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Getting enough protein daily is essential for your overall health. Healthy protein sources include eggs, nuts, lean meats, fish, dairy, and certain grains.

Proteins are a large category of molecules that support cell structure, immune function, movement, chemical reactions, hormone synthesis, and more. They’re all made up of tiny building blocks called amino acids. Nine of these are essential–meaning your body needs them but can’t make them on its own, so you need to get them in your diet (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).

Not only is protein essential for your health but consuming it can keep you feeling full and satisfied, which supports a healthy body weight (3Trusted Source).

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein is set at 0.36 grams (g) of protein per pound of your body weight (0.8 g per kilogram). Remember that this reflects the minimum protein required to meet your body’s needs (4Trusted Source).

Here are 16 delicious foods that are high in protein.

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1. Eggs
Whole eggs are a good source of protein that’s easy to absorb, and they’re also an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants (5Trusted Source).

Remember that egg whites are almost pure protein, but whole eggs that include the yolk provide many more nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats.

Protein content
One large egg (50 g) provides 6.3 g of protein (5Trusted Source).

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2. Almonds
Almonds are a nutritious tree nut rich in essential nutrients like fiber, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. They’re also high in plant-based protein. (6Trusted Source)

Eating almonds may benefit your health in several ways, including lowering heart disease risk factors like high LDL (bad) cholesterol and high blood pressure (7Trusted Source).

Protein content
One ounce (28.35 g) of almonds provides 6 g of protein (7Trusted Source).

Other high protein nuts include pistachios, which deliver 5.73 g per 1-ounce (28.35 g) serving and cashews, which contain 4.34 g of protein per 1-ounce (28.35-g) serving (8Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source).

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3. Chicken breast
Chicken breast is an excellent choice if you’re trying to bincrease your protein intake. In addition to protein, chicken provides a variety of B vitamins, plus minerals like zinc and selenium (10Trusted Source).

Protein content
One half of a chicken breast (86 g) provides 26.7 g of protein (10Trusted Source).

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4. Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a type of cheese that is low in fat and calories yet high in protein. It’s rich in calcium, phosphorus, selenium, vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and various other nutrients (11Trusted Source).

Protein content
One cup (226 g) of cottage cheese provides 28 g of protein (11Trusted Source).

Other high protein cheeses include cheddar cheese, which provides 3.96 g of protein per 17-g slice, and mozzarella, which provides 6.29 g of protein per 1 ounce (28.35 g) (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

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5. Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt, also called strained yogurt, is a very thick type of yogurt high in protein.

It has a creamy texture and is a good source of many nutrients like calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin A, selenium, and zinc (14Trusted Source).

Protein content
One 7-ounce (200-g) container provides 19.9 g (14Trusted Source).

Other yogurt products that are high in protein include unsweetened low fat yogurt, which provides 11.9 g of protein per 8-ounce (227-g) container, and kefir, which provides 9.21 g of protein per 1 cup (243 mL) (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).

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6. Milk
Dairy milk contains a little of nearly every nutrient that your body needs. It’s a good source of high quality protein, and it’s high in vitamins and minerals, like calcium, phosphorus, and riboflavin (vitamin B2) (17Trusted Source).

Many people with lactose intolerance can’t tolerate milk and other dairy products, and they avoid many dairy-containing foods (18Trusted Source).

Protein content
One cup (246 mL) of dairy milk provides 8.32 g of protein (17Trusted Source).

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7. Lentils
Lentils are among the richest sources of plant-based protein, making them an excellent choice if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Plus, they’re loaded with other nutrients, too, including fiber, folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, and manganese (19Trusted Source).

Studies show that people who regularly consume lentils and other legumes have a lower risk of developing health conditions like heart disease and fatty liver disease (20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Protein content
100 g (about 1/2 cup) of cooked lentils provides 9.02 g of protein (19Trusted Source).

Other high-protein legumes include chickpeas, which provide 7.05 g of protein per 100 g cooked, and black beans, which provide 8.86 g of protein per 100 g cooked (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

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8. Lean beef
Lean beef is a rich source of protein. It’s also high in bioavailable iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamins B12 and B6 (24Trusted Source).

Red meat can be a part of a healthy diet, but it’s best to moderate your intake. Consuming high amounts of red meat has been linked to a higher risk of developing certain health conditions, including colorectal cancer (25Trusted Source).

Try cutting back on red meat and eating plant-based protein, fish, and poultry more frequently.

Protein content
A 3-ounce (85-g) serving of lean beef provides 24.6 g of protein (24Trusted Source).

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9. Fish 
Fish is an excellent source of protein and provides several important vitamins and minerals, like iodine, selenium, and vitamin B12 (26Trusted Source).

People who include a lot of fish in their diet tend to have a lower risk of health conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Plus, fatty fish like salmon and herring are high in omega-3 fats, which have powerful benefits for your overall health, including supporting heart health (27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

Protein content
All types of fish are high in protein. For example, half a salmon fillet (124 g) provides 30.5 g of protein, while a cod fillet (180 g) provides 41 g of protein (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).

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10. Quinoa
Quinoa is rich in fiber, folate, copper, iron, and zinc, and it’s higher in protein than many grains (32Trusted Source).

Quinoa is often referred to as a complete protein because it contains all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own. However, it actually contains insufficient amounts of certain amino acids, like leucine (33Trusted Source).

Protein content
One cup (185 g) of cooked quinoa provides 8 g of protein (32Trusted Source).

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11. Protein powders
When you’re pressed for time and unable to prepare a meal, protein powder can come in handy.

You can easily add protein powders like whey and pea protein to shakes, smoothies, energy balls, yogurt, and more to increase the protein and fullness factor.

Protein content
Whey protein powder provides about 16.6 g of protein per scoop (28.6 g), while pea protein provides 15 g of protein per scoop (20 g) (34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source).

Note that the protein content per scoop differs between products, even when the scoop size is the same.