Nutrition Facts Proteins How Much Protein Is in Chicken, Beans, and Other Protein-Rich Foods? By Laura Dolson Laura Dolson is a health and food writer who develops low-carb and gluten-free recipes for home cooks. Learn about our editorial process Laura Dolson Reviewed by Reviewed by Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT on January 26, 2020 facebook twitter instagram Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT is a New York City-based telehealth registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition communications expert. Learn about our Review Board Jonathan Valdez, RDN, CDE, CPT Updated on February 24, 2020 Print Maximilian Stock Ltd. / Getty Images Protein is a vital component of any diet. Whether your goal is weight loss, building muscle, or improving overall health, it's important to include protein-rich foods in your diet. Depending on your dietary needs and preferences, knowing how much protein is in chicken may not be as important to you as knowing how much protein is in a non-meat source like black beans. Why You Need Protein We all need protein to ensure our bodies function optimally. Protein is required to support muscles, the immune system, and the brain. Your body requires adequate protein to break down and use some essential amino acids. Dietary protein is also needed to make several proteins in the body, like hemoglobin and antibodies. If you become protein-deficient, you may experience muscle wasting, poor wound healing, and a compromised immune system. Protein deficiency can make you more vulnerable to infections, some of which may be serious or difficult to treat. Your weight loss and management goals can be aided by a diet with plenty of protein-rich foods. Since your body takes longer to digest these foods, you'll feel satisfied longer when you eat foods with protein as opposed to those with a higher percentage of carbohydrate. What to Eat If You're Always Hungry Once you know how much protein you need, you can build a meal plan that incorporates the high-protein foods you like best. While chicken, fish, and red meat may be the most obvious sources of dietary protein, if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can get protein from plant sources like beans, nuts, and seeds. Protein-Rich Foods These guidelines are general. The amount of protein in each food source can vary, especially according to how they're prepared and cooked. The ounce-equivalents of protein foods are those that best match 1 ounce of lean beef, pork, skinless poultry, fish or shellfish, providing about 7 grams of protein. These include:1 egg1-ounce nuts or seeds1 tablespoon peanut butter1/4 cup cooked beans, green peas, or tofu1/2 cup hummus Chicken and Turkey Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Chicken and turkey are excellent sources of lean protein. One ounce of skinless poultry has approximately 7 grams of protein when cooked, or 6 grams of protein per ounce when portions are weighed before cooking. A 4-ounce portion of chicken or turkey (about the size of a deck of cards) provides about 35 grams of protein. Served hot or cold, cooked chicken or turkey can be eaten on its own. Or include it in a wide range of dishes including sandwiches and wraps, salads, and soups. Healthy Greek Yogurt Almond Chicken Salad Here's how many grams of protein can be found in a typical serving of the different parts of a chicken or turkey (skinless): Turkey breast, roasted (4 ounces): 34 grams Turkey breast (lunch meat; 1 slice/0.7 ounce): 3.6 grams Chicken breast (6 ounces): 54 gramsChicken thigh (1.8 ounces): 13.4 gramsChicken wing (0.7 ounces): 6 gramsChicken drumstick (1.5 ounces): 12 grams Beef Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Most cuts of beef have around 7 grams of protein per ounce. If you don't eat red meat often or limit your steak consumption to grilling season, you can still get the benefits with smaller servings: A quarter-pound hamburger patty provides most of your protein needs for the day. 85% lean ground beef (3 ounces, broiled): 22 gramsHamburger patty (4 ounces): 28 gramsSteak (6 ounces): 42 grams How to Choose Low-Fat Meats Fish Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Fish and shellfish are a central source of protein around the world. When cooked, most types of fish have around 6 grams of protein per ounce. Cold-water, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines also provide beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. Shrimp (3 ounces): 18 gramsSardines, canned in oil (3.8 ounces): 22.7 gramsSalmon (4 ounces): 18.2 gramsTuna (per 6-ounce can): 40 grams If you're pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are preparing meals for children, choose seafood with lower levels of mercury. Pork Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Pork has about the same protein content as beef and poultry. As with other types of meat, ask for lean cuts and remember that the way you cook and serve meat, as well as your portion size, all affect its nutritional value. Bacon (1 slice): 3 gramsCanadian-style bacon or back bacon (1 slice): 5 to 6 grams Ham (3-ounce serving): 18 grams Pork chops (average size): 24 gramsPork loin or tenderloin (4 ounces): 26 grams Ground pork (3 ounces cooked): 22 grams Keep in mind that cured pork products like bacon and prosciutto, as well as some deli meat, can have high amounts of salt. Highly processed pork products like hot dogs can also have hidden sugar. Eggs and Dairy Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman While they're typical breakfast favorites, eggs and dairy products can add protein to other meals, too. Whether you cook them up with the yolk or just the whites, eggs also offer up more than protein: They're a good source of micronutrients like choline, selenium, and B-complex vitamins. If you tolerate lactose, dairy products present versatile ways to add some protein to your diet—though they also add fat. If you're trying to keep your fat intake low, opt for dairy products made with nonfat milk, or have smaller portions of the full-fat version. Egg (one large): 6 gramsSoft cheese, such as mozzarella or Brie (1 ounce): around 6 gramsMedium cheese, such as cheddar or Swiss (1 ounce): around 7 gramsHard cheese, such as parmesan (1 ounce): 10 grams Cottage cheese (1 cup): 25 gramsYogurt (1 cup): 8 to 12 grams—check labels2% low-fat milk (1 cup): 8 grams Which Milk Is Right for You? Beans and Soy Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman Beans are a staple source of protein for vegan and vegetarian diets. Compared to animal protein sources, beans are lower in some essential amino acids. However, as long as you eat a variety of plant-based proteins, you are unlikely to become deficient. You can get creative with tofu, a protein source derived from soy. Tofu can be added to smoothies and shakes, tossed in a salad, or used as a meat substitute in just about any cooked dish, from noodle bowls to nachos. Soy milk, unsweetened (1 cup): 7 gramsSplit peas (1/2 cup cooked): 8 grams 1/2 cup of cooked beans (black, pinto, lentils): 7 to 10 gramsPeanuts (1/4 cup): 9 grams of proteinSoybeans (1/2 cup cooked): 14 gramsTofu (1/2 cup): 10 grams Tofu is suitable for many dietary needs and preferences: It's low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Nuts and Seeds Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman As with beans, nuts and seeds are high in protein and can give a boost to vegan or vegetarian diets. Note that the amount needed to supply a protein equivalent is less for nuts and seeds than it is for beans. In addition to protein, most nuts and seeds provide polyunsaturated fats, fiber, minerals (such as magnesium and calcium), and phytonutrients. Almonds (1/4 cup): 6 gramsCashews (1/4 cup): 10.3 gramsPecans (1/4 cup): 5.2 grams Sunflower seeds (1/4 cup): 7 grams Pumpkin seeds (1/4 cup): 9 gramsFlax seeds (1/4 cup): 10.4 grams Nuts and seeds are among the most versatile options for protein, as they can be eaten on their own or added to a meal. You can add nuts to your morning cereal or yogurt, sprinkle some seeds in a smoothie, or use both as non-meat protein sources for salads and stir-fries. How to Make a Low-Carb Trail Mix Without the Sugar Protein Powders Protein powder can be made from whey and casein (both found in milk), egg, soy, rice, hemp, and peas. The amount of protein and carbohydrate in different protein powder brands will vary depending on the source, so be sure to check the labels carefully. Many protein powders are marketed to bodybuilders and athletes. Protein powders are not regulated, so they may contain toxins and/or additives. Look for a USP, NSF, or Consumer Labs seal to assure the ingredients in the product are safe and the label is accurate. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Rodríguez L, Cervantes E, Ortiz R. Malnutrition and gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in children: a public health problem. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2011;8(4):1174-205. doi:10.3390/ijerph8041174 Leidy HJ, Clifton PM, Astrup A, et al. The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;101(6):1320S-1329S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.084038 Leidy HJ, Armstrong CLH, Tang M, Mattes RD, Campbell WW. The influence of higher protein intake and greater eating frequency on appetite control in overweight and obese men. Obesity. 2010;18(9):1725-1732. doi:10.1038/oby.2010.45 Harris WS. Omega-3 fatty acids. In: Coates PM, Betz JM, Blackman MR, et al., eds. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. 2nd ed. London and New York: Informa Healthcare; 2010:577-86. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advice About Eating Fish. Updated July 2019. de Gavelle E, Huneau J-F, Bianchi CM, Verger EO, Mariotti F. Protein adequacy Is primarily a matter of protein quantity, not quality: Modeling an increase in plant:animal protein ratio in French adults. Nutrients. 2017;9(12). doi:10.3390/nu9121333 Additional Reading FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2020. U.S. National Library of Medicine. What are proteins and what do they do?. US Department of Agriculture. All about the protein foods group.