High Protein Low Calorie Foods Ranked by Grams per 100 kcal

The leanest protein foods give 19–24 g of protein per 100 kcal, with cooked shrimp and cod on top at 24 g. Haddock, canned tuna, roast turkey breast and egg whites follow. Each figure comes from a USDA record, such as cooked shrimp. In my book a high protein low calorie food starts at 15 g per 100 kcal. The table below shows which foods clear that line.

What counts as a high protein low calorie food?

I chose the number because it is easy to check. Divide the protein grams by the calories and multiply by 100, and a result of 15 or more clears my line. Protein carries 4 kcal per gram, which the FAO gives as 17 kJ (4.0 kcal). At 15 g per 100 kcal, protein supplies roughly 60 kcal of every 100, or 60% of the food’s energy. A whole day doesn’t need to look like that. The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range is 10–35% of calories from protein, and it describes a day, not one food.

The line helps me find lean protein foods, and I don’t treat it as a rule.

Which foods give the most protein for the calories?

Cooked fish, shellfish, turkey and egg whites do. The table ranks fourteen foods by protein per 100 kcal, from most to least. Each row uses one USDA record, and the portion is the one the record lists where it has one. I picked the gram weights for chicken, egg whites and cottage cheese.

Food (state)	Portion	Protein	Energy	Protein per 100 kcal
Cod, Pacific (cooked)	85 g (3 oz)	17.4 g	71 kcal	24.3 g
Shrimp (cooked)	85 g (3 oz)	20.4 g	84 kcal	24.2 g
Haddock (cooked)	150 g (1 fillet)	30.0 g	135 kcal	22.2 g
Tuna, light, canned in water (drained)	107 g (1 can)	20.3 g	96 kcal	21.1 g
Turkey breast (roasted)	85 g (3 oz)	25.6 g	125 kcal	20.5 g
Egg whites (raw, large)	102 g (3 whites)	10.9 g	56 kcal	19.5 g
Chicken breast (braised)	100 g	32.1 g	166 kcal	19.3 g
Cottage cheese, 1% fat	113 g (4 oz)	14.0 g	81 kcal	17.2 g
Greek yogurt, nonfat	156 g (1 container)	16.1 g	95 kcal	16.9 g
Tofu, firm (raw)	126 g (half a cup)	21.8 g	181 kcal	12.0 g
Edamame (frozen, prepared)	155 g (1 cup)	18.5 g	188 kcal	9.8 g
Skim milk	247 g (1 cup)	8.4 g	86 kcal	9.7 g
Lentils (boiled)	198 g (1 cup)	17.9 g	230 kcal	7.8 g
Black beans (boiled)	172 g (1 cup)	15.2 g	227 kcal	6.7 g

Nine foods clear the 15 g line. Cod and shrimp sit at the top, with 97% of their energy coming from protein by the 4 kcal rule. Chicken breast sits mid-table at 19.3 g per 100 kcal, but its 100 g portion holds 32.1 g of protein, more than any other row.

Raw and cooked entries differ by more than you might expect. Raw shrimp has 15.6 g of protein per 100 g, while cooked shrimp has 24.0 g, because cooking removes water.

Tuna has its own trap. The USDA lists 142 g for the whole can and 107 g of drained solids. The table’s protein is for the drained part. Match the record to your scale. Eating out? High protein fast food sorts 20 chain orders by protein per 100 calories.

Which high protein foods are not low in calories?

Eggs, cheese, nuts and nut butter bring plenty of protein and plenty of energy. The same 100 kcal that buys 24 g of protein in shrimp buys only 6 g in cheddar, which is why cheese stays a flavor and not a main source for me. Six foods that miss the line are below, each at 100 kcal.

Food	Grams in 100 kcal	Protein in 100 kcal
Pork loin, roasted	48 g	13.7 g
Mozzarella, part skim	39 g	9.6 g
Whole egg, large	68 g	8.4 g
Cheddar	25 g	5.7 g
Peanut butter, creamy	17 g	4.1 g
Almonds, raw	17 g	3.7 g

Almonds carry 10.8 g of fiber per 100 g. They are only a slow way to get protein per calorie, which is all the 15 g line measures. It says nothing about taste, price or how a food fits your day. If fat is what you count instead, high protein low fat foods sorts a similar set by that.

Do plant foods count as high protein low calorie foods?

Not by my 15 g line, though the soy foods come closest. Tofu reaches 12.0 g per 100 kcal, edamame 9.8 g and boiled lentils 7.8 g. Their edge is fiber. Lentils have 7.9 g per 100 g and edamame 5.2 g, and the animal foods in the table list none.

The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines tell adults to eat a variety of protein foods. The list runs from eggs, poultry and seafood to beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy. A plant-based day can reach the same grams. It takes more food. I count plant protein in grams like any other, and I don’t judge it by the 15 g line.

How do I use the list this week?

For scale, the Guidelines set protein at 1.2–1.6 g per kg of body weight a day. That’s 84–112 g for a 70 kg (154 lb) adult, and how much protein should I eat a day shows where the range comes from. A portion of cod or shrimp from the table gives 17–20 g, so each fills part of the day and not the whole of it.

Put your height and weight into the protein calculator. It applies the same 1.2–1.6 g/kg range.

Pick two or three foods from the top of the table that you already like and swap them in where a higher-calorie choice sits now. Then run the check on your own staples. Take the protein and kcal from the label or the database, divide protein by kcal and multiply by 100. Anything under 8 g per 100 kcal is a food you eat for other reasons, and that’s fine. For these foods on a plate, see low calorie high protein meals.

With kidney disease, a list ranked by protein density is the wrong place to start until your doctor has set a target.

If counting calories has started to feel hard to stop, or eating feels out of control, talk to someone: ANAD in the US (1-888-375-7767), Beat in England (0808 801 0677), NEDIC in Canada (1-866-633-4220) or the Butterfly Foundation in Australia (1800 33 4673). If you’re in danger right now, call your local emergency number. Other UK numbers and crisis lines are on our crisis support page.