Best protein sources on GLP-1 medication

The best protein sources on a GLP-1 medication are the ones that pack the most protein into a small, easy bite: Greek yogurt or skyr, cottage cheese, eggs and egg whites, canned tuna and white fish, shrimp, chicken or turkey breast, tofu and edamame, with a protein shake as a backup. They give 15–25 g of protein in a portion you can finish when you feel full after a few bites, and they are lean enough not to sit heavy in a slow stomach.

Below: a table of 25 foods with grams of protein per portion and per 100 calories, the top picks by situation (nausea, no cooking, plant-based, tight budget), the ones that look healthy but carry little protein, and a full 100 g day built from the list.

What makes a protein source "best" on GLP-1?

On a normal appetite, almost any protein food works, because you can eat more of it. On a GLP-1 medication the stomach empties more slowly and appetite drops, so people eat much less. Protein drops with everything else: in a 2025 food-record study of adults on these medications, fewer than half reached 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight a day. So the question changes from "what has protein?" to "what gets the most protein into the few bites I can manage?"

Four things decide it:

• Protein per bite (density). Grams of protein per portion, and per 100 calories. A food with 20 g of protein per 100 calories fills your number with little room used. Peanut butter, with under 4 g per 100 calories, does not.
• Fat. Fat slows the stomach further. Fatty meats, fried food and rich sauces are the foods people on these medications most often say sit heavy or bring on nausea. Lean protein is easier.
• Quality. Animal proteins and soy are "complete": they carry all the amino acids your muscles need, with plenty of leucine, the one that switches on muscle building. Most other plant proteins are lower in one or more, so mixing them helps.
• Ease. Cold, soft, low-smell and no-cook foods get eaten on a bad day. A chicken breast you have to cook when you feel queasy often doesn't.

The 2025 joint nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy (from four US obesity and nutrition societies) names the same group: minimally processed, high-quality protein from low-fat dairy, fish, eggs, lean poultry and plant foods such as beans and soy, with protein supplements when food falls short.

How much protein are you trying to reach?

The advisory's range is 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight a day while losing weight, often worked out from an adjusted body weight if you carry a lot of extra weight. For most adults on these medications that lands around 80–120 g a day. Our guide on how much protein to eat on GLP-1 has the formula and a table by height and weight.

Spread across the day, that means about 25–30 g at each of 3–4 small meals. The International Society of Sports Nutrition puts a good dose for muscle at 20–40 g per meal. Keep that number in mind when you read the table below: the question for each food is "how much of it makes 25 g?"

Don't know your own number yet? The free 2-minute protein check gives it in grams, and shows how far a normal day of your meals falls short.

The table: 25 protein foods, ranked for a small appetite

Grams are approximate, from USDA FoodData Central for plain versions; brands vary, so check the label of what you buy. "Per 100 cal" is the density score: the higher, the more protein per bit of stomach room.

Read the bottom of the table as a warning, not a ban. Nuts, nut butters and hummus are good foods with fiber and healthy fat, but at 4–5 g of protein per 100 calories, they fill you up long before they fill your protein number. Treat them as sides, not as your protein.

The top picks, and how to use each one

1. Greek yogurt or skyr

17 g in a 3/4-cup tub, cold, soft and no cooking. It is the food people on these medications most often manage on a bad morning. Choose plain or low-sugar; flavored cups can carry 10–15 g of added sugar. Stir in a spoon of protein powder to take it past 30 g. Our high-protein GLP-1 breakfast guide has twelve small breakfasts built on it and on eggs.

2. Cottage cheese

12 g in half a cup, and it goes sweet (fruit, cinnamon) or savory (tomato, pepper). Whipped in a blender it becomes a smooth spread or dip, which suits people who dislike the curds. It is higher in salt than yogurt; low-sodium versions exist.

3. Eggs and egg whites

One egg is only 6 g, so whole eggs alone rarely make a 25 g meal. Two eggs plus half a cup of liquid egg whites makes about 25 g in a small scramble. Hard-boiled eggs keep for a week in the fridge and are a fair grab-and-go snack.

4. Canned tuna, salmon and sardines

Cheap, shelf-stable and no cooking. Tuna in water gives 20 g in 3 ounces at about 100 calories; mixed with Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise it gains protein instead of fat. The FDA advises choosing lower-mercury fish such as canned light tuna, salmon and sardines over albacore if you eat fish several times a week. Fish smells can be a problem on nauseous days; eat it cold, which smells less.

5. White fish and shrimp

The densest whole foods in the table, mild, soft, and quick to cook (shrimp from frozen in about 5 minutes). Good for people who find chicken dry or hard to swallow in small portions.

6. Chicken and turkey breast

26 g in 3 ounces of cooked chicken breast. The catch on these medications is texture: dry chicken is one of the foods people say they "can't get down". Moist methods help: poached, slow-cooked and shredded, or thin-sliced deli turkey (about 10 g per 2 ounces; check the salt). A rotisserie chicken with the skin taken off is the easy weekly buy.

7. Tofu, tempeh and edamame

Soy is the one plant protein that is complete, so it does the job animal protein does. Firm tofu takes on any flavor and can be eaten cold; silken tofu blends into shakes and soups without changing the taste much. Edamame (9 g per half cup) is a snack you can keep frozen.

8. Lean meat

Pork tenderloin and 90–95% lean beef give 22 g in 3 ounces. Fattier cuts, sausage and bacon carry far more fat per gram of protein, and are the meats most likely to sit heavy.

9. A protein shake

Not a food, but the backup that saves bad days. A shake with 20–30 g of protein, little added sugar and a third-party testing seal fills one meal slot when solid food won't go down. Our guide to protein shakes on GLP-1 covers what to read on the label and how to drink one when you feel sick.

Best protein sources by situation

On rough days, see our guides on what to eat on GLP-1 when nauseous and what to eat when you're not hungry: both set a protein floor for days when the full number is out of reach.

Are plant proteins good enough on GLP-1?

Yes, with two adjustments. First, most plant foods carry less protein per calorie, and beans and lentils bring a lot of fiber and bulk, which fills a small stomach fast. So build plant meals around the densest options: tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, seitan, and pea or soy protein powder. Second, plant proteins other than soy are lower in leucine and one or more other amino acids. Eating a mix across the day (beans with grains, soy with lentils) covers that, and aiming for the higher end of the 1.2–1.6 g per kg range adds a margin.

A plant-based 25 g meal: 4 ounces of firm tofu (12–16 g) stir-fried with half a cup of edamame (9 g) is about 25 g. A plant-based snack: a cup of soy milk (7–8 g) with a scoop of pea protein (about 20 g).

Protein sources that look healthy but don't carry much

• Nuts and nut butters. 4 g of protein per 100 calories. Fine as a side, not as your protein.
• Hummus. About 5 g in a quarter cup. A dip, not a meal.
• Quinoa. About 4 g per half cup cooked. Better than rice, but a grain, not a protein food.
• Regular yogurt and flavored "protein" yogurts. Regular yogurt has about half the protein of Greek. Some "protein" products carry 10 g or less; check the label.
• Many protein bars. Often 10–20 g of protein with sugar alcohols or fiber blends that some people find hard on a slow gut. Read the label for protein per calorie and the ingredient list.
• Collagen powder. It counts as protein on the label, but it is low in leucine and missing tryptophan, so it does less for muscle than whey or soy. Don't let it be your main source.

A 100 g protein day from the list

Built for someone who feels full after a few bites: five small eating times, each under a cup of food, protein eaten first.

For seven days planned this way, with a grocery list, see our GLP-1 meal plan for beginners.

How to eat more protein when you're full fast

1. Protein first. Eat the protein part of the plate before the rest. If you stop after five bites, those were the bites that counted.
2. Eat on a clock. These medications can switch off hunger cues. Set 4–5 eating times and eat something with protein at each, hungry or not.
3. Make portions smaller and denser. Swap regular yogurt for Greek, milk for ultra-filtered milk (about 13 g a cup on most labels), mayo for Greek yogurt in tuna or egg salad.
4. Add protein to what you already eat. Unflavored whey or soy protein powder stirs into oatmeal, soup or mashed potatoes; egg whites go into oats.
5. Keep it in reach. A fridge shelf of ready protein (yogurt, eggs, cheese sticks, cooked chicken) and a shelf of cans (tuna, salmon, beans) means you don't have to cook on a bad day.
6. Don't drink a lot right before meals. A big glass of water or a fizzy drink takes room the food needs. Sip between meals instead.

Mistakes that leave people short

• Counting "high-protein" foods that aren't. Nuts, hummus and quinoa get called protein foods; at a small-appetite portion they add 4–6 g.
• Living on shakes. One or two a day is fine; a diet of drinks is short on fiber, energy and other nutrients, and the advisory lists both shortfalls and constipation as things to watch.
• Front-loading dinner. A big protein dinner after a day of little food is the meal most likely to cause trouble on a slow stomach. Spread it out.
• Skipping the other half. Protein supplies the building blocks; strength training is what tells the body to keep muscle. Both are needed; our guide on how to prevent muscle loss on GLP-1 explains why.

When to check with your doctor or a dietitian

• You have kidney disease: protein targets for chronic kidney disease are different, and yours should come from your care team.
• You can't keep food or fluids down for a day or more, or you have signs of dehydration (very dark urine, dizziness).
• You are eating under about 50–60 g of protein a day for more than a week or two despite trying.
• You have a food allergy that rules out several of the top picks, or you take medicines with food rules.

A registered dietitian can build a plan around what you can tolerate; many insurance plans cover nutrition visits for obesity or diabetes.

Questions people ask

What is the best protein to eat on Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound?

There is no single best one. The ones that work best on a small appetite are lean, soft and dense: Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs and egg whites, canned tuna, white fish, shrimp, chicken or turkey breast, and tofu. Pick the two or three you like and keep them in the house.

Is chicken or fish better on GLP-1?

Both are good. White fish and shrimp are a little denser and softer, so they are often easier on a full stomach. Salmon and sardines carry more fat, which is the healthy kind, but they are heavier per bite.

Are eggs a good protein source on GLP-1?

Yes, and cheap, but one egg has only 6 g. Pair whole eggs with egg whites, cottage cheese or a slice of turkey to reach 20–25 g in one meal.

Can I get enough protein on GLP-1 as a vegetarian or vegan?

Yes, if soy foods and a plant protein powder are part of most days. Beans and lentils help, but alone they are bulky for the protein they carry.

Is protein powder as good as food?

For the protein itself, whey and soy powders are high quality. Food brings fiber, vitamins and minerals a powder doesn't, so use powder to fill gaps, not to replace meals.

Which protein foods cause the most nausea on GLP-1?

People most often name fatty or fried meats, rich sauces, large portions and strong-smelling hot food. Cold, lean and small portions are usually easier. If nausea is severe or lasting, talk to your prescriber.

To see your own daily number and how many of these foods it takes, try the free 2-minute protein check. More on eating and training on weight-loss medication: all our muscle plan guides.

Sources: Mozaffarian D. et al., "Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity", joint advisory of ACLM, ASN, OMA and TOS, Am J Clin Nutr, 2025. Johnson B. et al., protein intake while using GLP-1 RAs, J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2025. Jäger R. et al., ISSN position stand: protein and exercise, J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2017. USDA FoodData Central (protein and calories per portion). US FDA and EPA, "Advice about eating fish", 2021. National Kidney Foundation, KDOQI commentary on protein in CKD. This guide is about food and habits and is not medical advice; keep to your prescriber's advice.