The 5 Best Fruits for Protein (and How to Enjoy Them at Work)

Want to sneak a bit more protein into your diet? Consider the humble fruit! While fruits are relatively low in protein compared to options like jerky and nuts, they can still give your intake a boost if you’re strategic about your workday snacking and choose the best fruits for protein. To help you put that plan into action, The FruitGuys spoke to three dietitians to find out which fruits make the best protein snacks. 

“Some fruits offer more protein than others, and usually, it’s the fruits that contain edible seeds, such as guava and passion fruit [that have the most],” Erin Nella, a senior neuroscience dietitian at UC Davis Health, told The FruitGuys. 

Danielle Bores, a clinical dietitian with the Saint Alphonsus Nutrition Program, concurred, adding that “avocado follows closely, and then jackfruit.”

Why Some Fruits Have More Protein Than Others

Fruits aren’t known for their protein power. Jamie Mok, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told The FruitGuys that fruits typically have less than 2 grams of protein per serving. Instead, they’re renowned for offering other essential nutrients that our bodies can’t create—like fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. They’re also a great source of energizing carbohydrates. When protein sneaks in, you can usually find it in one particular place. 

“Protein is a very difficult nutrient for plants to create and is generally dedicated to the seed of the plant (think legumes or beans),” Nella explained. 

That’s why fruits with edible seeds typically pack the biggest protein punch. 

5 of the Best Fruits for Protein Intake

We ranked these protein-rich fruits using data from the United States Department of Agriculture. 

Passion Fruits (5.2 grams per cup)

Tropical passion fruits are loaded with sweet-tart pulp and edible seeds that give them a protein boost. They’re tasty on their own or as an add-in to smoothies or desserts. Look for yellow or purple passion fruits—they’re both nutritious and delicious! 

To snack on a passion fruit, wait until its skin wrinkles, then slice it in half and eat the pulpy center with a spoon. It’s a great topper for yogurt, too. 

Guavas (4.2 grams per cup)

Seed-packed guava is a true superfood. Not only is it one of the best fruits for protein, but ounce for ounce, it also has four times more Vitamin C than an orange, more potassium than a banana, and four times the fiber of a pineapple. 

Guavas have a sweet, musky flavor, and they’re tasty on their own as a snack. They complement cheese, too, so enjoy them together to double up on protein. 

Avocados (3 grams per cup)

The avocado is a high-protein fruit whether it’s sliced (3 grams per cup) or mashed (4.6 grams per cup), as that protein is in the smooth and creamy fruit, not the seed in the center. Try slicing avocados over salads, rice bowls, or tacos; spreading them on toast; or mashing them into dips and smoothies. 

You can also eat avocados on their own: Simply season half of a pitted avocado with a drizzle of vinaigrette dressing and a sprinkle of garlic salt, then enjoy it with a spoon as a tasty snack! 

Pomegranate Arils (2.9 grams per cup)

Pomegranates are a unique fruit—crack one open, and you’ll find a treasure trove of ruby-like arils inside. No wonder they’re a favorite of myths and legends! Each aril contains a small, edible white seed that likely gives the pom its protein. Arils are delicious by the handful, sprinkled on salad, or tossed in a bowl with other fruits. 

Watch our video to learn how to eat a pomegranate the easy way.

Jackfruits (2.8 grams per cup)

Sliced jackfruit comes in relatively high on the protein fruit scale with 2.8 grams of protein per cup. It’s also the largest edible fruit in the world! If you can get your hands on one, enjoy it fresh as a snack or add chunks to a salad. It has a wonderfully wild tropical flavor with hints of mango, banana, and apple. 

Honorable Protein Mentions: Berries and Stone Fruits

The fruits in our top five best fruits for protein all have almost or more than three grams, but plenty of other fruits contain smaller amounts. Blackberries and apricots both have more than 2 grams per cup, while kiwis, cherries, and raspberries have 1.5 grams of protein per cup or more. 

Pair Fruit with Protein for a Super-Healthy Snack

To get even more protein in your diet, you can pair nutrient-dense fruit with more substantial protein sources like meat, poultry, fish, tofu, beans, legumes, and dairy products. Sometimes, eating fruit and high-protein foods together can even unlock extra nutrients that you wouldn’t get when eating them separately. 

“Fruit can be a valuable food to include with your protein-rich meals or snacks,” Nella said. “One example of this would be that the Vitamin C found inside fruits helps your body absorb plant-based sources of iron that you might get from legumes.” 

So, next time you eat a lentil salad in the break room for lunch or snack on a handful of peanuts at your desk, eat an orange, too!

High-Protein Snack Ideas (Dietitian-Approved)

Here are a few snacks and meals that Bores and Mok recommend making to combine higher-protein fruits with other protein sources. 

• Mash avocado and white beans to make a spread for toast or wraps
• Enjoy sliced kiwi or passion fruit pulp over cottage cheese
• Blend frozen raspberries or blackberries with kefir to make a simple smoothie
• Make a zesty bean salad with diced avocado
• Top a leafy green salad with grilled chicken and blackberries or grilled fish and grapefruit segments
• Whip yogurt or cottage cheese into a dip and dunk in sliced fruit
• Mash avocado with chopped hard-boiled eggs to make an egg salad 
• Add diced kiwi to your favorite ceviche
• Top fish tacos with guacamole
• Add fresh raspberries or blackberries to a cheese board
• Layer fresh fruit, chia seeds, and nuts into a yogurt parfait

Want more protein snack inspiration for your workday? Check out “The Top Protein-Packed Snacks for Busy Employees (and How to Make Them a Habit).”