Highest protein per calorie foods: the top 20 and what they have in common
The 20 best scores on our leaderboard, and why shakes, yogurt and tuna keep winning.
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Our leaderboard ranks 143 high-protein foods by one number: grams of protein per 100 calories. Here are the top 20 as of today, and what they have in common. Spoiler: it's mostly things you drink.
The top 20
| Rank | Product | Category | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StarKist Light Tuna in Water (2.6 oz pouch) 1 pouch (74 g) | Meals | 17 g | 70 | 24.3 | label |
| 2 | David Protein Milkshake – Vanilla 1 bottle (355 mL) | Shakes | 30 g | 140 | 21.4 | label |
| 3 | Pure Protein Complete Protein Shake – Galactic Brownie Batter 1 bottle | Shakes | 30 g | 140 | 21.4 | label |
| 4 | StarKist Albacore White Tuna in Water (2.6 oz pouch) 1 pouch (74 g) | Meals | 17 g | 80 | 21.2 | label |
| 5 | fairlife Nutrition Plan – Chocolate 1 shake (brand headline) | Shakes | 30 g | 150 | 20.0 | label |
| 6 | fairlife Nutrition Plan – Vanilla 1 shake (brand headline) | Shakes | 30 g | 150 | 20.0 | label |
| 7 | David Protein Milkshake – Chocolate 1 bottle (355 mL) | Shakes | 30 g | 150 | 20.0 | label |
| 8 | Quest 45g Protein Milkshake – Vanilla 1 bottle (14 fl oz) | Shakes | 45 g | 230 | 19.6 | label |
| 9 | Quest 45g Protein Milkshake – Chocolate 1 bottle (14 fl oz) | Shakes | 45 g | 230 | 19.6 | label |
| 10 | Quest 45g Protein Milkshake – Strawberry 1 bottle (14 fl oz) | Shakes | 45 g | 230 | 19.6 | label |
| 11 | Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) 1 item (as listed) | Fast food | 25 g | 130 | 19.2 | label |
| 12 | Oikos Pro Drink – Mango Pineapple 1 bottle (207 mL) | Shakes | 23 g | 120 | 19.2 | label |
| 13 | Oikos Pro Drink – Peach 1 bottle (207 mL) | Shakes | 23 g | 120 | 19.2 | label |
| 14 | Oikos Pro Drink – Strawberry Banana 1 bottle (207 mL) | Shakes | 23 g | 120 | 19.2 | label |
| 15 | siggi's Skyr – Plain Nonfat 3/4 cup (170 g) | Yogurt | 19 g | 100 | 19.0 | label |
| 16 | Premier Protein Protein Shake – Chocolate 1 shake (11.5 fl oz) | Shakes | 30 g | 160 | 18.8 | label |
| 17 | Premier Protein Protein Shake – Vanilla 1 shake (11.5 fl oz) | Shakes | 30 g | 160 | 18.8 | label |
| 18 | Premier Protein Protein Shake – Caramel 1 shake (11.5 fl oz) | Shakes | 30 g | 160 | 18.8 | label |
| 19 | Premier Protein Protein Shake – Strawberries & Cream 1 shake (11.5 fl oz) | Shakes | 30 g | 160 | 18.8 | label |
| 20 | Premier Protein Protein Shake – Cinnamon Roll 1 shake (11.5 fl oz) | Shakes | 30 g | 160 | 18.8 | label |
Products with identical scores are listed one after another in our file order; their order among themselves doesn't mean anything. 1 more product ties with #20 at 18.8 and just miss the cut.
What they have in common
They're mostly shakes. By category, the top 20 is 16 shakes, 2 meals, 1 fast food, 1 yogurt. Ready-to-drink shakes are designed to be nearly all protein, so they dominate any per-calorie ranking.
They're small on calories. Every item in the top 20 is between 70 and 230 calories, and 17 of the 20 are under 200. Protein ranges from 17 g to 45 g. A high score usually means a modest serving that's mostly protein, not a giant portion.
A few product lines take a lot of spots. The 20 entries come from just 11 distinct products once you collapse flavors with identical numbers, and 9 brands. Premier Protein alone has 5 entries because its flavors all share the same label numbers.
The #1 isn't a "protein product" at all. StarKist Light Tuna in Water (2.6 oz pouch) has 17 g of protein for 70 calories, or 24.3. Plain, simple foods can be hard to beat on this metric, which is a good reminder that you don't need anything fancy.
No bars make it. The best bar we track, David Gold Protein Bar – Red Velvet, scores 18.7 and ranks #22. Bars tend to carry more calories from things other than protein. See best protein bars per calorie.
One fast-food item makes it. Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) (19.2) is the only restaurant item in the top 20. See fast-food protein picks.
What the top 20 doesn't tell you
- Total protein. Ranking per calorie doesn't reward big servings. If you want 40 g in one go, sort the leaderboard by protein instead.
- Price. We have confirmed prices for only a few products, so price isn't part of the rank. See protein per calorie vs protein per dollar.
- Taste. Shared 👍/👎 taste votes are shown on the leaderboard but never change the rank.
- Everything else on the label. We don't track sugar, fat, fiber, sodium or ingredients. "Top 20 for protein per calorie" doesn't mean "healthiest".
Caveats
This list changes as we add products and as brands change labels. Several entries come from brand headline figures or product descriptions rather than full nutrition panels (for example, fairlife Nutrition Plan and the Pure Protein Complete Protein Shake), so double-check the package. We track 143 products, not every product on the market. Read how we rank for the full methodology.
Explore the live rankings on the full leaderboard.
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Disclaimer: All numbers come from manufacturer labels, brand websites and restaurant nutrition pages on the dates shown on the leaderboard. They can change without notice, vary by location, flavor or customization, or differ from the product in your hand. Always check the current label. This article is general information only and is not medical, dietary or health advice.