Which dairy has the most protein?
By density, hard cheeses like parmesan (35g/100g). By realistic portion and calorie cost, Greek yogurt, skyr, quark and cottage cheese are the strongest choices.
Protein In Dairy: Yogurt, Cheese And Milk
Dairy is the most underrated protein aisle in the supermarket. Greek yogurt, skyr, quark and cottage cheese give 10–12g of protein per 100g at very low calorie cost.
Dairy compared
| Food | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 🧀 Parmesan | 35g | 420 |
| 🧀 Pecorino romano | 32g | 387 |
| 🧀 Gruyère | 30g | 413 |
| 🧀 Cheddar | 25g | 403 |
| 🧀 Cottage cheese (low-fat) | 12g | 72 |
| 🥣 Quark | 12g | 77 |
| 🥣 Skyr | 11g | 63 |
| 🥣 Greek yogurt (plain, 0%) | 10g | 59 |
| 🥣 Labneh (strained yogurt cheese) | 9g | 160 |
| 🥛 Whole milk | 3.4g | 61 |
Per 100g.
Why cheese numbers look so high
Hard cheeses like parmesan reach 35g of protein per 100g, higher than any meat. But they also carry 400+ calories per 100g, and nobody eats 100g of parmesan. A realistic 20g sprinkle gives 7g of protein for 84 calories — good, but not a protein base.
Fresh, strained dairy is the opposite: low calorie density, high protein per calorie, and easy to eat 200–250g of.
Casein and whey
Cow's milk protein is roughly 80% casein and 20% whey. Casein digests slowly and forms a gel in the stomach; whey digests fast. This is why cottage cheese and quark are traditional evening foods and whey shakes are used after training.
In practice, total daily protein matters far more than the timing of either one.
Lactose-free and alternatives
- Hard aged cheeses contain almost no lactose.
- Greek yogurt and skyr are lower in lactose than milk due to straining and fermentation.
- Soy milk is the only common plant milk with milk-comparable protein (3.3g per 100g).
- Almond, oat and rice milks are not meaningful protein sources.
Add up your whole meal
Type what you ate in plain words and Protein Hunter returns the protein and calories for the full plate.
Try the Protein CalculatorCommon questions
How much protein is in a glass of milk?
About 8g in a 250ml glass, for whole or skimmed milk alike — the fat content barely changes protein.
Is Greek yogurt better than regular yogurt?
For protein, clearly. Greek yogurt is around 10g per 100g versus 3.5g for regular full-fat yogurt, because straining removes liquid whey and water.
Keep reading
High protein snacksWhere dairy shines.High protein dessertsYogurt and quark based.Browse dairyEvery cheese and yogurt logged.What is Protein Hunter?
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.
- Search any food
- Count a full meal
- Recipes to your macros
- Scan a plate or label
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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