TAZA DAILYHow Much Protein Is in an Egg, Chicken Breast, and Everything Else You Eat
Most people trying to eat more protein are guessing. They know chicken is “high protein” and bread isn’t, but they have no idea whether they’re hitting 60g a day or 130g.
Here are the actual numbers, then what to do with them.
The quick answers
| Food | Serving | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 1 egg | 1 large (50g) | ~6g |
| 2 eggs | ~12g | |
| 3 eggs | ~19g | |
| Chicken breast | 100g cooked | ~31g |
| Chicken breast | 1 whole (~170g) | ~53g |
| Beef mince (lean) | 100g cooked | ~26g |
| Tuna, canned | 100g drained | ~25g |
| Salmon | 100g cooked | ~25g |
| Greek yoghurt | 100g | ~9g |
| Cottage cheese | 100g | ~11g |
| Cow’s milk | 250ml | ~8g |
| Feta / white cheese | 50g | ~7g |
| Whey isolate | 1 scoop (~18g) | ~16g |
| Lentils, cooked | 100g | ~9g |
| Chickpeas / hummus | 100g | ~8g |
| Foul (fava beans) | 100g | ~8g |
| Peanut butter | 20g | ~5g |
| Tahini | 15g | ~3g |
| Almonds | 30g | ~6g |
| Rolled oats | 30g | ~4g |
| Bread, white | 1 slice | ~2.5g |
| Rice, cooked | 100g | ~2.5g |
| Banana | 1 medium | ~1g |
| Almond milk | 250ml | ~1g |
The bottom of that table is where people go wrong. Fruit, rice, bread and plant milks contribute almost nothing — which is why a “healthy” breakfast of banana, toast and orange juice can total under 8g.
How much do you actually need?
- Sedentary adult: ~0.8g per kg of bodyweight — the minimum to avoid deficiency, not an optimum
- Active / gym 3–4×/week: 1.2–1.6g per kg
- Training seriously, building muscle: 1.6–2.2g per kg
- Over 60: aim higher, around 1.2–1.5g per kg — protein needs rise with age
For an 80kg person training regularly, that’s roughly 100–130g a day.
More on the daily target in how much protein per day.
What 120g a day actually looks like
Not as much as people fear, and not as easy as they hope:
- Breakfast: 3 eggs + Greek yoghurt → 28g
- Lunch: chicken breast + rice + salad → 35g
- Snack: a protein drink → 20g
- Dinner: beef mince + lentils → 34g
- Total: ~117g
Take out the protein drink and you’re at 97g — which is why one drink a day is often the difference between hitting the target and missing it.
Spread it, don’t stack it
Your body uses protein best when it’s distributed across the day. Roughly 25–40g per meal, three to four times daily beats 20g at breakfast and 90g at dinner, even if the total is identical.
This is the most common practical mistake: a protein-free breakfast, a light lunch, and an enormous dinner.
Egyptian foods, specifically
Some of the best protein sources here are cheap and traditional:
- Foul — around 8g per 100g, plus fibre. The classic Egyptian breakfast is genuinely well-built.
- Eggs — the most efficient protein per pound in any Egyptian market
- Cottage / white cheese (gebna) — ~11g per 100g
- Lentils (ads) — 9g per 100g, and complete when eaten with rice
- Tahini — modest protein but useful fat, and it pairs with everything
A plate of foul with an egg and bread is roughly 20g — a genuinely strong start that costs very little.
Quality matters, but less than people think
You’ll hear about “complete” vs “incomplete” proteins. Animal sources and soy contain all nine essential amino acids; most plant sources are short on one or two. But if you eat a varied diet across the day, this mostly takes care of itself — rice with lentils, or bread with hummus, covers each other’s gaps.
Don’t overthink amino acid profiles until you’re consistently hitting your total.
The fastest ways to add 20g
- A scoop of whey isolate — ~16g, and it’s lactose-free
- 100g Greek yoghurt — ~9g, plus it’s food not powder
- Swap almond milk for cow’s or soy milk — +7g for zero effort
- Add 2 eggs to anything — ~12g
- A properly built protein drink — 20g+ with fibre and fat alongside
Frequently asked questions
How much protein is in one egg?
About 6g in a large egg (50g). Two eggs ≈ 12g, three ≈ 19g. Roughly half sits in the white and half in the yolk, so eating whites only cuts your protein as well as the fat.
How much protein is in 100g of chicken breast?
About 31g cooked. A whole breast (~170g) is closer to 53g — often a third of a day’s target in one piece.
Is it bad to eat too much protein?
For healthy people, high protein intakes are generally well tolerated. The practical limits are cost, digestion, and displacing other foods you need. If you have kidney disease you should follow medical advice on protein rather than general guidance. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Do I need a protein shake?
No — you can hit any target with food. Shakes are a convenience, not a requirement. They earn their place when you’re short on time or appetite, typically breakfast and post-training.
Is plant protein as good as whey?
Per gram it’s usually slightly less efficient, and single sources are often short on one amino acid. A pea + rice blend solves that and stands up well against whey. Soy is complete on its own.
Does cooking reduce protein?
No. Cooking changes protein’s structure but not how much of it there is. You lose weight from water, not protein — which is why 100g raw and 100g cooked have different numbers.
Where we fit
Every Taza Daily bottle carries 15–20g of protein and we print the number rather than implying it — from whey isolate plus real contributions from oats, peanut butter and tahini. Roughly the same as three eggs, in a bottle you can drink on the way to work.
For how much protein is really in a blended drink — including the ones sold as “protein smoothies” — see this breakdown.
20g protein, no refined sugar, blended fresh. Order →
This article is general information about food and nutrition, not medical advice. Taza Daily products are food, not a treatment for any condition. For health concerns, consult a qualified professional.