Nutrition · · 7 min read
27 Best High-Protein Foods for Weight Loss
Protein keeps you full, protects muscle, and burns more calories to digest. Here are the 27 best high-protein foods for weight loss, ranked and grouped by type.
Protein is the most important nutrient for weight loss. It keeps you full for hours, protects your muscle while you're in a deficit, and burns more calories to digest than carbs or fat. Here are 27 of the best high-protein foods for weight loss, grouped by type.
Lean meats & poultry
- Chicken breast — ~31g protein per 100g, very low fat
- Turkey breast — ~29g, lean and versatile
- Lean ground beef (93/7) — ~26g, rich in iron and B12
- Pork tenderloin — ~26g, surprisingly lean
- Bison — ~28g, leaner than beef
Fish & seafood
- Tuna — ~30g, extremely lean and cheap (canned)
- Salmon — ~25g, plus omega-3 fats
- Cod — ~23g, very low calorie
- Shrimp — ~24g, almost zero fat
- Sardines — ~25g, loaded with omega-3 and calcium
Eggs & dairy
- Eggs — ~6g each, the gold standard for protein quality
- Egg whites — ~4g each, pure protein, zero fat
- Greek yogurt (plain, nonfat) — ~10g per 100g
- Cottage cheese — ~11g per 100g, great before bed
- Skyr / quark — ~11g per 100g, thick and filling
Plant-based proteins
- Tofu — ~8g per 100g, absorbs any flavor
- Tempeh — ~19g per 100g, fermented and firm
- Edamame — ~11g per 100g, high fiber too
- Lentils — ~9g per 100g cooked, plus fiber
- Chickpeas — ~9g per 100g cooked
- Black beans — ~9g per 100g cooked
- Seitan — ~25g per 100g, the highest-protein plant option
Snacks & extras
- Whey or plant protein powder — ~24g per scoop, fast and easy
- Beef jerky — ~9g per ounce, portable
- Roasted edamame / chickpeas — crunchy protein snack
- Tuna packets — ~17g, no prep needed
- Protein bars (low sugar) — ~15–20g on the go
How much protein do you need?
For weight loss, aim for 0.7–1g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. A 160-lb person should target roughly 110–160g daily. Spread it across meals — about 30–40g per meal maximizes muscle retention and keeps hunger down.
The bottom line
Build every meal around a protein source from this list, hit your daily target, and fat loss becomes far easier because you'll simply feel less hungry. Protein is the closest thing to a weight-loss "cheat code" that actually exists.
MyDietingApp tracks your protein automatically as you log meals and shows a live progress bar toward your daily target — so you always know if you need one more protein-rich meal.
Ready to put this into practice?
MyDietingApp gives you a fasting timer, AI food logging, and personalized coaching — free to start.