that come attached. If you are trying to eat more protein without eating more food, you want a high number in the first column and a modest one in the second.
Complete proteins with all nine essential amino acids.
| Food | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 🐔 Chicken breast (cooked) | 31g | 179 |
| 🦃 Turkey breast (cooked) | 30g | 175 |
| 🥩 Beef sirloin (cooked) | 29g | 196 |
| 🐟 Tuna (canned in water) | 29g | 131 |
| 🐟 Salmon (cooked) | 25g | 250 |
| 🥚 Whole egg | 13g | 155 |
| 🧀 Cottage cheese (low-fat) | 12g | 72 |
| 🥣 Greek yogurt (plain, 0%) | 10g | 59 |
Per 100g.
Most are incomplete on their own — combine grains with legumes across the day and it stops mattering.
| Food | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 🌿 Hemp seeds | 31g | 553 |
| 🎃 Pumpkin seeds | 30g | 559 |
| 🍞 Seitan | 25g | 370 |
| 🍢 Tempeh | 19g | 193 |
| 🍢 Firm tofu | 12g | 76 |
| 🫛 Edamame (cooked) | 11g | 122 |
| 🫘 Lentils (cooked) | 9g | 116 |
| 🫘 Chickpeas (cooked) | 9g | 164 |
Per 100g.
Type what you ate in plain words and Protein Hunter returns the protein and calories for the full plate.
Try the Protein CalculatorAmong everyday foods, protein powders lead (80–90g per 100g), followed by dried foods like biltong and jerky. Among fresh foods, chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef and canned tuna sit around 29–31g per 100g.
Most adults do well between 1.2g and 2.0g per kilogram of bodyweight per day, higher if you train hard or are losing weight. See the daily protein needs guide for the full breakdown.
Yes. Soy foods, seitan, legumes, and a plant protein powder make it straightforward. You need slightly more total grams because plant proteins are digested a little less efficiently.
Protein Hunter is a protein and nutrition app with a database of 232 foods — from a leaf of kale to a wagyu steak — plus AI tools that answer protein questions, count a whole meal, build recipes to a macro target, and track what you actually eat.
Why it's different: the numbers are calculated from a fixed ingredient database rather than guessed, and when a target is not physically achievable the app says so instead of inventing a figure.
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