Protein in Common Foods: A Quick Reference Guide
Knowing roughly how many grams of protein are in the foods you eat regularly makes hitting your daily goal much easier. You do not need to weigh everything: a mental model of typical servings is enough for most days.
Lean meats and fish
- Chicken breast (skinless, cooked): approximately 30 to 35g per 150g serving. One of the highest protein-to-calorie foods available.
- Canned tuna (in water): approximately 25 to 28g per 100g. Easy to keep stocked.
- Salmon (cooked): approximately 25g per 100g.
- Lean beef mince (cooked): approximately 26g per 100g.
- Turkey breast (cooked): approximately 28 to 30g per 100g.
Dairy and eggs
- Eggs (large): approximately 6g each. Two eggs gives about 12g.
- Greek yogurt (plain, full-fat): approximately 8 to 10g per 100g. A 200g serving gives 16 to 20g.
- Cottage cheese: approximately 11g per 100g.
- Cheddar cheese: approximately 25g per 100g. A 30g slice gives about 7.5g.
- Milk (whole): approximately 3.3g per 100ml. A 250ml glass gives about 8g.
- Whey protein powder: approximately 20 to 25g per 30g scoop, depending on brand.
Plant proteins
- Tempeh: approximately 18 to 19g per 100g. Among the most protein-dense common plant foods.
- Edamame (cooked): approximately 11g per 100g.
- Tofu (firm): approximately 8 to 10g per 100g.
- Lentils (cooked): approximately 9g per 100g.
- Black beans or chickpeas (cooked): approximately 8 to 9g per 100g.
- Peanut butter: approximately 7 to 8g per 2-tablespoon serving (32g).
Quick snack proteins
- Almonds: approximately 6g per 30g serving.
- Hard-boiled egg: approximately 6g each.
- String cheese or babybel: approximately 5 to 7g per piece.
- A typical protein bar: 15 to 25g, depending on brand.
A practical mental model
You do not need to weigh every meal. A palm-sized serving of chicken or fish is about 30g of protein; two eggs is about 12g; a large tub of plain Greek yogurt is about 15 to 20g. Adding one high-protein food to each meal and one protein-rich snack typically adds up to 100 to 150g for most adults.
Logging just protein, without tracking every calorie, is the simplest way to stay on target. Protein Tracker is built for exactly that: set your goal once, log foods quickly, and watch the ring fill. For more on how to set your daily target, see our guide to how much protein you need per day.
Common questions
- How much protein is in a chicken breast?
- A 150g skinless chicken breast contains approximately 30 to 35g of protein depending on cooking method. Grilling or baking retains more protein per gram than boiling. It is one of the most protein-dense whole foods per calorie.
- How much protein is in 2 eggs?
- Two large eggs contain approximately 12 to 13g of protein. Eggs are also a complete protein, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids.
- What food has the most protein per 100g?
- Among common whole foods in practical serving sizes, chicken breast, canned tuna, tempeh and lean beef are among the highest at roughly 25 to 35g of protein per 100g cooked.