Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened gives 25.6 g of protein for every 100 calories it carries, the highest ratio among the 969 foods on this site that have a typical portion. The table shows the ratio and how much protein one portion actually delivers, because a high ratio in a small portion adds up to little.
| Food | Protein per 100 kcal | Portion | Protein | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gelatins, dry powder, unsweetened | 25.6 g | 1 envelope (1 tbsp) (7 g) | 5.99 g | 23 kcal |
| Mozzarella cheese, nonfat | 22.5 g | 1 cup, shredded (113 g) | 35.8 g | 159 kcal |
| Swiss cheese, nonfat or fat free | 22.4 g | 1 serving (28 g) | 7.95 g | 36 kcal |
| Haddock, cooked | 22.2 g | 1 fillet (150 g) | 30 g | 135 kcal |
| Cod, Pacific, cooked | 22.0 g | 1 fillet (90 g) | 16.9 g | 76 kcal |
| Haddock, smoked | 21.8 g | 1 oz, boneless (28.4 g) | 7.17 g | 33 kcal |
| Cod, Atlantic, cooked | 21.7 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 19.4 g | 89 kcal |
| Cod, Atlantic, canned, solids and liquid | 21.7 g | 3 oz (85 g) | 19.3 g | 89 kcal |
| Cod, Atlantic, dried and salted | 21.7 g | 1 oz (28.4 g) | 17.8 g | 82 kcal |
| Crab, blue, canned | 21.5 g | 1 cup (135 g) | 24.1 g | 112 kcal |
| Crab, blue, cooked | 21.5 g | 1 cup, flaked and pieces (118 g) | 21.1 g | 98 kcal |
| Lobster, northern, cooked | 21.3 g | 1 cup (145 g) | 27.6 g | 129 kcal |
| Pollock, Alaska, cooked | 21.2 g | 1 fillet (60 g) | 14.1 g | 67 kcal |
| Tuna, light, canned in water, drained solids | 21.1 g | 1 can drained solids (107 g) | 20.3 g | 96 kcal |
| Cheddar cheese, nonfat or fat free | 20.5 g | 1 serving (28 g) | 9 g | 44 kcal |
Ranked by grams of protein per 100 calories, computed from USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Foods without a household measure, and foods under 20 calories per 3.5 oz (100 g), are left out.
Foods highest in protein per portion →
Data: USDA FoodData Central. Checked 2026-09-15.