The best sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, and certain seeds. Most adults need about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily (roughly 0.36 grams per pound), though active people and pregnant women need more. The good news is that hitting your target is straightforward once you know which foods pack the most protein per serving.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
Animal proteins are the most concentrated sources available. Beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb, and fish all deliver about 7 grams of protein per ounce. That means a typical 4-ounce chicken breast gives you around 28 grams in a single serving, nearly half the daily needs for a 150-pound person.
These proteins also score highest on measures of digestibility and amino acid completeness. Your body absorbs and uses a greater percentage of the protein from animal sources compared to plant-based alternatives. Beef and pork burgers, for instance, consistently outperform plant-based burgers made from soy or pea protein when tested for how efficiently the body can use their amino acids.
Fish pulls double duty. Salmon, tuna, and yellowtail deliver the same protein punch as poultry while also providing omega-3 fatty acids. Canned tuna is especially practical: it costs less than a bag of dried beans at most grocery stores, making it one of the cheapest protein options available.
Eggs and Dairy
A single large egg contains about 6 grams of protein, and eggs remain one of the most versatile protein sources in any kitchen. They’re complete proteins, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids your body can’t make on its own.
Greek yogurt is another standout. A 5-ounce container of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt delivers 12 to 18 grams of protein depending on the brand. That’s comparable to 2 ounces of chicken with far less prep. Cottage cheese is similarly protein-dense and provides a significant amount of leucine, an amino acid that plays a key role in building and maintaining muscle.
Legumes and Beans
For plant-based eaters, legumes are the cornerstone. A half-cup serving of black beans provides just over 7 grams of protein, and a one-pound bag (about 13 servings) costs around $1.50. That makes dried beans one of the most affordable protein sources by a wide margin, plant or animal.
Lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes fall in a similar range. They also bring fiber, which most animal proteins lack entirely. The trade-off is that plant proteins are generally less digestible than animal proteins, so your body doesn’t absorb quite as much of the protein listed on the label. Eating a variety of plant foods throughout the day compensates for this, since different plants supply different amino acids.
Black beans deserve a special mention for muscle health. One cup contains over 3,300 milligrams of leucine, putting them on par with many animal sources for this critical muscle-building amino acid.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts contain 3 to 7 grams of protein per ounce, while seeds range from 5 to 9 grams per ounce. They’re not protein powerhouses on their own, but they add up quickly as snacks, toppings, or additions to meals.
Hemp seeds stand out from the pack. A single tablespoon contains 10 grams of protein, which is remarkably high for such a small serving. Pumpkin seeds are another strong choice, offering both protein and a hefty dose of leucine (nearly 2,800 milligrams per cup). Almonds clock in at about 160 calories per ounce with mostly unsaturated fat, making them a nutrient-dense option. Walnuts are slightly higher in calories at 185 per ounce but provide even more unsaturated fat.
The main limitation of nuts and seeds is calorie density. If you’re trying to get a large share of your protein from these foods, the calories add up faster than they would with leaner sources like chicken breast or Greek yogurt.
How Much Protein You Actually Need
The official recommendation is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. For a 150-pound person, that works out to about 54 grams per day. Most people eating a standard diet hit this number without trying.
But the RDA is a minimum to prevent deficiency, not necessarily an optimal target. Pregnant women are advised to get 75 to 100 grams daily to support fetal development along with the body’s increased demands on blood supply and tissue growth. People who exercise regularly, especially those doing resistance training, generally benefit from higher intakes as well.
Spreading your protein across meals matters more than most people realize. Your muscles can only use so much protein at once for repair and growth. Three or four meals each containing 20 to 30 grams tends to be more effective than loading most of your protein into a single dinner.
The Budget-Friendly Options
Protein doesn’t have to be expensive. Dried beans, canned tuna, and eggs have historically been the go-to budget proteins, though egg prices have surged in recent years (a dozen that cost $1.32 in August 2020 averaged $6.23 by early 2025).
Canned tuna and dried beans remain reliably cheap. A bag of black beans at $1.50 yields about 91 grams of protein across its 13 servings. Chicken thighs, while more variable in price than breast meat, tend to be significantly cheaper per pound and deliver the same 7 grams of protein per ounce. Buying whole chickens or bone-in cuts and cooking in bulk is another way to stretch your protein budget further.
Peanut butter, at roughly 7 grams per two-tablespoon serving, is another affordable staple. It’s calorie-dense, so it works best as a supplement to leaner protein sources rather than a primary one.
Mixing Sources for Complete Nutrition
If you eat animal products, getting complete protein with all essential amino acids is automatic. Every serving of meat, fish, eggs, or dairy covers the full spectrum.
Plant-based eaters need a bit more strategy, but it’s simpler than it sounds. You don’t need to combine complementary proteins at every meal. Eating a variety of legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds throughout the day gives your body everything it needs. Classic pairings like rice and beans, hummus and pita, or peanut butter on whole grain bread exist across cultures for good reason: they naturally fill each other’s amino acid gaps.
Tofu and tempeh, both made from soybeans, are among the few plant foods that are complete proteins on their own. A half cup of firm tofu provides a solid serving of protein along with nearly 1,750 milligrams of leucine, making it a practical option for anyone focused on maintaining muscle on a plant-based diet.