The best protein sources, compared

Meat and fish

Lean meat and fish are the most protein-dense everyday foods. Values below are approximate for cooked weight unless stated, and vary by product.

• Chicken or turkey breast: around 30 g per 100 g cooked, very little fat.
• Chicken thighs, skin off: a little less protein and a little more fat, but cheaper and harder to dry out.
• Lean beef mince (5% fat): around 20 g per 100 g raw, plus iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
• White fish such as cod or haddock: around 20 g per 100 g raw, with very few calories.
• Salmon, mackerel, sardines: around 20 g per 100 g plus omega-3 fats. Tinned versions count.
• Tinned tuna, drained: around 25 g per 100 g and one of the cheapest lean options.

The NHS recommends at least two portions of fish a week, one of them oily. On red and processed meat, it advises that anyone eating more than 90 g a day cuts down to around 70 g. Bacon, ham and sausages are convenient but come with a lot of salt, so use them as flavour rather than the main event.

Eggs and dairy

Dairy is where most people can add protein cheaply without cooking anything. It also supplies calcium, which matters for bone health alongside strength training.

• Eggs: around 6 to 7 g each, quick, cheap and versatile.
• Skyr and fat-free Greek yoghurt: around 10 g per 100 g. Greek-style yoghurt is usually lower in protein, so check the label.
• Cottage cheese: around 11 to 12 g per 100 g, with few calories.
• Milk: about 3.5 g per 100 ml, so a pint gives you roughly 20 g.
• Hard cheese such as cheddar: around 25 g per 100 g, but high in fat and saturated fat, so a matchbox-sized portion is plenty.

Plant proteins

Plant foods bring fibre and a lot of variety, and for many people they are the cheapest way to add protein. Soya products are complete proteins. Beans, lentils and grains are lower in one or two essential amino acids, but eating a mix across the day covers that.

• Firm tofu: around 12 to 15 g per 100 g depending on the brand.
• Tempeh: around 19 to 20 g per 100 g, with a firmer, nuttier texture.
• Edamame beans: around 11 g per 100 g, easy from frozen.
• Lentils and beans, cooked or tinned: around 7 to 9 g per 100 g plus plenty of fibre.
• Mycoprotein mince: around 14 g per 100 g. Some products contain egg, so check if you are vegan.
• Seitan: very high in protein but made from wheat gluten, so not for coeliacs.

Pulses are lower in protein per calorie than chicken or skyr, so if you rely on them you will need decent portions and ideally some soya in the mix.

Foods that look like protein but are mostly fat

Nuts, seeds and peanut butter are healthy foods, but they are not really protein foods. Peanut butter is around 25 g protein per 100 g, yet about three quarters of its calories come from fat. Two heaped tablespoons can be close to 200 kcal for less than 10 g of protein.

The same applies to most granola bars, many 'protein' cookies and some processed meat snacks. That does not make them off limits. It just means they should count towards your fats or treats, not your protein target. If you are trying to lose fat, this one change can explain a stalled calorie deficit.

Building a rotation you will stick with

Most people do best with a small rotation of five to eight protein foods they like and can prepare without thinking. A typical working week might lean on eggs at breakfast, tuna or chicken at lunch, skyr in the afternoon and a mix of salmon, mince and tofu at dinner.

Rotating sources also spreads your intake of iron, omega-3, calcium and fibre, and stops you getting bored of the same chicken and rice. If you train at one of the 6am classes at Lycan Strength, keep at least one grab-and-go option in the fridge, such as boiled eggs or a skyr pot, so breakfast protein does not depend on having time to cook. If cost is the main barrier, our guide to high protein shopping on a budget goes through the cheapest options at UK supermarkets.

Once you know what to eat, the next question is how much. Our guide on how much protein you need sets out daily and per meal targets you can use straight away.