High Protein Nuts: Protein per 28 g From USDA Data

Of all the high protein nuts, peanuts lead: 28 g (about 1 oz) of raw peanuts gives 6.5 g of protein. Almonds come next with 6.0 g, then pistachios with 5.7 g. The catch is calories. A 28 g handful of any nut costs roughly 150 to 200 kcal, so nuts are a snack that adds some protein, not a main protein source.

Which high protein nuts have the most protein?

Three win, in this order: peanuts, almonds and pistachios. The table uses raw nuts from USDA FoodData Central at one serving of 28 g.

Nut, raw	Protein in 28 g (about 1 oz)	Energy in 28 g	Protein per 100 g	Protein per 100 kcal
Peanuts	6.5 g	154 kcal	23.2 g	4.2 g
Almonds	6.0 g	163 kcal	21.5 g	3.7 g
Pistachios	5.7 g	157 kcal	20.5 g	3.7 g
Cashews	4.9 g	149 kcal	17.4 g	3.3 g
Pine nuts	4.4 g	180 kcal	15.7 g	2.4 g
Brazil nuts	4.2 g	174 kcal	15.0 g	2.4 g
Walnuts	4.1 g	190 kcal	14.6 g	2.1 g
Hazelnuts	3.8 g	169 kcal	13.5 g	2.2 g
Pecans	2.8 g	196 kcal	10.0 g	1.4 g
Macadamia nuts	2.2 g	187 kcal	7.8 g	1.2 g
Pumpkin seeds (a seed, for comparison)	8.4 g	144 kcal	29.9 g	5.8 g

The records give no handful weight, so 28 g is my pick and the math is plain: each record’s protein per 100 g, scaled down. Peanuts are on the list because shoppers treat them as nuts. Pumpkin seeds sit at the bottom to show what a seed does.

Now read the last column. Protein per 100 kcal sorts the list a different way. Macadamia nuts and pecans give the least protein for their energy, and walnuts sit in the bottom half too. If protein is the goal, buy from the top three rows. Walnuts and pecans can stay in the cupboard, but don’t count them toward protein.

Do nuts give enough protein per calorie?

No. Raw peanuts need 86 g of food to reach 20 g of protein, and that food carries 475 kcal. Braised chicken breast needs 62 g and 103 kcal.

Food	Weight for 20 g of protein	Energy in that weight
Peanuts	86 g	475 kcal
Almonds	93 g	544 kcal
Pumpkin seeds	67 g	344 kcal
Chicken breast, braised	62 g	103 kcal
Light tuna in water, drained	105 g	95 kcal
Nonfat Greek yogurt	194 g	118 kcal
Firm tofu	116 g	167 kcal

Most of those calories come from fat. The peanut record lists 43.3 g of fat per 100 g. At 9 kcal per gram that is 390 of the 551 kcal, or about 71%.

For a whole day the gap grows. A 70 kg adult at the low end of the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines goal of 1.2 g per kg needs 84 g. From raw almonds alone that is 392 g of nuts and 2,285 kcal, far more than anyone would sit down to. Plan nuts as a top-up of 5 to 10 g. Other foods do the rest. The daily target that top-up sits inside is in how much protein you should eat a day.

Does roasting or peanut butter change the numbers?

A little. Take almonds: raw ones have 21.5 g of protein and 584 kcal per 100 g, while the dry roasted salted almonds record has 20.4 g and 621 kcal. That’s a bit less protein and more energy, and protein per 100 kcal drops to 3.3 g from 3.7 g raw. The two records are different samples, so read the gap as a rough guide.

Peanut butter doesn’t change the picture. The smooth peanut butter with salt record gives 22.5 g of protein per 100 g. Two tablespoons, which the record weighs at 32 g, have 7.2 g of protein and 191 kcal.

Log the product you have. Raw, roasted and butter are three different entries, and a label on a salted or sweetened pack will differ from these records.

What about mixed nuts and trail mix?

They land below the best single nuts. Dry roasted mixed nuts with peanuts, no salt give 5.5 g of protein and 170 kcal in 28 g. That is 3.2 g per 100 kcal. Regular trail mix gives 3.9 g and 129 kcal in the same weight, or 3.0 g per 100 kcal, because dried fruit adds little protein, as the high protein fruits numbers show. Both are fine snacks. Neither is a shortcut to a protein target. Your pack may not match the record, so read its label. If you want crunch without nuts, high protein chips are made of cheese or meat, which is a different trade.

How do I put nuts into a protein day?

Pair them with a food that carries more protein per calorie. The Dietary Guidelines list nuts among the plant-sourced protein foods, next to beans, peas, lentils, seeds and soy. They ask for variety.

Snack	Protein	Energy
Nonfat Greek yogurt, 156 g, plus 28 g almonds	22.1 g	259 kcal
Lowfat cottage cheese, 1 cup (220 g), plus 28 g pistachios	29.9 g	342 kcal
2 large eggs (100.6 g) plus 28 g peanuts	19.0 g	302 kcal

I use the first row most afternoons: yogurt in a bowl, almonds weighed on top. What keeps this honest is the scale. In my kitchen, eating from the bag turns one portion into two without a sound, and that doubles the calories. Put a portion in a bowl and close the bag. A spoonful of almonds also works on top of high protein French toast.

To turn the 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg range into grams for your own height and weight, use the protein calculator. It won’t give you less than 60 g.

If you’ve got a peanut or tree nut allergy, this list isn’t for you. Lean on seeds and the animal and legume foods in the second table, and ask your doctor what is safe for you.

When you log a handful, type the weight. Calsa takes “almonds 28 g” in one line, and the entry shows its source and the math behind the number, per 100 g × grams.