Which Type Of Meat Has The Most Protein?

If you've gone to some kind of fast casual restaurant where you are prompted to assemble a bowl (Chipotle, Cava, things of that nature), you may have been asked to "choose your protein." This is just a way to ask what kind of meat, or meat-adjacent product, you might want to eat; after all, those who are more nutrition-conscious may want to seek out as much protein as possible. But what kind of meat will give you the biggest bang for your buck? On a per-ounce basis, most kinds of meat have similar protein levels, but if you really want to proteinmaxx, you might want to invest in some jerky.

According to a study by Johns Hopkins, most kinds of meat contain similar amounts of protein per ounce. Beef, chicken, pork, turkey, duck: They all come out to around 7 grams of protein per ounce. But if you dry out some beef or turkey and turn it into jerky, you'll get about 10 to 15 grams of protein per ounce. Why is that the case? Well, by drying out a piece of meat, you remove water, thereby concentrating the protein more intensely. Indeed, jerky can contain up to twice as much protein per ounce as its non-jerky counterpart. Jerky may not be cheap, but it is tasty, and, in moderation, it can even have some health benefits. Just be sure to avoid these mistakes if you make it at home.

According to the same study from Johns Hopkins, there are several other choices you can make to maximize your protein levels. Fish — or at least tuna, a particularly protein-rich fish — contains about 7 grams of protein per ounce, while seafood like lobster and crab contains slightly less, with 6 grams per ounce. Fresh or frozen edamame will give you about 8 grams of protein per ounce, while roasted edamame (by the same concentrating principle as jerky) will give you a whopping 13 grams per ounce. And if you'd like some nut milk, you're better off drinking soy milk (7 grams per 8 ounce serving) over almond milk (1 measly gram per serving.)

But if you're a real dairy-head, you've got some good choices, too. Regular milk (skim or 1%) will give you about 8 grams of protein per 8 ounce serving, but ultra-filtered milk will get you five more grams of protein to enjoy. Two additionally heavy hitters to consider are cottage cheese or ricotta (14 grams per half-cup) and Greek yogurt (anywhere from 12 to 18 grams of protein per five ounces), all of which will meet protein needs if meat is not a preference or option.