Protein density of foods

In this week’s Nutrition Diva podcast, I talked about the concept of protein density and why it really matters.

Plant-based sources of protein like legumes or nuts often contain a lot of additional calories in the form or carbohydrates and/or fats. It can be challenging to to increase your protein intake using plant-based sources without taking in more calories than you need. This is where the concept of protein density can help. 

We can calculate the protein density of a food by dividing the protein by the calories and multiplying by 100.  Foods with a higher protein density provide more protein per calorie. For example, black beans have a protein density score of 6.6, meaning that 100 calories worth of black beans contains 6.6 grams of protein. Edamame, on the other hand, has protein density of around 10. You get 50% more protein from the same number of calories.  (Although the calories and protein will change with the serving size, the protein density will always remain the same.)

Here is a table of some common foods and their protein density. You can sort this list by any column by clicking on the column header.

FoodAmountWeight (g)Protein (g)CaloriesProtein density
Soy protein isolate1 scoop28259526.3
Whey protein isolate1 scoop282510025
Egg white1 large333.601721.2
Chicken breast3 oz8526.0014018.6
Cottage cheese, lowfat1/2 cup11314.008117.3
Steak, sirloin, broiled3 oz8525.7516016.1
Tuna, white, canned3 oz8522.5515814.3
Bok choi, cooked1 cup1702.652013.3
Hamburger, 90% lean, broiled3 oz8522.1918412.1
Tofu, firm1/2 cup12621.7618112.0
Mushrooms, grilled1 cup1213.973511.3
Pork loin, broiled3 oz8523.2220611.3
Turnip greens, cooked1 cup1444.003611.1
Salmon, baked3 oz8519.0017510.9
Asparagus, cooked1 cup1804.324010.8
Broccoli, cooked1 cup1564.384110.7
Edamame1 cup11813.2412910.3
Bean sprouts1 cup1242.52269.7
Cauliflower, raw1 cup641.89209.5
Kale, cooked1 cup671.78199.4
Egg , whole1 large506.28728.7
Yogurt, plain, low fat1 container (6 oz)1708.931078.3
Collards, cooked1 cup1905.15638.2
Mozzarella, part skim1 oz286.67838.1
Lentils, cooked1 cup198182307.8
Brussels sprouts, raw1 cup882.97387.8
Zucchini, cooked1 cup1802.05277.6
Provolone cheese1 oz287.19997.3
Swiss cheese1 oz287.571107.3
Snow peas1 cup982.74416.7
Black beans, cooked1 cup24014.472186.6
Artichoke, cooked1 medium1203.5615.73
Yogurt, plain, whole milk1 container (6 oz)1705.901045.7
Cheddar, cheese1 oz286.421135.7
Lima beans, cooked1 cup17011.582095.5
Cheese, feta1 oz283.99745.4
Green beans, cooked1 cup1352.01385.3
Pumpkin seeds, roasted1 oz288.381615.2
Milk, whole1 cup2448.001565.1
Tomatoes, canned1 cup2401.90385.0
Bread, whole wheat1 slice324.00814.9
Vegetable juice, canned1 cup2532.35564.2
Peanuts, roasted1 oz286.841654.1
Pasta, whole wheat, cooked1 cup1177.001744.0
Amaranth, cooked 1 cup2469.352513.7
Pasta, cooked1 cup1247.191963.7
Quinoa, cooked1 cup1858.002223.6
Almonds, roasted1 oz285.901683.5
Corn, yellow1 cup1364.111203.4
Egg noodles, cooked1 cup1607.262213.3
Baked potato1 potato2997.862842.8
Sunflower seeds, roasted1 oz284.801732.8
Rice, brown, cooked1 cup2025.532482.2
Butternut squash, backed1 cup2051.84822.2
Sweet potato, baked1 potato1142.291032.2
Rice, white, cooked1 cup1584.252052.1
Hummus2 tablespoons282702.8

14 thoughts on “Protein density of foods

  1. I’ve been looking for something like this without even knowing it existed…thanks for providing this!

  2. I saw that egg whites where at the top of this list. Fun fact: the dutch word for protein is actually “eiwit”, that translates to egg white!

  3. Thank you so much for this info. How can i respond to a nutritionist that claims a potato has no protein?

    1. Give them a link to a nutritent database? Then again, maybe a nutritionist who believes that potatoes have no protein requires no further response. It’s not a difficult data point to find. Anyone with an internet connection can do it.

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