Per ounce, common protein foods give 3–9 grams of protein: lean poultry ~9 g, fish 6–7 g, cheese/nuts ~6 g, cooked beans/lentils 2–3 g.
If you’re meal-planning with grams in mind, knowing how much protein sits in a single ounce makes portions simple. The short rule: lean cooked meats land near 8–9 g per ounce, fish sits near 6–7 g, dairy snacks and nuts hover near 6 g, and cooked legumes sit around 2–3 g. Below you’ll find a clear table, quick conversions, and practical notes that remove guesswork.
Protein Per Ounce In Most Protein Foods: Quick Reference
The numbers below use reliable database values per 100 g, converted to a 28 g ounce. Brand recipes vary, but these reference foods give you a tight working range for home cooking and tracking.
| Food (Cooked/Plain Unless Noted) | Protein Per Ounce (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast, Roasted | ~9.0 | ~32.1 g per 100 g reference. |
| Turkey Breast, Roasted | ~8.4 | ~30.1 g per 100 g reference. |
| Beef Top Sirloin, Broiled | ~7.6 | ~27.1 g per 100 g reference. |
| Salmon, Farmed Atlantic, Baked | ~6.2 | ~22.3 g per 100 g reference. |
| Tuna, Canned In Water, Drained | ~6.7 | ~24 g per 100 g reference. |
| Shrimp, Boiled | ~6.5 | ~23.3 g per 100 g reference. |
| Pork Tenderloin, Roasted | ~7.4 | ~26.4 g per 100 g reference. |
| Firm Tofu | ~4.9 | ~17.5 g per 100 g reference. |
| Lentils, Cooked | ~2.5 | ~9.1 g per 100 g reference. |
| Greek Yogurt, Nonfat, Plain | ~2.9 | ~10.3 g per 100 g reference. |
| Cottage Cheese, 1% Milkfat | ~2.9 | ~10.4 g per 100 g reference. |
| Cheddar Cheese | ~6.5 | Label shows 6.5 g per 1 oz. |
| Almonds, Dry Roasted | ~6.0 | Label shows 6 g per 1 oz (≈22 nuts). |
| Peanut Butter, Smooth | ~7.3 | ~26 g per 100 g reference. |
| Whole Egg (Large) | ~3.6* | *One large egg (~50 g) supplies ~6.3 g total. |
How These Numbers Were Built
Each line comes from nutrient data per 100 g of a plain food, then scaled to 28 g per ounce. Cooking trims water, so a cooked ounce of meat often carries more protein than a raw ounce of the same cut. Draining tuna or shrimp changes water weight as well. That’s why ounce-for-ounce cooked items skew higher than raw entries.
What An Ounce Looks Like In Real Life
Handy Visual Cues
- Cooked meat or fish: a piece that fits the center of your palm ≈ 3 oz (so roughly 24 g protein for poultry).
- Cheese: two dice stacked ≈ 1 oz (near 6–7 g protein for cheddar).
- Nuts: a small cupped handful ≈ 1 oz (almonds ~6 g).
- Yogurt/cottage cheese: ½ cup portions provide a clearer count than an ounce; use the conversion table below.
- Eggs: one large egg gives ~6.3 g; the ounce line above is just the math per 28 g.
Fast Conversions You’ll Use Every Week
Use these common meal math shortcuts when you build plates:
- 3 oz cooked poultry: ~25–27 g protein.
- 3 oz cooked fish: ~18–21 g protein.
- ½ cup cottage cheese (low-fat): ~12–14 g protein.
- ¾ cup nonfat Greek yogurt: ~20–23 g protein (brand swing applies).
- ½ cup cooked lentils: ~9 g protein.
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter: ~7 g protein.
- 1 oz almonds: ~6 g protein.
Animal Sources: Best Bets Per Ounce
Lean Poultry
Roasted chicken or turkey breast sits near the top of the list per ounce. If you prefer dark meat, the count drops a little due to fat and water balance, but portions still carry solid protein per bite.
Seafood
Most flaky fish hover around 6–7 g per ounce. Canned tuna reads similar, and shrimp lands near the same mark. If you rotate tuna, check the FDA fish advice for species and frequency guidance.
Beef And Pork
Lean cuts like top sirloin or tenderloin bring 7–8 g per ounce when cooked. Marbling and bone change yields, so slice weight never tells the full story; cooked weight is the better gauge.
Plant Sources: What An Ounce Delivers
Tofu And Tempeh Category
Firm tofu lands near 5 g per ounce. Tempeh trends a touch higher across brands due to lower water and fermentation, so a two-ounce slice can match a small egg.
Beans And Lentils
Cooked legumes carry more water than meat or tofu, so an ounce lands closer to 2–3 g. Don’t sweat the smaller number; portions are larger by habit. A half-cup scoop of cooked lentils, for instance, clocks ~9 g without crowding the plate.
Nuts, Nut Butter, And Seeds
Almonds and peanuts sit near 6 g per ounce; peanut butter lines up near 7 g per ounce. Seeds such as pumpkin or hemp post strong counts as well, but jar labels vary, so scan the per-ounce line on your brand.
Label Smarts That Keep Counts Honest
- Cooked vs. raw: always compare like with like. A raw ounce isn’t the same as a cooked ounce.
- Drained weight: canned fish often lists “drained.” That’s the number you want for real-world portions.
- Add-ins: marinades, breading, or oil change totals. If you track closely, weigh the cooked portion plain.
- Database vs. brand: base counts come from reference entries. Branded recipes can swing either way by a gram or two per ounce.
Trusted Sources You Can Cross-Check
For deeper label details or brand lookups, use FoodData Central, the federal repository that underpins many nutrition tools online. The tables here match those reference lines scaled to ounces.
Quick Math: From Per Ounce To Your Plate
Use this chart when a recipe lists ounces, but you think in servings. It translates the per-ounce averages above into the portions people eat most often.
| Food Group | Common Serving | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooked Poultry (Breast) | 3 oz | ~25–27 |
| Cooked Fish | 3 oz | ~18–21 |
| Lean Beef (Top Sirloin) | 3 oz | ~22–23 |
| Pork Tenderloin | 3 oz | ~21–23 |
| Shrimp | 3 oz | ~19–20 |
| Greek Yogurt, Nonfat | ¾ cup | ~20–23 |
| Cottage Cheese, 1% | ½ cup | ~12–14 |
| Firm Tofu | 3 oz | ~14–15 |
| Lentils, Cooked | ½ cup | ~9 |
| Almonds | 1 oz | ~6 |
| Peanut Butter | 2 Tbsp | ~7 |
| Eggs (Large) | 1 egg | ~6.3 |
Practical Ways To Hit Targets Without Overthinking It
Build Plates Around An Anchor
Pick one anchor per meal that brings at least 20 g in a standard serving: a palm of chicken, a mug of Greek yogurt, a bowl of lentil soup with an extra spoon of tofu cubes. Once the anchor is set, the rest of the plate can be produce and grains.
Stack Small Sources
Two snacks at 6–7 g each add up fast. Think almonds mid-afternoon and a cheese stick at night, or peanut butter on toast at breakfast plus an egg.
Swap Without Losing Protein
- Chicken → salmon: ounce-for-ounce the count drops a bit, but a 4–5 oz fillet still lands above 25 g.
- Beef → pork tenderloin: similar grams per ounce with leaner fat.
- Dairy snack → tofu cubes: cube and pan-sear; portions climb quickly without heavy sauces.
Notes On Accuracy, Cooking, And Yield
Water loss during roasting or sautéing concentrates protein per cooked ounce. Braising pulls weight the other way. If you track closely, weigh your portion after cooking and use the cooked entry in a database. With canned items, rely on drained weight entries when listed. Seasonings, breading, and oil shift totals; the plain references above keep the math clean.
References For The Values Shown
The per-100 g numbers behind these ounce conversions match standard database entries for these exact items: roasted chicken breast (~32.1 g/100 g), roasted turkey breast (~30.1 g/100 g), broiled top sirloin (~27.1 g/100 g), baked farmed Atlantic salmon (~22.3 g/100 g), water-packed canned tuna (~24 g/100 g), boiled shrimp (~23.3 g/100 g), roasted pork tenderloin (~26.4 g/100 g), firm tofu (~17.5 g/100 g), cooked lentils (~9.1 g/100 g), nonfat Greek yogurt (~10.3 g/100 g), cottage cheese 1% (~10.4 g/100 g), cheddar cheese (6.5 g/oz labeled), dry roasted almonds (6 g/oz labeled), peanut butter (~26 g/100 g), and a large egg at ~6.3 g per egg. Brand-level labels can vary, but this set gives a tight working baseline for daily planning.