Lean poultry, white fish, tinned tuna, prawns, egg white and quark give the most protein for the fewest calories. Skinless grilled chicken breast has 32 g of protein per 100 g, and tinned tuna in brine has about 25 g. [1]
Protein matters while you lose weight for three reasons. It fills you up more than carbohydrate or fat, and it costs more energy to digest. In trials it also helped people keep a little more lean mass while losing fat.
This article lists 35 UK foods with their protein per 100 g and per portion, taken from the national food dataset. It then shows how an 85 kg man can reach a weight-loss protein range from those foods alone.
In this article
- Why does protein matter when you are losing weight?
- How much protein do you need?
- Which UK foods are highest in protein?
- Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
- Can you get enough protein from plant foods?
- What should you watch for?
- How do you build a day around these foods?
- Frequently asked questions
Why does protein matter when you are losing weight?
Protein helps in three measured ways: fullness, the energy cost of digestion and lean mass. Each effect is modest in the trials. The numbers are below.
Protein keeps you fuller
Satiety is the feeling of fullness that makes you stop eating and stay stopped. Protein raises satiety more than carbohydrate or fat does. [2]
In a study of 13 men with overweight or obesity, a diet with 25% protein gave more all-day fullness than one with 14%. It also raised peptide YY, a gut hormone linked to fullness. [3]
The effect has limits. A 2015 review found a modest satiety effect, but no reliable reduction in how much people ate at the next meal. [4]
Protein costs more energy to digest
The thermic effect of food is the energy your body spends digesting and processing what you eat. For protein it is 20 to 30% of the energy in the food. For carbohydrate it is 5 to 10%, and for fat 0 to 3%. [5]
Across a whole mixed diet the thermic effect is 5 to 15% of daily energy expenditure. [5] Protein uses more of its own calories in digestion than the other nutrients. The whole-diet difference is small.
Protein helps you keep lean mass
Lean mass is everything in your body that is not fat: muscle, bone, organs and water. Losing weight removes some lean mass along with the fat. [6]
A pooled analysis of 24 trials in 1,063 adults compared higher-protein and standard-protein diets with the same calories over an average of 12 weeks. [7] The higher-protein groups lost 0.79 kg more weight and 0.87 kg more fat. [7]
They also kept 0.43 kg more fat-free mass, another name for lean mass. Their resting energy expenditure (the energy the body uses at rest) was 595 kJ a day higher, about 140 kcal (kilocalories). [7] These are population statistics: average differences between trial groups, which the authors called modest. [7]
They do not predict any one man's result.
Exercise does more for lean mass than protein alone. A review of 52 studies in adults aged 50 and over makes the point.
In that review, 81% of diet-only groups lost at least 15% of their weight as fat-free mass. With exercise added the figure was 39%. [6]
See also our guide to weight-loss plateaus in men.
How much protein do you need?
The UK reference nutrient intake (RNI) is 0.75 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day, written 0.75 g/kg. [8] The RNI is the daily amount set as adequate for almost all healthy adults. For men aged 19 to 64 it is 55.5 g a day, based on a 75 kg reference weight. [9] [10]
The figure for women is 45 g, based on a 60 kg reference weight. [10] The gap is body weight, not a different rate per kilogram. [8] Average UK men already eat about 87 g a day, which is above the RNI. [8]
The RNI prevents deficiency; it is not a weight-loss target. A 2015 review found that diets giving 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg a day improved appetite, weight management or both. [4] The same review points to at least about 25 to 30 g of protein per meal. [4]
For an 85 kg man that range is about 102 to 136 g a day. Our guide to how much protein you need for weight loss works it through with a calculator.
Which UK foods are highest in protein?
Lean poultry and lean red meat lead, at 25 to 35 g of protein per 100 g cooked. Fish gives 20 to 25 g. Plain pulses give 8 to 12 g per 100 g, with fibre and little fat. [1]
The values come from CoFID, the Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset. It is the UK government's national food composition database, and the 2021 edition is the current release. [1] Portions follow the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) portion guide for adults. [11]
kcal means kilocalories, the calories shown on UK food labels. Protein per portion is calculated from the two sources, so each figure says "about". Portions marked * use the BNF portion for the nearest similar food.
Poultry and meat
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Typical portion | Protein per portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey breast, grilled | 35.0 g | 155 | 120 g* | about 42 g |
| Pork loin steak, grilled, lean | 35.1 g | 194 | 100 g* | about 35 g |
| Chicken breast, grilled, no skin | 32.0 g | 148 | 120 g | about 38 g |
| Rump steak, grilled, lean | 31.0 g | 177 | 130 g | about 40 g |
| Lamb leg steak, grilled, lean | 29.2 g | 198 | 100 g* | about 29 g |
| Beef mince, extra lean, cooked | 24.7 g | 137 | 100 g | about 25 g |
| Ham, sliced | 18.4 g | 107 | 30 g (2 slices) | about 6 g |
Fish and seafood
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Typical portion | Protein per portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuna, tinned in brine, drained | 24.9 g | 109 | 120 g (a medium tin) | about 30 g |
| Cod, grilled | 24.6 g | 106 | 120 g | about 30 g |
| Salmon, farmed, grilled | 24.6 g | 239 | 120 g | about 30 g |
| Sardines, tinned in brine, drained | 22.1 g | 170 | no standard portion | not given |
| Mackerel, grilled | 20.3 g | 283 | 120 g | about 24 g |
| Prawns, cooked | 15.4 g | 70 | 80 g (4 tablespoons) | about 12 g |
Eggs and dairy
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Typical portion | Protein per portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheddar | 25.4 g | 416 | 30 g | about 8 g |
| Quark | 14.6 g | 74 | no standard portion | not given |
| Eggs, boiled | 14.1 g | 143 | 120 g (2 eggs) | about 17 g |
| Cottage cheese, plain | 9.4 g | 103 | 100 g (3 tablespoons) | about 9 g |
| Greek-style yoghurt, plain | 5.7 g | 133 | 120 g* | about 7 g |
| Yoghurt, virtually fat free, plain | 5.4 g | 54 | 120 g (4 tablespoons) | about 6 g |
| Milk, skimmed | 3.5 g | 34 | 200 ml (a glass) | about 7 g |
Beans, pulses, soya and meat alternatives
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Typical portion | Protein per portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quorn pieces | 14.0 g | 73 | 100 g* | about 14 g |
| Edamame beans, boiled | 12.2 g | 142 | 120 g* | about 15 g |
| Red kidney beans, tinned, drained | 8.6 g | 100 | 120 g (6 tablespoons) | about 10 g |
| Chick peas, tinned, drained | 8.4 g | 129 | 120 g | about 10 g |
| Red lentils, boiled | 8.1 g | 102 | 120 g | about 10 g |
| Tofu, steamed | 8.1 g | 73 | 80 g | about 6 g |
| Baked beans in tomato sauce | 5.0 g | 81 | 200 g (half a tin) | about 10 g |
Nuts and seeds
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Typical portion | Protein per portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peanuts, plain, unsalted | 25.8 g | 564 | 20 g (a palmful) | about 5 g |
| Pumpkin seeds | 24.4 g | 565 | 20 g | about 5 g |
| Peanut butter, smooth | 22.8 g | 607 | 20 g (1 tablespoon) | about 5 g |
| Almonds | 21.2 g | 554 | 20 g | about 4 g |
Grains and vegetables
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Typical portion | Protein per portion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porridge oats, dry | 10.9 g | 381 | 45 g dry | about 5 g |
| Wholemeal bread | 9.4 g | 217 | 80 g (2 medium slices) | about 8 g |
| Peas, frozen, boiled | 5.5 g | 70 | 80 g | about 4 g |
| Broccoli, boiled | 3.3 g | 28 | 80 g | about 3 g |
Meat and fish values are for the cooked, edible part. Nuts carry a lot of protein per 100 g. A 20 g portion still gives only 4 to 5 g, because most of their energy is fat. [1]
Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
Egg white, white fish, tinned tuna, turkey breast, prawns, chicken breast and quark all give about 20 g or more of protein per 100 kcal. [1] A weight-loss plan works by keeping energy intake below energy use, so protein per calorie matters. [12]
| Food | Protein per 100 g | kcal per 100 g | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg white, boiled | 13.0 g | 52 | about 25 g |
| Cod, grilled | 24.6 g | 106 | about 23 g |
| Tuna, tinned in brine, drained | 24.9 g | 109 | about 23 g |
| Turkey breast, grilled | 35.0 g | 155 | about 23 g |
| Prawns, cooked | 15.4 g | 70 | about 22 g |
| Chicken breast, grilled, no skin | 32.0 g | 148 | about 22 g |
| Quark | 14.6 g | 74 | about 20 g |
| Beef mince, extra lean, cooked | 24.7 g | 137 | about 18 g |
| Cheddar | 25.4 g | 416 | about 6 g |
| Peanuts, plain, unsalted | 25.8 g | 564 | about 5 g |
Cheddar and peanuts have about as much protein per 100 g as extra lean mince. Per calorie they give a third as much or less, because fat carries most of their energy. [1]
Can you get enough protein from plant foods?
Yes. UK vegetarians and vegans average more protein than the reference intake. [10] Plant foods carry less protein per 100 g than meat or fish, so portions need to be larger or combined.
From the tables, 120 g of edamame beans gives about 15 g and 100 g of Quorn pieces about 14 g. A 120 g portion of lentils, chick peas or kidney beans gives about 10 g. [1] Pulses are naturally very low in fat and high in fibre. [13]
Tofu gives about 6 g in an 80 g portion. When a meal uses two foods from the protein group, the BNF suggests about half the usual portion of each. [11]
What should you watch for?
Protein foods differ widely in fat and energy, and a weight-loss plan still has to keep energy intake below energy use. [12] NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) also advises against restrictive diets that are nutritionally unbalanced. [12]
Red and processed meat
If you eat more than 90 g (cooked weight) of red or processed meat a day, the NHS advises cutting down to 70 g. [14] Eating less red and processed meat (bacon, ham and sausages) may help reduce your risk of bowel cancer. [13] Go for the leanest option and cut off visible fat and skin before cooking. [14]
Fish
Aim for at least two portions of fish a week. One should be oily, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel. [15] A portion is around 140 g, and men can have up to four portions of oily fish a week. [16]
Oily fish carries more energy than white fish: grilled mackerel has 283 kcal per 100 g against 106 for cod. [1]
Cheese, nuts and seeds
Cheddar has 25.4 g of protein per 100 g but 416 kcal, so a 30 g portion gives about 8 g. [1] [11] NHS Better Health suggests lower-fat milk and cheese when you are trying to lose weight. [17]
Nuts are high in fat, so eat them in moderation and choose unsalted. [13] The BNF portion for nuts and seeds is 20 g (about the amount that fits in your palm). That is 113 to 137 kcal. [11]
Kidneys and upper limits
A pooled analysis of 28 short trials in 1,358 adults without kidney disease found no change in kidney filtration rate on higher-protein diets. [18] If you have chronic kidney disease, the NHS says you may be referred to a dietitian for diet advice. [19] Ask your GP before raising your protein.
The 1991 UK dietary reference values advised adults to avoid intakes above twice the RNI, which is 1.5 g/kg. [10] The top of the 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg research range sits just above that ceiling. Nothing reviewed here supports going higher than 1.6 g/kg.
How do you build a day around these foods?
An 85 kg man aiming for 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg needs about 102 to 136 g of protein a day. The day below reaches about 120 g from foods in the tables. Lunch and dinner are above the 25 to 30 g per meal that the research used, and breakfast is just under. [4]
| Meal | Foods and portions | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 2 boiled eggs (120 g) with 2 slices of wholemeal bread (80 g) | about 24 g |
| Lunch | Tuna in brine, 120 g drained, with 120 g chick peas | about 40 g |
| Afternoon | 120 g virtually fat free plain yoghurt with 20 g unsalted peanuts | about 12 g |
| Dinner | 120 g grilled chicken breast with 80 g peas and 80 g broccoli | about 45 g |
| Total | about 120 g |
The totals cover only the foods listed. NICE and the Eatwell Guide ask for a balanced day. Add fruit, more vegetables, starchy carbohydrate and cooking oil around these foods. [12]
BNF portions are set for a 2,000 kcal day, so take them as a starting point rather than a rule. [11]
Why spread protein across the day
Muscle protein synthesis is the process that builds new muscle. In a study of eight healthy adults, about 30 g at each of three meals raised it 25% more than a dinner-heavy pattern. [20] NHS Better Health also says to include some protein in each meal. [17]
For more ideas, see our high-protein breakfasts, high-protein snacks and high-protein meal ideas. Each gives the protein in every item.
Frequently asked questions
Is a high-protein diet safe for my kidneys?
The trials in healthy adults found no harm, but they were short. A 2018 pooled analysis of 28 trials in 1,358 adults without kidney disease found no change in kidney filtration rate on higher-protein diets. The trials were short, so long-term data are thinner.
If you have chronic kidney disease, the advice is different. Ask your GP before raising your protein, as you may need a dietitian's guidance.
Do men need more protein than women?
Not per kilogram. The UK reference intake is 0.75 g/kg a day for all adults. Men's daily figure is higher (55.5 g against 45 g) only because the reference body weight is 75 kg rather than 60 kg.
Does protein powder count?
Yes, it counts towards your daily total. The UK food dataset has no entry for whey or any other protein powder, so this list cannot give a figure. Read the pack label instead.
Our article on protein shakes for weight loss covers when a shake is useful and when food does the job.
How much protein is in an egg?
About 8.5 g. A boiled egg has 14.1 g of protein per 100 g, and the BNF counts one boiled egg as 60 g. Two eggs give about 17 g for about 170 kcal.
How much protein is in a chicken breast?
Grilled skinless chicken breast has 32 g of protein per 100 g, at 148 kcal. The BNF portion is 120 g cooked, which gives about 38 g of protein for about 180 kcal.
How much protein is in a tin of baked beans?
About 20 g in a standard 400 g tin. Baked beans in tomato sauce have 5.0 g of protein per 100 g, so the BNF half-tin portion of 200 g gives about 10 g.
Is Greek yoghurt high in protein?
Not especially, in the UK dataset. Plain Greek-style yoghurt has 5.7 g of protein per 100 g, so a 120 g portion gives about 7 g. The dataset has no entry for fat-free or strained high-protein pots, so check the label on those.
HeMed provides clinician-led weight management. This page is general health information, not medical advice. If you are worried about symptoms, speak to your GP, or use NHS 111.
Next step: see what the HeMed blood test measures.
Sources (20)
- Public Health England, McCance and Widdowson's The Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset 2021 (CoFID), file McCance_Widdowsons_Composition_of_Foods_Integrated_Dataset_2021..xlsx, sheet 1.3 Proximates; release record published 25 March 2015, updated 19 March 2021. Food codes used: 18-323, 18-356, 18-474, 18-507, 18-524, 18-133, 19-496, 16-416, 16-466, 16-357, 16-424, 16-394, 16-384, 12-940, 12-941, 12-346, 12-174, 12-539, 12-555, 12-533, 12-307, 13-574, 13-667, 13-660, 13-670, 13-658, 13-570, 13-532, 14-877, 14-842, 14-892, 14-896, 11-788, 11-981, 13-536, 13-503. gov.uk/government/publications/composition-of-foods-integrated-dataset-cofid. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Paddon-Jones D and colleagues. "Protein, weight management, and satiety." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008;87(5):1558S to 1561S. doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/87.5.1558s. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Leidy HJ and colleagues. "The influence of higher protein intake and greater eating frequency on appetite control in overweight and obese men." Obesity 2010;18(9):1725 to 1732. doi.org/10.1038/oby.2010.45. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Leidy HJ and colleagues. "The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2015;101(6):1320S to 1329S. doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.084038. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Westerterp KR. "Diet induced thermogenesis." Nutrition and Metabolism 2004;1:5. doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-1-5. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Weinheimer EM, Sands LP and Campbell WW. "A systematic review of the separate and combined effects of energy restriction and exercise on fat-free mass in middle-aged and older adults: implications for sarcopenic obesity." Nutrition Reviews 2010;68(7):375 to 388. doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00298.x. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Wycherley TP and colleagues. "Effects of energy-restricted high-protein, low-fat compared with standard-protein, low-fat diets: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2012;96(6):1281 to 1298. doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.044321. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), "Statement on nutrition and older adults living in the community", January 2021, paragraphs 3.2 and 4.22 to 4.24. gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-statement-on-nutrition-and-older-adults. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Public Health England, "Government Dietary Recommendations", 2016, Table 2 (page 7). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk, government_dietary_recommendations.pdf. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- British Nutrition Foundation, "Protein", last reviewed October 2023. nutrition.org.uk/nutritional-information/protein. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- British Nutrition Foundation, "Find your balance. Get portion wise" (2019) and "Your balanced diet. Get portion wise. Full portion size list" (November 2021), protein, dairy, fruit and vegetable and snack tables, printed pages 6 to 11. nutrition.org.uk/creating-a-healthy-diet/portion-sizes. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NICE, "Overweight and obesity management", guideline NG246, 14 January 2025 (updated 8 January 2026), recommendations 1.16.3, 1.16.6 and 1.16.7. nice.org.uk/guidance/ng246. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NHS, "Eating a balanced diet", page last reviewed 30 June 2026. nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/eating-a-balanced-diet. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NHS, "Meat in your diet", page last reviewed 1 May 2024. nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/meat-nutrition. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NHS, "The Eatwell Guide", page last reviewed 29 November 2022. nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NHS, "Fish and shellfish", page last reviewed 26 June 2026. nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/fish-and-shellfish-nutrition. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NHS Better Health, "Healthy eating when trying to lose weight". nhs.uk/better-health/lose-weight/healthy-eating-when-trying-to-lose-weight. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Devries MC and colleagues. "Changes in kidney function do not differ between healthy adults consuming higher- compared with lower- or normal-protein diets: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Journal of Nutrition 2018;148(11):1760 to 1775. doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxy197. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- NHS, "Chronic kidney disease: living with", page last reviewed 22 March 2023. nhs.uk/conditions/kidney-disease/living-with. Accessed 14 October 2026.
- Mamerow MM and colleagues. "Dietary protein distribution positively influences 24-h muscle protein synthesis in healthy adults." Journal of Nutrition 2014;144(6):876 to 880. doi.org/10.3945/jn.113.185280. Accessed 14 October 2026.
Numbered markers in the page text link to these entries. Statistics describe populations, not any one person’s results.