Protein: How much protein is in the food I'm eating?
Return to Wellness and Self-Care
Below is a list of protein contents for many common foods. For more information about fish that is healthy for you and the environment, click to see Natural Qi's Safe Fish page.
Also get some healthy, delicious recipes for preparing nutrient-rich food from some of Natural Qi's Past Newsletters! Enjoy!
Protein in Common Meats
| Meat & Serving Size | Protein Grams |
| Hamburger - 4 oz | 28 |
| Steak - 6 oz | 42 |
| Most Beef per ounce | 7 |
| Chicken Breast - 3.5 oz | 30 |
| Chicken Drumstick | 11 |
| Most Fish per ounce | 6 |
| Tuna - 6 oz | 40 |
| Pork Chop | 22 |
| Ham - 3 oz | 19 |
| Bacon - 1 slice | 3 |
Protein in Eggs and Dairy
| Food & Serving Size | Protein Grams |
| Egg - large | 6 |
| Milk - 1 cup | 8 |
| Cottage Cheese - 1/2 cup | 15 |
| Yogurt | 8-12 |
| Mozarella Cheese - 1 oz | 6 |
| Soft Cheeses (ex: Brie) - 1 oz | 6 |
| Medium Firmness Cheeses - 1 oz | 7-8 |
| Cheddar Cheese - 1 oz | 7-8 |
| Swiss Cheese - 1 oz | 7-8 |
| Hard Cheeses (ex:Parmesan) - 1 oz | 10 |
Protein in Beans
| Beans (cooked) 1 cup | Protein grams |
| Adzuki (Aduki) | 17 |
| Anasazi | 15 |
| Black Beans | 15 |
| Black-eyed Peas | 14 |
| Cannellini (White Beans) | 17 |
| Cranberry Bean | 17 |
| Fava Beans | 13 |
| Garbanzo (chickpeas) | 15 |
| Great Northern Beans | 15 |
| Green Peas (whole) | 9 |
| Kidney Beans | 15 |
| Lentils | 18 |
| Lima Beans | 15 |
| Mung Beans | 14 |
| Navy Beans | 16 |
| Pink Beans | 15 |
| Pinto Beans | 14 |
| Soybeans | 29 |
| Split Peas | 16 |
Protein in Raw Nuts and Seeds
| Nut/Seed (1/4 cup) | Protein Grams |
| Almond | 7 |
| Brazil Nut | 5 |
| Cashew | 4 |
| Chestnut | 1 |
| Coconut (shredded) | 2 |
| Filbert/Hazelnut | 5 |
| Flax Seed | 5 |
| Macadamia | 2 |
| Peanut | 8 |
| Pecan | 2 |
| Pine Nut | 4 |
| Pistachio | 6 |
| Pumpkin Seed | 7 |
| Sesame Seed | 7 |
| Soynut | 10 |
| Sunflower Seed | 8 |
| Walnut | 5 |
Protein in Grains
| Grain 1 cup (cooked) | Protein Grams |
| Amaranth | 7 |
| Barley, pearled | 4-5 |
| Barley, flakes | 4 |
| Buckwheat groats | 5-6 |
| Cornmeal (fine grind) | 3 |
| Cornmeal (polenta, coarse) | 3 |
| Millet, hulled | 8-9 |
| Oat Groats | 6 |
| Oat, bran | 7 |
| Quinoa | 5 |
| Rice, brown | 3-5 |
| Rice, white | 4 |
| Rice, wild | 7 |
| Rye, berries | 7 |
| Rye, flakes | 6 |
| Spelt, berries | 5 |
| Teff | 6 |
| Triticale | 25 |
| Wheat, whole berries | 6-9 |
| Couscous, whole wheat | 6 |
| Wheat, bulgur | 5-6 |
Protein in Meat Substitutes
| Product, Serving Size | Protein Grams | |
| Boca Burger-Vegan | 13 | |
| Garden Vegan Veg. Patties | 9 | |
| Health is Wealth Chicken-free Patties | 14 | |
| Health is Wealth Yummie Burger | 12 | |
| Lightlife Gimme Lean | 8 | |
| Lightlife Smart Cutlets | 26 | |
| Seasoned Chicken | ||
| Lightlife Smart Deli Combos | 17 | |
| Smart Dogs | 9 | |
|
7 | |
| Morningstar Farms Orig. Grillers | 15 | |
| Nate's Meatless Meatballs (3) | 10 | |
| Natural Touch Vegan Burger | 11 | |
| Natural Touch Veggie Medley | 11 | |
| SoyBoy Vegan Okara Burger | 13 | |
| SoyBoy Vegetarian Franks | 11 | |
| Starlite Cuisine Soy Taquitos | 7 | |
| White Wave Seitan | 31 | |
| Whole Foods 365 Meat Free | 13 | |
| Vegan Burger | ||
| Yves Canadian Veggie Bacon (3 slices) | 17 | |
| Yves Veggie Burger | 16 | |
| Yves Veggie Chick'n Burger | 17 | |
| Yves Veggie Hot Dog | 11 |
Protein in Nut Butters
| Nut/Seed (2 Tablespoons) | Protein Grams |
| Almond | 5-8 |
| Cashew | 4-5 |
| Peanut | 7-9 |
| Sesame Tahini | 6 |
| Soy Nut | 6-7 |
Protein in Milk Substitutes
| 1 Cup | Protein Grams |
| Soy - Regular | 6-9 |
| Soy - Low/Nonfat | 4 |
| Rice | 1 |
| Rice and Soy | 7 |
| Almond | 1-2 |
| Oat | 4 |
| Multigrain | 5 |
Protein in Soy Products
| Product & Serving Size | Protein Grams |
| Tofu Med-Extra Firm 3 oz. | 7-12 |
| Tofu Soft or Silken 3 oz. | 4-6 |
| Tempeh | 12-20 |
| Textured Vegetable Protein 1/4 cup | 10-12 |
Protein in Fresh Vegetables
| Vegetable Serving (cooked) | Protein Grams |
| Artichoke - medium sized | 4 |
| Asparagus - 5 spears | 2 |
| Beans (string) - 1 cup | 2 |
|
Beets - 1/2 cup |
1 |
| Broccoli - 1/2 cup | 2 |
| Brussels Sprouts - 1/2 cup | 2 |
| Cabbage - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Carrot - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Cauliflower - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Celery - 1 cup | 1 |
| Chard, Swiss - 1 cup | 3 |
| Collards - 1 cup | 4 |
| Corn, Sweet - 1 large cob | 5 |
| Cucumber - 1 cup | 1 |
| Eggplant - 1 cup | 1 |
| Kale - 1 cup | 2.5 |
| Leeks - 1 cup | 1 |
| Lettuce - 1 cup | 1 |
| Okra - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Onion - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Parsnip - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Peas - 1/2 cup | 4 |
| Peppers, bell - 1/2 cup | 1 |
| Potato, baked with skin | 5 |
| Radish - 1 cup | 1 |
| Rhubarb - 1 cup | 1 |
| Spinach - 1 cup | 1 |
| Squash, Summer - 1 cup | 2 |
| Squash, Winter - 1 cup | 2 |
| Sweet Potato - 1 cup | 3 |
| Tomato - 1 medium | 1 |
| Turnip - 1 cup | 1 |
Protein in Fruits
| Fruit & Serving Size | Protein Grams |
| Apple - 2 | 0 |
| Apricot - 1 medium | 0 |
| Avocado - 1 medium | 4 |
| Banana - 1 | 1-2 |
| Blackberry - 1 cup | 2 |
| Blueberry - 1 cup | 1 |
| Cantaloupe - 1 cup | 1 |
| Cherry - 1 cup | 1 |
| Cranberry - 1 cup | 0 |
| Currant - 1 cup | 2 |
| Date (pitted) - 1/4 cup | 1 |
| Fig - 1 | 0 |
| Grape - 1 cup | 1 |
| Grapefruit - 1/2 | 1 |
| Guava - medium | 1 |
| Honeydew - 1 cup | 1 |
| Jackfruit - 1 cup | 2 |
| Kiwi - 1 large | 1 |
| Lemon - 1 | 1 |
| Lime - 1 | 0 |
| Mango - 1 | 1 |
| Nectarine - 1 | 1 |
| Orange - 1 | 1 |
| Papaya - 1 cup | 1 |
| Peach - 1 | 1 |
| Pear - 1 | 1 |
| Pineapple - 1 cup | 1 |
| Plum - 1 | 1 |
| Pomegranate - 1 | 1.5 |
| Raspberry - 1 cup | 1 |
| Star Fruit - 1 cup | 1 |
| Strawberry - 1 cup | 1 |
| Tangerine - 1 | 1 |
| Watermelon - 1 cup | 1 |
protein chart from: reactivepec.com/article/The%20Ultimate%20Protein%20Chart.doc