Food facts
How much protein is in that?
Logging protein is only as accurate as the numbers you punch in. These are the foods people ask about most, with protein per common serving from the USDA's FoodData Central — the federal food-composition database. Values are rounded; exact figures vary by cut, brand, and preparation, so treat the label in your hand as the tiebreaker.
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | ~26 g |
| Ground beef (90/10), cooked | 3 oz (85 g) | ~22 g |
| Egg, large | 1 egg | ~6 g |
| Egg white, large | 1 white | ~3.6 g |
| Greek yogurt, plain nonfat | 170 g container | ~17 g |
| Cottage cheese (2%) | 1 cup (226 g) | ~24 g |
| Milk (whole or 2%) | 1 cup (240 mL) | ~8 g |
| Ultrafiltered milk | 1 cup (240 mL) | ~13 g (label) |
| Firm tofu | 3 oz (85 g) | ~8 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup (198 g) | ~18 g |
| Whey protein powder | 1 scoop | label-dependent, commonly 20–25 g |
The three details that change your numbers
Cooked vs. raw weight. Cooking drives off water, so protein concentrates: about 4 oz of raw chicken becomes about 3 oz cooked with the same protein inside. Neither convention is wrong — just pick one and log it consistently.
Eggs don't care how you cook them. USDA lists a large egg at ~6.3 g raw, ~6.3 g fried, and ~6.3 g poached — functionally identical. Cook them however you like them.
Scoops aren't standardized. A "scoop" of protein powder ranges from under 20 to about 30 grams of protein depending on the product and scoop size. For powders and shakes, the label always beats a generic table — including this one.
The usual reminder: this is a table of food facts, not nutrition advice — it says what's in foods, not what or how much you should eat. Talk to a physician, dietitian, or other qualified health provider before changing your diet.
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How much protein is in one egg?
About 6 grams for a large egg, and cooking method barely matters — USDA lists a large egg at roughly 6.3 g raw, 6.3 g fried, and 6.3 g poached. A large egg white alone is about 3.6 g.
How much protein is in a chicken breast?
About 26 grams per 3-ounce cooked portion (roughly the size of a deck of cards). A 5- to 8-ounce cooked breast works out to about 44–70 grams.
Why do cooked and raw weights give different protein numbers?
Cooking removes water, so the same protein is packed into fewer grams of food. 4 ounces of raw chicken becomes roughly 3 ounces cooked with the same protein in it. Log one convention consistently — cooked-weight entries are usually easier to eyeball.
Source
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. Values rounded from Foundation Foods / SR Legacy entries and, where noted, product labels (ultrafiltered milk and protein powders are branded items — check the carton in your fridge).
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