No fruit is a high protein food in the way dal, eggs or paneer are. In the Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017), the fruit with the most protein is Manila tamarind at 3.56 g per 100g, and most common fruits sit between roughly 0.3 g and 1.5 g. So this guide ranks the high protein fruits honestly, and shows how many grams of protein you actually get, and how much fruit you would need to eat to reach a useful amount.
It is for anyone in India who is building a plant based protein plan, from first-time gym-goers to home cooks, and every number comes from the IFCT 2017, USDA FoodData Central, or our own product labels.
High Protein Fruits: The Quick Answer
The most protein rich fruits have about 2.5 to 3.5 g of protein per 100g. In the IFCT, that is Manila tamarind (3.56 g), wood apple (3.14 g), avocado (2.95 g), ripe jackfruit (2.74 g) and bael (2.63 g) among fresh fruit, with purple passion fruit at 2.2 g (USDA), and dried apricot (3.17 g) among dried fruits. Guava has 1.44 g and a ripe banana about 1.23 g. For comparison, USDA lists 10.3 g in 100g of nonfat Greek yogurt.
Which Fruits Have the Most Protein? Fresh Fruit Ranking
This table ranks fresh fruit by protein per 100g of edible portion, using the IFCT 2017 proximate values, plus USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) for passion fruit, raspberries and kiwifruit, which the IFCT does not list. Energy is converted from kJ to kcal (divided by 4.184), and fibre is total dietary fibre.
| Fresh fruit (per 100g) | Protein | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manila tamarind (Pithecellobium dulce) | 3.56 g | 82 kcal | 13.54 g | 4.4 g |
| Wood apple | 3.14 g | 78 kcal | 7.52 g | 5.21 g |
| Avocado | 2.95 g | 144 kcal | 1.75 g | 6.69 g |
| Jackfruit, ripe | 2.74 g | 72 kcal | 14.01 g | 3.62 g |
| Bael fruit | 2.63 g | 136 kcal | 28.21 g | 6.31 g |
| Passion fruit, purple (USDA) | 2.2 g | 97 kcal | 23.4 g | 10.4 g |
| Fig | 2.03 g | 82 kcal | 16.28 g | 4.64 g |
| Phalsa | 1.66 g | 71 kcal | 15.09 g | 4.54 g |
| Custard apple | 1.62 g | 99 kcal | 20.38 g | 5.1 g |
| Black currants | 1.51 g | 54 kcal | 9.93 g | 4.07 g |
| Cherries, red | 1.49 g | 60 kcal | 11.87 g | 2.12 g |
| Guava, white flesh | 1.44 g | 32 kcal | 5.13 g | 8.59 g |
| Banana, ripe (robusta) | 1.23 g | 105 kcal | 23.63 g | 1.94 g |
| Raspberries (USDA) | 1.2 g | 52 kcal | 11.9 g | 6.5 g |
| Kiwifruit, green (USDA) | 1.14 g | 61 kcal | 14.7 g | 3 g |
Avocado, Manila tamarind, bael, custard apple and black currants are single-sample entries in the IFCT, and phalsa has two, so treat their figures as less certain than the entries averaged over five or six samples, such as jackfruit, fig, guava and banana. Fresh fruit is mostly water, which is why the protein per 100g stays low, and in every fruit in these tables the fibre or the carbohydrate per 100g is higher than the protein. Many sites quote protein per cup, but a cup weighs a different amount for each fruit, so we use per 100g. USDA does list a cup as 236 g of passion fruit (about 5.2 g of protein), 180 g of sliced kiwifruit (about 2.1 g) and 123 g of raspberries (about 1.5 g). Avocado also carries 144 kcal per 100g against 32 kcal for white guava, so the two fruits are very different choices for calories. Blackberries have 0.92 g of protein per 100g in the IFCT, so berries sit below this list. For a banana in more detail, see our guide to protein in 1 banana.
Dried Fruits: Protein per 100g and the Catch
Drying removes water, so dried fruits show higher protein per 100g, but they also pack far more carbohydrate and calories into the same weight. These are the IFCT values for dried fruits.
| Dried fruit (IFCT, per 100g) | Protein | Calories | Carbohydrate | Fibre | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apricot, dried | 3.17 g | 316 kcal | 72.63 g | 3.32 g | 16.68 g |
| Tamarind, pulp | 2.92 g | 288 kcal | 67.35 g | 5.31 g | 20.83 g |
| Raisins, dried, golden | 2.76 g | 297 kcal | 68.79 g | 4.56 g | 21.5 g |
| Raisins, dried, black | 2.57 g | 306 kcal | 71.29 g | 3.92 g | 19.69 g |
| Dates, dry, pale brown | 2.45 g | 320 kcal | 74.91 g | 8.95 g | 11.14 g |
So dried apricot has 3.17 g of protein, close to the top of the fresh ranking above, but it also has about 316 kcal and 72.6 g of carbohydrate per 100g. A 30 g handful of dried apricots is about 0.95 g of protein, which is arithmetic on the IFCT figure. Their protein content is still only about 2.5 to 3.2 g per 100g. Dried fruits work as a sweet, portable snack, and the protein is a small bonus.
How Much Fruit Gives 10 g of Protein?
This is the number that matters. For 10 grams of protein, about 19% of the 54 g ICMR-NIN requirement for a 65 kg adult, here is how much of each food you would need to eat. It is simple arithmetic on the per-100g values above, and the calories are scaled the same way.
| Food for 10 g of protein | Amount needed | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Avocado (IFCT) | 339 g | 489 kcal |
| Jackfruit, ripe (IFCT) | 365 g | 263 kcal |
| Guava, white flesh (IFCT) | 694 g | 224 kcal |
| Banana, ripe, robusta (IFCT) | 813 g | 855 kcal |
| Passion fruit, purple (USDA) | 455 g | 442 kcal |
| Apricot, dried (IFCT) | 315 g | 996 kcal |
| Greek yogurt, nonfat (USDA) | 97 g | 57 kcal |
| Our whey concentrate (label) | 14 g | 55 kcal |
So you would need roughly 340 g of avocado, over 800 g of banana, or about 315 g of dried apricot, to match the protein in about 97 g of nonfat Greek yogurt or 14 g of our whey concentrate. Fruit should not replace your main protein sources, such as dal and other legumes, nuts, eggs or dairy. Our guide to Greek yogurt protein and our high protein foods list show where the protein really comes from.
How to Use Fruit in a High Protein Diet
Fruit earns its place as part of a balanced diet and a healthy diet, on a balanced plate alongside dal, eggs, paneer, peanuts and other plant based protein sources. For example, you can slice a banana or guava into curd, or stir a scoop of our whey protein concentrate into a bowl with fruit. Set your own protein goals with our daily protein guide, and count fruit toward your daily protein intake only as a small share. Fruit is often paired with high protein foods such as curd, nuts or a protein shake to raise your overall protein intake, and it also works in smoothies, a salad or a snack box, but a plan built on protein rich foods still needs a main protein source at each meal, whatever your daily protein needs are.
What We Do Not Claim
We rank fruit by protein only. We make no claims about vitamin C, antioxidants, immune function, digestive health, heart disease, healthy fats, weight loss or blood sugar for any fruit, because we have not cited research for them here. Fruit values vary by variety, ripeness and region, and the IFCT lists them for the edible portion. If you have diabetes or follow a calorie or sugar limit, ask a doctor or dietitian how much fruit, and especially dried fruit, suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which fruit has the most protein?
Among fresh fruit in the IFCT, Manila tamarind has the most at 3.56 g per 100g, then wood apple at 3.14 g, avocado at 2.95 g and ripe jackfruit at 2.74 g. Dried apricot has 3.17 g per 100g.
Is banana a high protein fruit?
No. The IFCT lists about 1.23 g of protein per 100g for a ripe robusta banana, so you would need over 800 g for 10 g of protein.
How much protein is in 100 grams of guava?
The IFCT lists 1.44 g of protein and about 32 kcal per 100g of white flesh guava, and 1.19 g per 100g for pink flesh guava.
Is passion fruit high in protein?
It is higher than most fruit, but still modest. USDA lists about 2.2 g of protein and 97 kcal per 100g of purple passion fruit, and about 5.2 g of protein in a 236 g cup.
Is avocado high in protein?
It is among the higher fresh fruits at 2.95 g per 100g in the IFCT, but it also has about 144 kcal per 100g, so 10 g of protein from avocado would mean about 489 kcal.
Is jackfruit high in protein?
Ripe jackfruit has 2.74 g of protein per 100g in the IFCT, which is higher than most fruit but low next to dal, eggs or dairy.
Do dried fruits have more protein than fresh fruit?
Per 100g, yes, because the water is removed. Dried apricot has 3.17 g, but it also has about 316 kcal and 72.6 g of carbohydrate per 100g.
Can fruit give me my daily protein?
Not realistically, because fruit is not a good source of protein. You would need over 800 g of banana, or about 340 g of avocado, for 10 g, which is about 19% of a 54 g requirement for a 65 kg adult.
The Bottom Line
The highest protein fruits give about 2.5 to 3.5 g per 100g, and most give roughly 0.3 to 1.5 g. Eat fruit for variety in a balanced diet, and take your protein from foods that deliver it, then check the nutrition label on any packaged fruit product.
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Values are from the IFCT 2017 (fruit proximates, edible portion), USDA FoodData Central (nonfat Greek yogurt; purple passion fruit, kiwifruit and raspberries, SR Legacy), The Func. Lab product label and the ICMR-NIN Recommended Dietary Allowances, and may differ by variety, ripeness and brand.
