In response to the question of "Where do you get your protein?," I put together this chart of the top animal and plant based sources of protein. You can see a list of more plant based options here.
The first column lists the food. The second has how many grams of protein are in 1 cup of the food. The third has how many calories you'll consume in the 1 cup and the fourth has how many of those calories are from protein. The final column determines how many grams of protein are in 100 calories of the item.
You can sort each column to see foods in alphabetical order, or the highest and lowest value in each column.
Not all of these foods can be consumed in 1 cup increments. I can only use about 1 teaspoon of spirulina in a smoothie before the taste is too overpowering. Also, one cup of nut butters are a lot of calories.
| Food (1 Cup) | Protein (Grams) | Calories (kcal) | % of Protein Calories | Grams Protein in 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zucchini | 1.0 | 14 | 28.6% | 7.1 |
| Yellow Squash | 1.0 | 16 | 25.0% | 6.3 |
| Chard, Swiss | 1.0 | 7 | 57.1% | 14.3 |
| Egg, White | 20 | 100 | 80.0% | 20.0 |
| Watercress | 1.0 | 4 | 57.2% | 14.3 |
| Portobello Mushroom | 2.0 | 20 | 40.0% | 10.0 |
| Spinach | 1.0 | 10 | 40.0% | 10.0 |
| Cauliflower | 1.7 | 21 | 32.4% | 8.1 |
| Mustard Greens | 2.3 | 23 | 40.0% | 10.0 |
| Collard Greens | 1.0 | 11 | 36.4% | 9.1 |
| Arugula | 1.0 | 5 | 80.0% | 20.0 |
| Broccoli | 2.6 | 31 | 33.2% | 8.3 |
| Brussels Sprouts | 2.9 | 37 | 31.4% | 7.8 |
| Asparagus | 3.0 | 27 | 44.4% | 11.1 |
| Kale | 2.5 | 42 | 23.8% | 6.0 |
| Milk, 2% | 8.0 | 122 | 26.2% | 6.6 |
| Yogurt, Greek 2% | 23.0 | 170 | 54.1% | 13.5 |
| Cannellini Beans | 12.0 | 160 | 30.0% | 7.5 |
| Green Peas | 8.0 | 117 | 27.4% | 6.8 |
| Kidney Beans | 13 | 210 | 23.6% | 5.9 |
| Tuna, Light | 22 | 100 | 88.0% | 22.0 |
| Egg, Hard Boiled (each) | 6.3 | 72 | 35.0% | 8.8 |
| Scallops | 14.2 | 74 | 76.8% | 19.2 |
| Cheese, Goat | 5.2 | 76 | 27.4% | 6.8 |
| Lobster | 18.6 | 87 | 85.5% | 21.4 |
| Lentils | 7.7 | 99 | 31.1% | 7.8 |
| Black Beans | 7.5 | 112 | 26.8% | 6.7 |
| Milk, 1% | 8.0 | 122 | 26.2% | 6.6 |
| Pork, Tenderloin | 22.2 | 122 | 72.8% | 18.2 |
| Deer, Loin | 25.7 | 128 | 80.2% | 20.1 |
| Swordfish | 21.6 | 132 | 65.5% | 16.4 |
| Turkey, Light Meat | 25.4 | 134 | 75.8% | 19.0 |
| Chicken, Breast | 27.3 | 139 | 78.6% | 19.6 |
| Elk, Loin | 26.0 | 142 | 73.2% | 18.3 |
| Veal, Loin | 22.4 | 149 | 60.1% | 15.0 |
| Salmon, Atlantic Wild | 21.6 | 155 | 55.7% | 13.9 |
| Lamb, Loin | 22.6 | 172 | 52.6% | 13.1 |
| Chicken, Leg | 25.7 | 181 | 56.8% | 14.2 |
| Cocoa Powder | 17.3 | 189 | 36.6% | 9.2 |
| Beef, T-Bone | 21.0 | 210 | 40.0% | 10.0 |
| Beef, Ground 85% lean | 22.0 | 213 | 41.3% | 10.3 |
| Cheese, Mozzarella Part Skim | 20.7 | 216 | 38.3% | 9.6 |
| Dulse | 17.4 | 226 | 30.8% | 7.7 |
| Turkey, Dark Meat | 40.0 | 262 | 61.1% | 15.3 |
| Maca Root Powder | 18.0 | 270 | 26.7% | 6.7 |
| Chlorella Powder | 56.7 | 283 | 80.1% | 20.0 |
| Spirulina Powder | 48.6 | 304 | 63.9% | 16.0 |
| Nutritional Yeast | 42.5 | 310 | 54.8% | 13.7 |
| Cheese, Cheddar | 21.0 | 339 | 24.8% | 6.2 |
| Pork, Bacon | 31.3 | 461 | 27.2% | 6.8 |