Dietitian Rates 9 Protein Foods, Giving Eggs 10/10 and Quinoa 4/10

Q: Beyond eggs and dairy, which lean meats provide the most protein for building muscle?

For muscle building, the strongest lean meat choices beyond eggs and dairy are skinless chicken breast and turkey breast, followed closely by lean fish such as tuna, tilapia, cod, halibut and shrimp. Chicken breast is widely regarded as the benchmark, delivering about 31 grams of high-quality protein per 100 grams with relatively little fat. Turkey breast is nearly identical at roughly 30 grams per 100 grams, making both especially useful for people trying to increase protein intake without adding many calories. Among seafood, tuna is one of the most protein-dense lean options at around 29 grams per 100 grams. Tilapia provides about 26 grams, while pollock, halibut and shrimp generally offer around 23 to 24 grams per 100 grams. Cod is slightly lower, at about 19 grams per 100 grams, but remains a very lean, high-quality protein source. Some dried fish can test much higher, though those products are less comparable to fresh cooked portions and often come with more sodium. Salmon is not as lean as white fish, but it is still a strong muscle-building option because it provides solid protein along with omega-3 fats that may support recovery and reduce inflammation after training. The practical takeaway is that if the goal is maximum protein with minimal fat, chicken breast, turkey breast and tuna are the top picks. If variety and recovery benefits matter too, adding cod, shrimp, tilapia and salmon can round out a muscle-focused diet effectively.

1 articles · Updated · Hindustan Times · Jun 28

Shweta J Panchal ranked nine protein sources in a June 13 Instagram post, putting eggs at the top for complete amino acids and high biological value, while quinoa finished last despite being a complete protein.
Greek yoghurt scored 9/10 for combining protein with probiotics, tofu got 8/10 as a high-quality option, and chickpeas and paneer each received 7–8/10, though Panchal warned about added sugar, thyroid timing, and saturated fat.
Sprouted moong and rajma landed at 6–7/10, with Panchal saying sprouting improves protein bioavailability by about 30% and rajma needs at least 10 hours of soaking because of lectins.
Moong dal received 5–6/10 as an easy-to-digest starter for people with gut issues, while Panchal said quinoa's low 4/10 reflected its cost and imported status rather than protein completeness.