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Nutrient comparisonUSDA survey foods

Protein in common meals: compare USDA values

Protein numbers become easier to compare when the denominator stays visible. This guide ranks source records by grams of protein per 100 grams, then shows the USDA serving beside that density measure so you can inspect both concentration and portion context.

Read the rank carefully

Concentration and portion answer different questions.

The FDA generally does not require a percent Daily Value for protein on adult food labels, and protein quality is not represented by grams alone. Treat this as a food-record comparison rather than a complete judgment of a meal.

Boundary: A protein-dense record is not automatically a balanced meal, and the source description may differ from the recipe or portion in front of you.

USDA comparison

Records with more protein per 100 grams

The list surfaces the strongest values in this specific survey-food corpus. Open any row to see household portions, the full nutrient panel, uncertainty factors, and the exact FoodData Central record.

Rank and foodPer 100 gPer source servingServing context
01Nutritional powder mix (EAS Whey Protein Powder)Beans, nuts & protein foods 66.7 g 26 g Typical reported amount150 kcal in that serving
02Pork skin rindsMeat & poultry 61.3 g 18.4 g Typical reported amount163 kcal in that serving
03Nutritional powder mix (Isopure)Beans, nuts & protein foods 58.1 g 50.5 g Typical reported amount312 kcal in that serving
04Nutritional powder mix, high protein (Herbalife)Beans, nuts & protein foods 53.6 g 13.4 g Typical reported amount98 kcal in that serving
05Textured vegetable protein, dryBeans, nuts & protein foods 51.1 g 8.7 g Typical reported amount62 kcal in that serving
06Shrimp, driedFish & seafood 51 g 43.4 g Typical reported amount213 kcal in that serving
07Nutritional powder mix, light (Muscle Milk)Beans, nuts & protein foods 50 g 25 g Typical reported amount198 kcal in that serving
08Nutritional powder mix (EAS Soy Protein Powder)Beans, nuts & protein foods 47.6 g 20.9 g Typical reported amount178 kcal in that serving
09Nutritional powder mix (Muscle Milk)Beans, nuts & protein foods 45.7 g 32 g Typical reported amount288 kcal in that serving
10Soy nutsBeans, nuts & protein foods 38.6 g 10.8 g Typical reported amount131 kcal in that serving
11Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cookedMeat & poultry 37 g 4.8 g Typical reported amount70 kcal in that serving
12Pork bacon, smoked or cured, reduced sodium, cookedMeat & poultry 37 g 5.9 g Typical reported amount87 kcal in that serving
13Nutritional powder mix, sugar free (Carnation Instant Breakfast)Beans, nuts & protein foods 35.8 g 7.2 g Typical reported amount72 kcal in that serving
14Bacon or side pork, fresh, cookedMeat & poultry 33.9 g 5.4 g Typical reported amount75 kcal in that serving
15Pork bacon, smoked or cured, cookedMeat & poultry 33.9 g 5.4 g Typical reported amount75 kcal in that serving
16Beef jerkyMeat & poultry 33.2 g 10 g Typical reported amount123 kcal in that serving
17Cheese, Cheddar, nonfat or fat freeDairy 32.1 g 6.7 g Typical reported amount33 kcal in that serving
18Cheese, Mozzarella, nonfat or fat freeDairy 31.7 g 6.7 g Typical reported amount30 kcal in that serving
19Beef, bacon, cookedMeat & poultry 31.3 g 4.1 g Typical reported amount58 kcal in that serving
20Beef, dried, chipped, uncookedMeat & poultry 31.1 g 12.4 g Typical reported amount61 kcal in that serving
21Beef, steak, tenderloinMeat & poultry 30.5 g 48.8 g Typical reported amount314 kcal in that serving
22Fish, tuna, cookedFish & seafood 30.3 g 27.3 g Typical reported amount158 kcal in that serving
23Chicken breast, baked, broiled, or roasted, skin not eaten, from rawMeat & poultry 30.2 g 36.2 g Typical reported amount193 kcal in that serving
24Cheese, GruyereDairy 29.8 g 6.3 g Typical reported amount87 kcal in that serving
25Pumpkin seeds, unsaltedBeans, nuts & protein foods 29.8 g 8.3 g Typical reported amount161 kcal in that serving
26Beef, steak, roundMeat & poultry 29.7 g 47.5 g Typical reported amount266 kcal in that serving
27Chicken breast, baked or broiled, skin not eaten, from fast food / restaurantMeat & poultry 29.6 g 35.5 g Typical reported amount211 kcal in that serving
28Chicken breast, baked, coated, skin / coating not eatenMeat & poultry 29.6 g 35.5 g Typical reported amount211 kcal in that serving
29Chicken breast, fried, coated, skin / coating not eaten, from pre-cookedMeat & poultry 29.6 g 35.5 g Typical reported amount211 kcal in that serving
30Chicken breast, fried, coated, skin / coating not eaten, from rawMeat & poultry 29.6 g 35.5 g Typical reported amount211 kcal in that serving
31Chicken breast, grilled without sauce, skin not eatenMeat & poultry 29.6 g 35.5 g Typical reported amount211 kcal in that serving
32Chicken breast, sauteed, skin not eatenMeat & poultry 29.6 g 35.5 g Typical reported amount211 kcal in that serving
33Pumpkin seeds, saltedBeans, nuts & protein foods 29.5 g 8.3 g Typical reported amount159 kcal in that serving
34Turkey bacon, cookedMeat & poultry 29.5 g 6.5 g Typical reported amount81 kcal in that serving
35Beef, brisketMeat & poultry 29.4 g 17.6 g Typical reported amount139 kcal in that serving
36Beef, roastMeat & poultry 29.1 g 17.5 g Typical reported amount124 kcal in that serving

This is a descriptive ranking, not a list of recommended portions. Values are rounded for readability; each linked profile retains the source details.

A three-step comparison

Move from a ranked record to your actual meal.

  1. 01

    Match the description

    Open the closest record and check its exact USDA food description, ingredients implied by the name, and preparation style.

  2. 02

    Match the amount

    Use the household portions or gram calculator instead of assuming the database's source serving equals what you ate.

  3. 03

    Add what the record misses

    Brands, recipes, sauces, cooking fat, fortification, and substitutions can move protein and the rest of the nutrient profile.

Why two versions of the same meal can differ

Food names are useful search labels, not complete recipes. A restaurant dish, homemade version, frozen entrée, and school meal may share a familiar name while using different ingredients and portions. Water loss during cooking can also raise the amount per 100 grams without adding more of the nutrient to the original ingredients.

USDA survey-food records are valuable because they provide a traceable comparison point. They do not remove normal variation. For a packaged item, use the current label; for a homemade dish, a weighed recipe can be more specific than a generic record; for an unweighed plate, keep the result as an estimate.

Daily Value is context, not a prescription

This page emphasizes the reported amount rather than turning it into a personalized target. A single nutrient value should be interpreted alongside the whole meal and the person's actual context.

For the labeling framework, see the FDA's Daily Value guide. For corpus provenance and calculations, read Feast's nutrition-page methodology.

Common questions

Using this comparison responsibly

What does protein per 100 grams mean?

It is the amount of protein in 100 grams of the USDA reference food. Holding weight constant helps compare concentration, but it does not describe the amount in every person's serving.

Does a higher protein rank mean a meal is better?

No. The rank describes one nutrient relative to food weight. It does not score the whole meal, account for individual needs, or replace the serving, ingredient, and preparation context.

Will my meal match the USDA value?

Not necessarily. Recipe, brand, cooking method, additions, and portion weight can all change the total. Use the linked profile as a reference and compare its exact description with your food.