Surprisingly High Protein Foods

Surprisingly High Protein Foods


August 20, 2024 | Jesse Singer

Surprisingly High Protein Foods


Hit Your Protein Number

There's a lot of talk these days about the importance of protein in our diet and getting the enough of it into our bodies on a daily basis. But whatever your protein number is, reaching it every day may seem quite daunting. 

So, here are a bunch of high-protein food options for you to choose from. Also, don't worry all you vegetarians—there are plenty of good non-meat choices. Even Vegans will find some great options here.

Woman And Protein

Salmon

Along with some good Omega-3 fatty acids, salmon provides 39g of protein per 178g filet.

salmon dishSebastian Coman Photography, Pexels

Advertisement

Tuna

One 107g can of this delicious chicken of the sea comes with a little more than 20g of protein. But what about the chicken of the land? 

Canned tuna in bowlAndrey Starostin, Shutterstock

Greek Yogurt

You will see some variances depending on the brand, but in general about 1 cup of greek yogurt gets you up around 15-20g of protein.

Greek yogurt in a wooden bowlSmart Calendar, Shutterstock

Chicken Breast

Less fatty than its dark-meat counterpart, a 100g skinless chicken breast has 22.5 grams of protein.

Chicken BreastSteve Johnson, Flickr

Advertisement

Beef

You want to be careful about eating too much saturated fat, so consume your beef in moderation and if you can stick to leaner beef that's better for your overall health as well. 

As for the protein, a 3-ounce serving gets you about 21 grams.

Beefniindo, Shutterstock

Milk

For those without an intolerance to lactose, milk provides a nice protein hit with 8 grams of protein per cup.

Glass of milkAlexas Fotos, Pexels

Lima Beans

Avoiding animals and animal products altogether? Well, that doesn't mean you have to avoid protein. Lima Beans for example will fill your body with almost 12g of protein per cup.

Lima Beanlisa-skvo, Shutterstock

Advertisement

Oats

Remember that instant oatmeal can come with stuff you don't want like extra sugar and such. However, on their own, a cup of oats gives you a solid 10.7g of protein.

oatsJuliet King, Pexels

Spirulina

Often found in powdered form and a good option to up your smoothie game, spirulina has over 64g of protein per cup. Although, a cup is a whole lot of the stuff, with a regular serving being more in the 1-2 tablespoon range.

A wooden bowl filled with spirulina powderImageInventory, Shutterstock

Hemp Seeds

Why not add some hemp seeds to your morning smoothie also? Just three tablespoons adds almost 10g of protein to your concoction.

Hemp Seeds ProteinMPart4, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Advertisement

Guava

You might not think of fruits as being high in protein, but Guava is one that actually provides a decent hit of the stuff. About 4g per cup.

Guavasha ima, Pexels

Lentils

Cook up a cup of lentils and you're cooking up just under 18g of protein.

red lentilsMART PRODUCTION, Pexels

Pork

The "other white meat" comes with a solid 19g of protein per 4-ounce serving.

PorkMatthias Zomer, Pexels

Advertisement

Spelt

Try using spelt flour instead of regular flour in your next recipe and enjoy 14.5g of protein per 100g.  

Spelt FlourBasotxerri, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Turkey

One thing to be thankful for next thanksgiving is the 25.6g of protein for every 4 ounces of turkey you scarf down.

roasted turkey on wooden trayMonstera Production, Pexels

Cottage Cheese

Not everyone loves the texture, but you gotta love the 12.5g of protein per 4 ounces of cottage cheese.

salad  with cottage cheeseKarolina Kaboompics, Pexels

Advertisement

Eggs

Eggs aren't just for breakfast anymore. But whenever you eat them you're getting about 6g of protein per large egg.

Hard boiled eggs on a wooden plateLisa Williams, Flickr

Pumpkin Seeds

Turns out jack-o-lanterns provide both scares and protein. A cup of those pumpkin seeds bring 13.7g of protein along with them.

Pumpkin SeedsJoão Jesus, Pexels

Tempeh

One of the best vegan options out there, 100g of tempeh provides a whopping 20.3g of protein.

TempehVeganbaking.net, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons


READ MORE

June 11, 2025 | Jane O'Shea

Tips For Baking With Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour can add nutrition and flavor to your baked goods, but it acts differently from all-purpose flour. We review some tips to help you get the best results out of your whole wheat baking.
June 10, 2025 | Alex Summers

Get Your Pasta "Al Dente" Every Time

Al dente is the perfect consistency to aim for when cooking pasta. We look at some basic but essential steps to avoid the all-too-common problem of mushy, overcooked pasta.
April 1, 2025 | Jane O'Shea

The Best Savory Desserts

If you want to try something less sweet for dessert, check out these savory delights.
Toomuchsaltinternal
April 1, 2025 | Penelope Singh

Are You Adding Too Much Salt To Your Food?

You May Think You've Ruined Your Dish With Too Much Salt, But There's Some Tricks You Can Use To Fix It
April 1, 2025 | Penelope Singh

How To Bake A Moist Cake

While A Cake Might Smell Delicious Fresh Out Of The Oven, The Real Question On Everyone's Mind Is: Is It Moist?
March 12, 2025 | Sammy Tran

Sweden’s National Dish: A Worldwide Delight

Swedish cuisine boasts a wide range of delicious dishes representing the best of the nation’s fascinating culture, but there’s one dish that rises above the rest.