Which foods have the most protein per 100 calories?
The food highest in protein per 100 kcal is Soy protein isolate, potassium type at 27.5 g, followed by Soy protein isolate (26.4 g) and Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened (25.6 g). Values are per 100 g of food.
| # | Food | Category | Protein per 100 kcal (g) | kcal / 100 g | Protein (g / 100 g) | Fiber (g / 100 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soy protein isolate, potassium type | Legumes and Legume Products | 27.5 | 321 | 88.3 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Soy protein isolate | Legumes and Legume Products | 26.4 | 335 | 88.3 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened | Sweets | 25.6 | 335 | 85.6 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Fish, cod, Pacific, cooked | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 24.3 | 84 | 20.4 | — |
| 5 | Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, raw (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 24.3 | 110 | 26.7 | — |
| 6 | Crustaceans, shrimp, cooked | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 24.2 | 99 | 24.0 | — |
| 7 | Duck, scoter, white-winged, meat (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 24.1 | 84 | 20.2 | — |
| 8 | Whale, beluga, meat, raw (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 23.9 | 111 | 26.5 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Crustaceans, shrimp, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 23.6 | 85 | 20.1 | — |
| 10 | Egg, white, dried, stabilized, glucose reduced | Dairy and Egg Products | 23.6 | 357 | 84.1 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 23.5 | 351 | 82.6 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Sea cucumber, yane (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 23.2 | 56 | 13.0 | — |
| 13 | Ruffed Grouse, breast meat, skinless, raw | Poultry Products | 23.2 | 112 | 25.9 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Seal, bearded (Oogruk), meat, partially dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 23.1 | 270 | 62.4 | — |
| 15 | Seaweed, spirulina, raw | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 22.8 | 26 | 5.9 | 0.4 |
| 16 | Walrus, meat, dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 22.7 | 251 | 57.0 | — |
| 17 | Fish, lingcod, meat, raw (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 22.7 | 79 | 17.9 | — |
| 18 | Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.6 | 86 | 19.4 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Fish, pollock, Alaska, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.6 | 76 | 17.2 | — |
| 20 | Cheese, mozzarella, nonfat | Dairy and Egg Products | 22.5 | 141 | 31.7 | 1.8 |
| 21 | Frog legs, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.5 | 73 | 16.4 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Fish, tuna, yellowfin, fresh, cooked, dry heat | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.4 | 130 | 29.1 | 0.0 |
| 23 | Fish, pollock, Alaska, cooked | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.4 | 87 | 19.4 | — |
| 24 | Emu, outside drum, raw | Poultry Products | 22.4 | 103 | 23.1 | 0.0 |
| 25 | Fish, tuna, fresh, yellowfin, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.4 | 109 | 24.4 | 0.0 |
| 26 | Cheese, Swiss, nonfat or fat free | Dairy and Egg Products | 22.4 | 127 | 28.4 | 0.0 |
| 27 | Buffalo, free range, top round steak, cooked (Shoshone Bannock) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 22.3 | 146 | 32.5 | — |
| 28 | Turtle, green, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.3 | 89 | 19.8 | 0.0 |
| 29 | Fish, haddock, cooked, dry heat | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.2 | 90 | 20.0 | 0.0 |
| 30 | Beverages, Protein powder whey based | Beverages | 22.2 | 352 | 78.1 | 3.1 |
| 31 | Fish, cod, Pacific, raw (may have been previously frozen) | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.1 | 69 | 15.3 | 0.0 |
| 32 | Buffalo, free range, top round steak, raw (Shoshone Bannock) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 22.1 | 97 | 21.4 | — |
| 33 | Fish, haddock, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.1 | 74 | 16.3 | 0.0 |
| 34 | Fish, cod, Pacific, cooked, dry heat (may contain additives to retain moisture) | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.0 | 85 | 18.7 | 0.0 |
| 35 | Turkey, breast, smoked, lemon pepper flavor, 97% fat-free | Sausages and Luncheon Meats | 22.0 | 95 | 20.9 | 0.0 |
| 36 | Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.0 | 116 | 25.5 | 0.0 |
| 37 | Octopus (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 22.0 | 56 | 12.3 | — |
| 38 | Fish, pollock, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 22.0 | 56 | 12.3 | — |
| 39 | Fish, ling, cooked, dry heat | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 21.9 | 111 | 24.4 | 0.0 |
| 40 | Caribou, shoulder meat, dried (Alaska Native) | American Indian/Alaska Native Foods | 21.9 | 271 | 59.4 | 0.0 |
| 41 | Egg, white, dried, flakes, stabilized, glucose reduced | Dairy and Egg Products | 21.9 | 351 | 76.9 | 0.0 |
| 42 | Egg, white, dried, powder, stabilized, glucose reduced | Dairy and Egg Products | 21.9 | 376 | 82.4 | 0.0 |
| 43 | Fish, pike, northern, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 21.9 | 88 | 19.3 | 0.0 |
| 44 | Fish, pike, northern, cooked, dry heat | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 21.9 | 113 | 24.7 | 0.0 |
| 45 | Game meat, moose, cooked, roasted | Lamb, Veal, and Game Products | 21.8 | 134 | 29.3 | 0.0 |
| 46 | Emu, fan fillet, raw | Poultry Products | 21.8 | 103 | 22.5 | 0.0 |
| 47 | Fish, cusk, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 21.8 | 87 | 19.0 | 0.0 |
| 48 | Fish, ling, raw | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 21.8 | 87 | 19.0 | 0.0 |
| 49 | Fish, sunfish, pumpkin seed, cooked, dry heat | Finfish and Shellfish Products | 21.8 | 114 | 24.9 | 0.0 |
| 50 | Emu, flat fillet, raw | Poultry Products | 21.8 | 102 | 22.3 | 0.0 |
Method
- Values are per 100 g of food, as reported in USDA FoodData Central.
- Source: SR Legacy (April 2018 release) and Foundation Foods (April 2026 release), deduplicated.
- Foods with fewer than 20 kcal per 100 g are excluded so near-zero-calorie items do not distort the per-calorie ratio.
- The table lists the top 50 foods, sorted by the ranking value.
This list ranks foods by protein per 100 kcal — how much protein a food provides relative to its calories. The foods near the top pack the most protein for the least energy.
Values are per 100 g of food. A high rank means high protein density, not that a food is the only or best choice overall.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. SR Legacy (April 2018).
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. Foundation Foods (April 2026).