We check the protein numbers on Athletic Lift against USDA FoodData Central, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nutrient database. Below are the actual figures we use, so you can check our math or use them to build your own meals.
How much cooked protein gets you to 30 or 40 grams
Most of our posts are built around a protein target per serving. This table shows what that takes for the proteins we cook with most, using USDA values for the cooked food.
| Cooked protein | Protein in 4 oz | For 30 g | For 40 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, roasted | 35 g | 3.4 oz | 4.6 oz |
| Turkey breast, roasted | 34 g | 3.5 oz | 4.7 oz |
| Top sirloin steak | 34 g | 3.5 oz | 4.7 oz |
| Flank steak | 32 g | 3.8 oz | 5.1 oz |
| Ground turkey | 31 g | 3.9 oz | 5.1 oz |
| Ground beef, 90% lean | 30 g | 4.1 oz | 5.4 oz |
| Pork tenderloin | 30 g | 4.0 oz | 5.4 oz |
| Tilapia | 30 g | 4.0 oz | 5.4 oz |
| Tuna, canned in water | 29 g | 4.1 oz | 5.5 oz |
| Shrimp | 27 g | 4.4 oz | 5.9 oz |
| Cod | 26 g | 4.6 oz | 6.2 oz |
| Salmon, farmed Atlantic | 25 g | 4.8 oz | 6.4 oz |
| Scallops | 23 g | 5.2 oz | 6.9 oz |
The spread is wide. Chicken breast and sirloin reach 30 grams in about 3.5 ounces. Salmon needs closer to 5 ounces, and scallops more than 5. If you eat fish more often than chicken, plan on bigger portions to hit the same number.
Raw weight and cooked weight are not the same
Meat loses water as it cooks, but it keeps its protein. Four ounces of raw chicken breast has about 25 grams of protein and cooks down to roughly 2.9 ounces. Weigh that cooked piece and the same 25 grams now looks like 35 grams per 4 ounces, because the water is gone.
Every portion on Athletic Lift is a cooked weight unless the post says raw. If you weigh your chicken before it goes in the pan, count about 25 grams of protein per 4 raw ounces instead of 35.
Protein that isn’t meat
| Food | Amount | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Cottage cheese, 2% | 1 cup | 24 g |
| Sardines, canned in oil | 1 can (3.75 oz) | 23 g |
| Firm tofu | 1/2 cup | 22 g |
| Edamame | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Lentils, cooked | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Chickpeas, canned and drained | 1 can | 18 g |
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt | 6 oz container | 17 g |
| Whole-milk ricotta | 1/2 cup | 9 g |
| Part-skim mozzarella | 1 oz | 7 g |
| Egg | 1 large | 6 g |
| Feta | 1 oz | 4 g |
Brands vary more here than with meat. Greek yogurt runs anywhere from about 15 to 20 grams per container depending on the brand, so the label on your package beats any table, including this one.
How a recipe total is worked out
For a full recipe, we add up the protein in each ingredient and divide by the number of servings. Meat goes in by cooked weight, and cans by drained weight. Smaller amounts, like a cup of broth or a handful of cheese, are counted too, because a few grams from each adds up across a bowl.
To see how a meal fits into your whole day, add it to the Protein Day Builder.
Who checks the numbers
Rachael Derr, RDN, Athletic Lift’s consulting dietitian, is reviewing the protein, macro, calorie, and allergen numbers in our recipes. Each post she has reviewed is marked “Nutrition reviewed by Rachael Derr, RDN.” If a number looks wrong to you, tell us through our contact page and we will check it against USDA and correct the post.