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Best Protein Foods for Sustainable Protein
Lower-impact protein sources — legumes, algae, and small fish — let you hit your target without the land and water cost of large livestock.
Your daily target
~98g
(84–112g range)
Bodyweight
1.2–1.6g per kg of bodyweight
How to hit it
- Legumes have the lowest carbon and water footprint per gram of protein.
- Small fish like sardines are efficient and rich in omega-3.
- Reduce beef frequency — the biggest single lever for food-related emissions.
Top picks
Look for low environmental footprint per gram of protein.
- 1🌿Chlorella (dried)Completecomplete amino profile · 58g protein per 100g58g320 kcal18.1g/100kcal
- 2🌿Spirulina (dried)Completecomplete amino profile · 57g protein per 100g57g290 kcal19.7g/100kcal
- 3🌊Nori (dried seaweed)41g protein per 100g · 117.1g protein per 100 kcal41g35 kcal117.1g/100kcal
- 4🌿Hemp seedsCompletecomplete amino profile · 31g protein per 100g31g553 kcal5.6g/100kcal
- 5🎃Pumpkin seeds30g protein per 100g30g559 kcal5.4g/100kcal
- 6🍉Watermelon seeds (dried)28g protein per 100g28g557 kcal5g/100kcal
- 7🥜Peanuts26g protein per 100g26g567 kcal4.6g/100kcal
- 8🐟Sardines (canned)Completecomplete amino profile · 25g protein per 100g25g250 kcal10g/100kcal
- 9🥜Peanut butter25g protein per 100g25g588 kcal4.3g/100kcal
- 10🌊Dulse (dried)solid 22g per 100g · 66.7g protein per 100 kcal22g33 kcal66.7g/100kcal
- 11🌰Almondssolid 21g per 100g21g579 kcal3.6g/100kcal
- 12🌻Sunflower seedssolid 21g per 100g21g584 kcal3.6g/100kcal
- 13🥜Almond buttersolid 21g per 100g21g614 kcal3.4g/100kcal
- 14🌰Pistachiossolid 20g per 100g20g560 kcal3.6g/100kcal
- 15🍢TempehCompletecomplete amino profile · solid 19g per 100g19g193 kcal9.8g/100kcal
Also worth considering
Not the top choice for sustainable protein, but fine in moderation.
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