High-Protein Foods to Eat on The Paleo Diet®

If you regularly exercise, it can be hard to fit all the protein you need into your day. In order to build muscle, athletes need more high-protein foods (and high-quality protein) than the average person. To calculate the amount of protein you need per day, just multiply your body weight in pounds by the protein requirement for your activity level. ¹

*Experts recommend not exceeding 1.5 grams of protein per pound since it may cause digestive upset or put undue stress on the kidneys over time.¹ 

The Paleo Diet® recommends sourcing protein from whole foods first and only supplementing with a dairy-free Paleo protein powder if you need that extra boost to help reach your goals. But what are the best Paleo, high-protein foods, and how can you get more in your diet?

How to Add High-Protein Foods to Meals 

Natural meats are known for being high in both the amount of protein they provide and their protein density—meaning the percent of calories in food derived from protein. Centering your meal around one of the high-protein foods below is one way to keep your intake high. 

• Pork, beef, and other red meats come in at around 20 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz.) serving.^2-5
• Poultry like chicken, turkey, and grouse provide 22-26 g of protein per 100 g for breast meat alone.^6-9
• Fish like cod, tuna, and haddock provide 16-24 g of protein per 100 g.^10-13
• Shellfish like shrimp can have as much as 15 grams of protein per 100 g.¹⁴

There are times when meat protein sources aren’t possible for Paleo athletes, such as those who are vegan or vegetarian. Below are more tips for adding protein to your meals, with several options for plant-based athletes.

Eat More Eggs

The cholesterol content of eggs has led many to be wary of eating too many, but research has found that egg cholesterol is poorly absorbed in the body and not detrimental to cardiovascular health.¹⁵ Not only does the average egg contain about 6 grams of protein,¹⁶ but they are also easily digestible compared to many other protein sources and contain all nine essential amino acids that are important for skeletal muscle health.^17,18

Eggs are best known for their versatility in breakfast foods, but you can also add them to soups, stir-fries, sauces, grain-free batters, and ground meat mixtures.

RECIPE: Poached Eggs with Peach Salsa

Swap Water or Broth in Recipes for Bone Broth

Bone broth can have 9 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving¹⁹ compared to less than 4 grams in chicken broth,²⁰ so this swap can make a big difference. You can add bone broth to foods like soups, mashed sweet potatoes, and even recovery smoothies.

RECIPE: Beef Bone Broth

Choose the Best Protein Vegetables

While meats have the highest amounts of protein compared to other foods, there are some Paleo-friendly vegetables that you can add to your meal that will further increase your protein intake while also providing additional beneficial nutrients. 

• White mushrooms are one of the best veggie-based sources of vitamin D and have 3.6 g/cup (2.9 g/100 g) of protein.²¹
• Brussels sprouts have 3.5 g/cup (4 g/100 g) of protein.²²
• Asparagus has 2.2 g/cup (1.4 g/100 g) of protein.²³
• Broccoli (2.6 g/100 g), cauliflower (1.6 g/100 g), and zucchini (1.2 g/100 g) come in at 1.5 to 2.0 g/cup of protein.^24-26 
• Mustard greens have 1.6 g/cup (2.9 g/100 g) of protein.²⁷
• Leafy greens like spinach (2.9 g/100 g), bok choy (1.5 g/100 g), and collard greens (3.0 g/100 g) all have around 1 g/cup of protein .^28-30

RECIPE: Veggie-Packed Breakfast Frittata

Throw in Some Seeds

Seeds like hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, and flax are quick and easy additions to squeeze in just a little bit more protein. Sprinkle them on top of salads or soups, blend them into smoothies, mix in baked goods, or use as a garnish on meals. Flaxseeds can also be used to thicken soups and sauces. For vegans, they are a good substitute for eggs in recipes.

It’s important to eat seeds in moderation to maintain the proper ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3s. Competitive athletes should also be wary of poppy seeds—though they are a good source of protein, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency recommends athletes avoid consuming poppy seeds at least a few days before a competition to avoid a potential positive drug test.

RECIPE: Mid-Workout Energy Bars

Add Ground Meat to Sauces 

You can make any sauce protein-rich by adding ground meat. For example, if you’re making zucchini noodle pasta with red sauce, you can add ground chicken, turkey, or beef to turn it into a bolognese. 

RECIPE: Lemon-Pesto Zoodles with Veggies

Season with Nutritional Yeast

Nutritional yeast has a flavor that some describe to be similar to parmesan cheese, and works well on top of vegetables, soups, dips, and sauces. It has 1.5 grams of protein per tablespoon (50 g/100 g)³¹ and can be found in the baking or spice aisle in the grocery store. 

RECIPE: Sheet-Pan Chicken & Veggies with Walnut Parmesan

Use Coconut or Almond Flour

Since grain flours are not compatible with a Paleo diet, this swap is a no-brainer for PaleoFLEX™ baking. Coconut flour has 32 grams (16 g/100 g) of protein³² and almond flour 26 grams (26 g/100 g) per cup,³³ compared to only 16 grams per cup (12 g/100 g) found in wheat flour.³⁴ 

RECIPE: Date & Almond Energy Balls

Add Collagen or Paleo Protein Powder 

Though it should not be your first choice when adding high-protein foods to your diet, there are some Paleo-compatible protein powders and collagen peptides available to bolster your protein intake.

For a protein supplement to be Paleo, it should be sourced from grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, or egg whites (not whey or casein), can’t have added sugars or flavors, must be free of soy and grains, and minimally processed. 

Many of these unflavored supplements can be mixed into hot drinks, sauces, or simply sprinkled in while cooking. 

RECIPE: Paleo Banana Pancakes

High-Protein Snacks 

If you fall short of achieving your protein needs with three square meals a day, having prepped protein snacks available can be helpful to fill in any gaps. Below are some quick and Paleo-friendly protein snacks from us at The Paleo Diet and Naturopathic Doctor Erin Rhae Biller to satisfy your hunger and your protein goals at the same time.

Vegan Paleo protein snacks to consider:

• Fruit like apples or banana with a natural nut butter
• Guacamole and veggie sticks
• Energy bites made with dates, nuts, coconut, your choice of seeds, and cacao
• Cauliflower with chickpea-free hummus made from tahini or pine nuts 
• Cashew cheese and veggies or flaxseed crackers
• Trail mix with hemp seeds 
• Roasted nuts with nutritional yeast
• Recovery smoothie with high-protein ingredients

Some non-vegan Paleo protein snacks to consider:

• Hardboiled eggs 
• Natural jerky without preservatives or added sugar 
• Smoked salmon with cucumber or avocado
• Smoothie with collagen or beef-based protein powder
• Tuna, egg, or chicken salad made with Paleo Mayo on cucumbers or peppers
• Egg bites
• Cocktail shrimp
• Lettuce wraps with chicken or fish
• Preservative-free prosciutto with melon

References 

1. Wu, G. (2016). Dietary protein intake and human health. Food & Function, 7(3), 1251–1265. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5fo01530h
2. (2023, October 26). Pork, loin, tenderloin, boneless, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2646169/nutrients
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4. (2023, October 26). Beef, flank, steak, boneless, choice, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2646175/nutrients
5. Williams, P. (2007). Nutritional Composition of Red Meat. Nutrition & Dietetics, 64(s4 The Role of), S113–S119. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1747-0080.2007.00197.x?msockid=0ce05dc21968685303e04f2218906911
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15. Kim, J., & Campbell, W. (2018). Dietary Cholesterol Contained in Whole Eggs Is Not Well Absorbed and Does Not Acutely Affect Plasma Total Cholesterol Concentration in Men and Women: Results from 2 Randomized Controlled Crossover Studies. Nutrients, 10(9), 1272. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6165023/
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29. (2019, April 1). Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170390/nutrients
30. (2024, October 31). Collards, raw. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709576/nutrients
31. (2022, December 22). NUTRITIONAL YEAST. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2411476/nutrients
32. (2023, April 20). Flour, coconut. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2515382/nutrients
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34. (2020, April 1). Flour, wheat, all-purpose, unenriched, unbleached. FoodData Central; U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/790018/nutrients