Protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, calories and food composition explained with practical context.
Hard Parmesan contains roughly 35–36 g protein per 100 g, more than ten times the concentration in milk. Aging does not create new protein: curd formation, pressing and months of moisture loss concentrate the casein and other milk solids that remain in the cheese.
USDA-derived raw Atlantic salmon data show wild fish at about 142 calories, 19.8 g protein and 6.3 g fat per 100 g, versus farmed Atlantic salmon at 208 calories, 20.4 g protein and 13.4 g fat. Protein is almost identical; farmed salmon has more than twice the total fat in these references.
In equal 150 g servings, current labels are surprisingly close for energy: Icelandic Provisions Plain Skyr has 120 calories and 17 g protein; Good Culture 2% cottage cheese has 130 calories and 19 g protein. The bigger contrast is sodium: 55 mg in skyr versus 520 mg in cottage cheese.
Cottage cheese can deliver close to 20 g protein in one small cup. Good Culture 2% provides 19 g protein, 130 calories and 3 g fat per 150 g; its 4% whole-milk single serve also provides 19 g protein but 140 calories and 6 g fat. Sodium is often the number worth checking alongside protein.
Fresh cheese is a broad category. Cottage cheese holds moist curds in a creamy dressing, while queso fresco is pressed into a firmer cheese; their water and fat contents create large nutritional differences even before brand-to-brand variation.
Plain skyr can pack a large amount of protein into a small cup. Icelandic Provisions Plain Skyr currently provides 17 g protein, 120 calories, 2.5 g fat and 3 g sugar per 150 g—about 11.3 g protein and 80 calories per 100 g.
Skyr does not automatically beat Greek yogurt for protein. Normalized to 100 g, Icelandic Provisions Plain Skyr provides about 80 calories, 11.3 g protein and 1.7 g fat; FAGE Total 0% plain Greek yogurt works out to about 53 calories, 10.6 g protein and 0 g fat. Both are concentrated dairy foods; the specific fat level and recipe matter.
There is no permanent category winner because formulas change, but current U.S. examples show the trade-off clearly: Silk Unsweet Almondmilk has 30 calories and 0 g sugar per cup, Oatly Unsweetened Oatmilk has 40 calories per cup, and Silk Unsweet Soymilk has 80 calories but 8 g protein and less than 1 g sugar. Lowest calorie and most nutritionally similar to milk are different questions.
Calcium in many plant milks is added during manufacturing rather than coming mainly from the diluted almond, oat or soy itself. Current Silk examples range from 300 mg calcium per cup in unsweet soy to 470 mg in unsweet almond. Fortification can make calcium substantial, but it does not make every other nutrient equivalent to dairy milk.
Removing milk fat mainly lowers calories, total fat and saturated fat. USDA references per 100 g: whole milk 61 calories and 3.25 g fat; 2% milk 50 calories and about 2 g fat; skim milk 34 calories and 0.08 g fat. Protein stays close to 3.2–3.4 g and calcium remains around 113–122 mg.
The biggest predictable change is fat. USDA plain yogurt references provide about 61 calories, 3.25 g fat and 3.47 g protein/100 g for whole-milk yogurt versus 50 calories, 0.1 g fat and 4.2 g protein for nonfat. Carbohydrate is product-dependent and can be higher in nonfat yogurt because milk solids and processing differ.
The highest-protein plant meat alternatives are usually TVP, seitan, tempeh, firm tofu and some formulated burgers. Normal portions of several provide roughly 17–20 g protein, while young jackfruit has only about 2–2.6 g/100 g. TVP looks exceptionally high per 100 g because it is measured dry before absorbing water.