Eggs and Peanut Butter Are Not High-Protein Foods

Eggs have always been a go-to for high-protein diets, especially for fitness fans. They're easy to cook, versatile, and tasty. But what if eggs aren't the protein powerhouses we think they are? In this post, we'll bust the myth that eggs and a few other foods are super high in protein and talk about the importance of managing both calories and macronutrients. Let's dive in.

The Truth About Eggs

While eggs are a good source of protein, they're not the biggest hitters compared to other protein-rich foods. One large egg has about 6 grams of protein, so if you eat two, that's 12 grams total. Compare that to a 3-ounce serving of chicken breast, which provides around 26 grams of protein—a much bigger protein boost.

Let's break it down a bit more. According to the USDA, one large egg has 72 calories, 6.2 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat. Out of those 72 calories, 25 come from protein (6.2 grams of protein x 4 calories per gram) and 45 come from fat (5 grams of fat x 9 calories per gram).

If we convert the calories to percentages, eggs get 63% of their calories from fat and only 35% of their calories from protein. As you can see, eggs are much more of a fat source than a protein source. So, while eggs are great, there are better options out there for maximizing protein intake without excess fat.

The Peanut Butter Protein Myth

Peanut butter is another one that's often touted as a high-protein food. I hate to break it to you, but peanut butter is absolutely not a good source of protein. It's delicious, sure, but it's not the nutritional slam dunk that a lot of people think it is.

Despite its reputation as a high-protein food, only 15% of peanut butter’s calories come from protein. Instead, a whopping 67% of its calories come from fat—making it a great source of healthy fats, but not exactly the meaningful protein boost you might expect.

That doesn’t mean peanut butter is bad—it’s actually a great food. It’s delicious, convenient, and packs vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium. Still, it's important to consume it in moderation due to its high calorie content. While it can absolutely be part of a balanced diet, it shouldn't be relied upon as a primary protein source.

Beans Aren't Ideal Either

And what about beans? Like eggs and peanut butter, they’re often thought of as protein-rich, but their macronutrient breakdown tells a different story: 23% protein, 10% fat, and 67% carbs. While they do contain protein, their high carb content makes them an inefficient protein source. If you're serious about increasing protein intake, you'll need to look beyond these usual suspects

Efficient Protein Sources

For a more efficient protein-to-calorie ratio, here are some leaner options to consider. These are ordered from greatest to least percentage of calories from protein:

• Whey protein isolate: 93% of calories from protein, with only 2% from fat.

• Cod (and other lean white fish): 87% of calories from protein, 7% from fat.

• Fat free (99% lean) ground turkey: 84% of calories from protein, 16% from fat.

• Egg whites: 82% of calories from protein, 1% from fat.

• Chicken breast: 81% of calories from protein, 18% from fat.

• Nonfat plain Greek yogurt: 70% of calories from protein, 6% from fat, 25% from carbs.

• Lowfat (1% fat) cottage cheese: 69% of calories from protein, 13% from fat, 15% from carbs.

If you're a data geek like I am and want to see all the details and calculations, I've put together a Google sheet for you.

The Bigger Picture

It's important to watch both your calories and macronutrients. Overeating any macronutrient—protein, fat, or carbs—will lead to fat gain. This is true even when you’re eating to gain muscle because even in the best-case scenario (carefully building muscle with a controlled surplus), only about half of the weight you gain is muscle. The remainder is fat you'll only need to diet off later.

Know that you can't speed up muscle growth by eating more. A tiny caloric surplus is enough to build muscle—so small you might hardly notice it. This is why considering caloric density and protein efficiency are important, even when we're trying to gain weight.

Practical Example

Imagine you're a relatively small female dieting on 1,600 calories a day, with a daily protein target of 120g. Assuming you eat three meals a day, you'd need around 40g of protein per meal to hit your daily target. Each meal would be around 533 calories if you distribute your calories evenly (which isn’t necessary, but let's keep it simple for this example).

Now let’s say you choose eggs for your protein source at breakfast. To get 40g of protein from whole eggs, you'd need around 6.5 large eggs. Since you're not likely to split an egg, let's round it up to 7. That's 504 calories just from the eggs—95% of your calorie budget for that one meal alone.

This leaves you with just 29 calories for any carbs you may want to include, and no extra room for fat—not that you'd need it, since 7 eggs already give you 49g of fat. As you can see, it would be pretty tough to make a balanced meal.

Plus, those 7 eggs pack in 49g of fat. If you're aiming for 120g of protein on a 1,600-calorie diet, your fat target would probably be around 40-50g maximum to ensure you have enough calories left over to allot to carbohydrates to fuel your training. Just this breakfast alone would nearly max out your daily fat intake. Yikes!

If you were committed to eating the eggs, you could try to go fat-free for the rest of the day, but it would be super tough to find foods and cooking methods that don’t add fat. Plus, you'd likely feel hungrier since fat helps slow down digestion.

So, finding the right balance is key, and choosing inefficient protein sources can make it tough to strike that balance. Even if you had rounded down to 6 eggs, that would still be 432 calories, or 81% of your caloric budget for the one meal. This would be an improvement for sure, but would still only leave you 101 calories for starchy carbs, vegetables, and anything else.

Conclusion

If you're thinking about body composition and managing your calories, picking proteins like eggs and peanut butter might not be the best idea. Choosing the right protein sources helps you hit your targets without wasting calories on extra fat. Smarter choices mean better results—without unnecessary setbacks.

Remember, balancing calories and macronutrients is key to reaching your fitness and nutrition goals. It's not just about eating more protein—it’s about choosing the right sources while staying within your calorie limits.