High-Protein Foods Ranked by Protein Density

Antioxidants and calm, no sugar.

25g protein for 130 calories and 3g fat — the leanest thing on any fast-food menu.

A protein-per-calorie monster. The mercury is the asterisk.

The leanest bird here — beats chicken breast on paper.

Dark meat done right — iron and zinc run higher than breast at a lower price.

The default. Boring, cheap, effective.

The 'other white meat' that actually delivers — a thiamin standout.

Beef's leaner, wilder cousin — 30g protein at 158 calories.

24g protein for 99 calories. The cholesterol number looks scary; dietary cholesterol matters less than you think.

Nearly pure protein — the fish equivalent of chicken breast.

The steak of white fish — meaty, lean, selenium-rich.

28g protein per 100g — the leanest pork here, and nearly the saltiest bite for bite.

Protein without the payload — you ditched the nutrients with the yolk.

Lean game meat — one of the lowest-fat red meats you'll find.

Sweet, lean, and a selenium sleeper.

The affordable white fish — inoffensive in every direction.

The Gulf's headliner. 20g protein, barely any fat, and a vitamin D surprise.

Sweet, seared, and nearly pure protein.

Eleven calories. Topped the CDC's powerhouse-vegetable ranking for a reason.

The purest protein-per-calorie on this list. Also the most processed.

The luxury crustacean that's secretly lean.

Mudbug. All the fun of lobster at a fraction of the ceremony.

Best of the plant powders — still a step down from whey on protein quality.

Dolphinfish, not the mammal. The leanest crowd-pleaser in the case.

The fish stick's origin story. Surprisingly decent micros for the price.