Feast Get Feast
Menu
Nutrient comparisonUSDA survey foods

Protein in foods and 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.

The shape behind the leaderboard

A rank is easier to interpret when zero and missing stay visible.

Reported zero is a value; missing is the absence of a value in Feast’s panel. The ranking lists only positive records, while these summaries use every reported value—including zero—so a sparse nutrient does not acquire an artificially elevated “typical” value.

Reported-value midpoint6.9 gmedian per 100 g, reported zeros included
90th-percentile boundary19.4 g9 in 10 records with a reported value are at or below this point
Observed maximum66.7 gone exact source record, not a general expectation
Value coverage3,850 / 3,8503,761 positive · 89 zero · 0 missing

Practical food and meal matches

Food and meal records with higher reported protein per 100 grams

This view omits sauces, condiments, beverages, snacks, desserts, powders, isolates, supplements, and dry mixes so a meal-oriented search is not answered by lard, whey powder, or a concentrated sauce. It also caps repeated food families and broad categories before gradually widening the selection, so dozens of near-identical preparations do not crowd out other useful matches. The filter is editorial, not nutritional: excluded records remain valid source data.

Practical food and meal records ranked by protein per 100 grams
Rank and foodPer 100 gPer source servingServing context
01Pork skin rindsMeat & poultry 61.3 g 18.4 g Source amount30 g source weight163 kcal in that amount
02Textured vegetable protein, dryBeans, nuts & protein foods 51.1 g 8.7 g Source amount17 g source weight62 kcal in that amount
03Shrimp, driedFish & seafood 51 g 43.4 g Source amount85 g source weight213 kcal in that amount
04Pork, cracklingsMeat & poultry 45 g 40.5 g Source amount90 g source weight512 kcal in that amount
05Soy nutsBeans, nuts & protein foods 38.6 g 10.8 g Source amount28 g source weight131 kcal in that amount
06Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cookedMeat & poultry 37 g 4.8 g Source amount13 g source weight70 kcal in that amount
07Pork bacon, smoked or cured, reduced sodium, cookedMeat & poultry 37 g 5.9 g Source amount16 g source weight87 kcal in that amount
08Pork jerkyMeat & poultry 35 g 14.7 g Source amount42 g source weight173 kcal in that amount
09Bacon or side pork, fresh, cookedMeat & poultry 33.9 g 5.4 g Source amount16 g source weight75 kcal in that amount
10Pork bacon, smoked or cured, cookedMeat & poultry 33.9 g 5.4 g Source amount16 g source weight75 kcal in that amount
11Beef jerkyMeat & poultry 33.2 g 10 g Source amount30 g source weight123 kcal in that amount
12Pheasant, cookedMeat & poultry 32.3 g 27.5 g Source amount85 g source weight202 kcal in that amount
13Cheese, Cheddar, nonfat or fat freeDairy 32.1 g 6.7 g Source amount21 g source weight33 kcal in that amount
14Cheese, Mozzarella, nonfat or fat freeDairy 31.7 g 6.7 g Source amount21 g source weight30 kcal in that amount
15Beef, bacon, cookedMeat & poultry 31.3 g 4.1 g Source amount13 g source weight58 kcal in that amount
16Turkey, light or dark meat, stewed, skin not eatenMeat & poultry 31.2 g 26.5 g Source amount85 g source weight134 kcal in that amount
17Beef, dried, chipped, uncookedMeat & poultry 31.1 g 12.4 g Source amount40 g source weight61 kcal in that amount
18Fish, tuna, cookedFish & seafood 30.3 g 27.3 g Source amount90 g source weight158 kcal in that amount
19Cheese, Parmesan, dry gratedDairy 29.9 g 1.9 g Source amount6 g source weight26 kcal in that amount
20Cheese, GruyereDairy 29.8 g 6.3 g Source amount21 g source weight87 kcal in that amount
21Pumpkin seeds, unsaltedBeans, nuts & protein foods 29.8 g 8.3 g Source amount28 g source weight161 kcal in that amount
22Pumpkin seeds, saltedBeans, nuts & protein foods 29.5 g 8.3 g Source amount28 g source weight159 kcal in that amount
23Fish, anchovyFish & seafood 28.9 g 24.6 g Source amount85 g source weight179 kcal in that amount
24Cheese, Swiss, nonfat or fat freeDairy 28.4 g 6 g Source amount21 g source weight27 kcal in that amount
25Cheese, Swiss, reduced fatDairy 28.4 g 6 g Source amount21 g source weight38 kcal in that amount
26Cheese, Swiss, reduced sodiumDairy 28.4 g 6 g Source amount21 g source weight79 kcal in that amount
27Cheese, Monterey, reduced fatDairy 28.2 g 5.9 g Source amount21 g source weight66 kcal in that amount
28Peanuts, roasted, saltedBeans, nuts & protein foods 28 g 7.8 g Source amount28 g source weight168 kcal in that amount
29Peanuts, roasted, unsaltedBeans, nuts & protein foods 28 g 7.8 g Source amount28 g source weight168 kcal in that amount
30Cheese, Mozzarella, reduced sodiumDairy 27.5 g 5.8 g Source amount21 g source weight59 kcal in that amount
31Cheese, Cheddar, reduced fatDairy 27.4 g 5.8 g Source amount21 g source weight66 kcal in that amount
32Fish, salmon, grilledFish & seafood 25.9 g 36.3 g Source amount140 g source weight363 kcal in that amount
33Peanut butter, reduced fatBeans, nuts & protein foods 25.9 g 8.3 g Source amount32 g source weight166 kcal in that amount
34Fish, salmon, steamedFish & seafood 25.8 g 36.1 g Source amount140 g source weight332 kcal in that amount
35Peanuts, unroastedBeans, nuts & protein foods 25.8 g 7.2 g Source amount28 g source weight159 kcal in that amount
36Chicken or turkey with teriyakiMixed dishes 25.7 g 47 g Source amount183 g source weight298 kcal in that amount

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

Outside the meal-oriented view

What the practical filter sets aside.

These are the highest reported per-100-gram records excluded from the practical table—not a repetition of foods already shown above. Concentrated fats, powders, sauces, beverages, and snack foods can legitimately lead a composition database while being poor answers to a search for an ordinary meal. Keeping them visible makes the editorial boundary auditable.

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 change the reported protein value and the rest of the nutrient profile.

A concrete denominator reversal

The denser record can still contribute less in its listed serving.

This is why Feast shows both columns. The comparison below is arithmetic from two source records—not a recommended portion and not evidence that one food is healthier.

Higher concentration

Pork skin rinds

61.3 g per 100 g

18.4 g in a 30 g source amount

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 reported amount per 100 grams without adding energy or nutrients 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 label interpretation, see the FDA's Nutrition Facts guide. For corpus provenance and calculations, read Feast's nutrition-page methodology.

Common questions

Using this comparison responsibly

What does a per-100-gram value mean?

It is the reported 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 per-100-gram rank mean a meal is better?

No. The rank describes one energy or nutrient metric 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.

Decision support from the exact records on this page

Turn source data into a better next decision

These conclusions and reading paths are computed from 11 exact records behind Protein ranking landmarks. Links are chosen by record identity, controlled contrast, formulation input, nutrient spread, or serving context—not by loose keyword similarity.

Equal-weight result

Nutritional powder mix (EAS Whey Protein Powder) is higher in protein per 100 g

Nutritional powder mix (EAS Whey Protein Powder) reports 66.7 g versus 27.1 g for Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten: a 39.6 g difference when both are normalized to 100 g.

Inspect the underlying evidence

The denominator changes the answer

Pork skin rinds is denser; Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten is higher in its source amount

Pork skin rinds reports 61.3 g per 100 g and 18.4 g in USDA source amount (30 g). Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten reports a lower 27.1 g per 100 g but a higher 81.3 g in USDA source amount (300 g).

Record identity is part of the estimate

Distinguish “Pork skin rinds” from “Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten”

These are separate USDA records with separate formulations or survey descriptions. Match preparation, additions, and the named household amount before borrowing either record’s nutrients.

Inspect the underlying evidence

Contextual knowledge graph

Follow the relationship that matches your question

For Protein ranking landmarks, each path states why the destination belongs here, so you can distinguish a true evidentiary connection from a merely similar label.

Best next guide for this exact record Beef

Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cooked and Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten are explicitly linked in this guide, which separates direct name matches from contextual variants.

Follow this evidence path Best next guide for this exact record Beef, steak

Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten is explicitly linked in this guide, which separates direct name matches from contextual variants.

Follow this evidence path A formulation detail that separates records Salt, table

USDA input 2047 appears in 2 of 11 context records; its summed listed input weight spans 0.8–3.2 g across those source formulations. These are source-formulation input weights, not plated or serving weights. Follow the code to inspect every represented occurrence.

Follow this evidence path A formulation detail that separates records Crustaceans, shrimp, mixed species, canned

USDA input 15152 appears in 1 of 11 context records; its summed listed input weight spans 100–100 g across those source formulations. These are source-formulation input weights, not plated or serving weights. Follow the code to inspect every represented occurrence.

Follow this evidence path Test a nearby record choice Beef, bacon, cooked vs Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cooked

Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cooked is held as one side of the comparison. The explicit record-description contrast is Sodium wording: No matching controlled term in the source name versus reduced- or low-sodium wording; it is a selection cue, not evidence of cause.

Follow this evidence path Test a nearby record choice Beef, steak, T-bone, lean and fat eaten vs Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten

Beef, steak, T-bone, lean only eaten is held as one side of the comparison. The explicit record-description contrast is Edible fat wording: lean and fat eaten versus lean only eaten; it is a selection cue, not evidence of cause.

Follow this evidence path Put the observed spread in corpus context Dietary fiber: density and serving context

In this page’s records, dietary fiber runs from 0 g in Beef, bacon, reduced sodium, cooked to 17.7 g in Soy nuts, all per 100 g.

Follow this evidence path