Proteins
The Foods (14)
Chicken
The world's most eaten meat, supplying complete protein, B vitamins and selenium; the page compares white and dark meat and safe cooking.
Read the deep dive →Milk
Whole cow's milk supplies whey and casein protein, calcium, iodine and B12; the page covers bone health and lactose intolerance.
Read the deep dive →Yogurt
Milk fermented by live bacteria for over 5,000 years, studied for gut health, immunity, bone strength and the gut-brain axis.
Read the deep dive →Sardines
Small oily Mediterranean fish, usually canned, rich in omega-3s, vitamin D, B12 and bone calcium, and low in mercury.
Read the deep dive →Eggs
Among the most nutrient-dense foods, with complete protein and choline; research has moved past old cholesterol fears toward brain, eye and heart benefits.
Read the deep dive →Beef
Meat from domesticated cattle, a dense source of complete protein, heme iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and creatine; grass-fed adds omega-3s.
Read the deep dive →Salmon
Atlantic and Pacific oily fish packed with omega-3 fats, studied for heart, brain and eye health; the page compares wild and farmed.
Read the deep dive →Herring
Small schooling ocean fish rich in omega-3 fats, vitamin D and B12, feeding low on the food chain and so carrying little mercury.
Read the deep dive →Lentils
One of the oldest cultivated crops, a protein- and fiber-rich pulse studied for heart health, blood sugar, iron and folate.
Read the deep dive →Pork
Meat from domesticated pigs, exceptionally high in thiamine and rich in protein and selenium; processed pork carries nitrite and sodium concerns.
Read the deep dive →Tuna
Fast ocean predators rich in protein, selenium, B12 and omega-3s; sitting high on the food chain, they accumulate methylmercury.
Read the deep dive →Chickpeas
Also called garbanzo beans, an ancient Mediterranean and Indian pulse studied for steady blood sugar, fullness, cholesterol and heart health.
Read the deep dive →Beans
Edible legume seeds, mostly the common bean, pairing plant protein with fiber; studied for cholesterol, blood sugar, gut health and longevity.
Read the deep dive →Cod
A cold-water North Atlantic and Pacific white fish rich in protein, best known historically for cod liver oil and its vitamin D.
Read the deep dive →Fish, meat, eggs, legumes and dairy — the foods eaten primarily for protein. The pages cover amino-acid quality, what varies with how the animal was raised or the legume prepared, and the trade-offs that come with each source.