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High protein fruits are a short list, and the numbers are small. In USDA FoodData Central, a cup of purple passion fruit has about 5.2 grams of protein, a cup of sugar-apple pulp about 5.2 grams and a cup of guava about 4.2 grams, while a medium apple has about 0.5 grams. The FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 grams, so the top fruit supplies about 10% of it per cup before the protein-quality correction a label would apply. The tables below rank 20 fresh fruits and 10 dried fruits by USDA protein per serving, with FDC IDs, calories and protein per 100 grams, and then explain why the Dietary Guidelines for Americans list fruit as its own food group rather than among the protein foods.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- In USDA data, passionfruit and sugar-apple lead at about 5.2 grams of protein per cup; guava, durian, tamarind and avocado follow at 3.0 to 4.2 grams.
- The FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 grams (21 CFR 101.9), so a cup of the top fruit covers about 10% by plain grams; on a label, FDA requires the protein %DV to be corrected for protein quality, which lowers the figure for plant foods.
- No fruit in the tables reaches the FDA threshold for a "high" or "excellent source of" claim, which is 20% or more of the Daily Value per reference amount (21 CFR 101.54).
- Drying concentrates protein by weight: USDA lists dried goji at 14.3 grams per 100 grams and dried peaches at 3.6, but a half cup of most dried fruit still has only 2 to 3 grams.
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, describe the protein foods group as meats, poultry and eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds and soy products, plus beans, peas and lentils; fruit is a separate group, so fruit is a minor protein source, not a stand-in for those foods.
High protein fruits ranked by USDA protein per serving
The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy entries for raw fruit at the USDA 1-cup portion or one fruit where USDA lists a banana or an apple that way. The %DV column is grams divided by the FDA Daily Value of 50 grams; a Nutrition Facts label would apply the FDA protein-quality correction described below, so a label figure would be lower.
| Fruit (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Protein | % DV | Calories | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passionfruit, purple, raw (169108) | 1 cup | 5.2 g | 10% | 229 | 2.2 g |
| Sugar-apple (sweetsop), raw (168175) | 1 cup pulp | 5.2 g | 10% | 235 | 2.1 g |
| Guava, common, raw (173044) | 1 cup | 4.2 g | 8% | 112 | 2.5 g |
| Durian, raw or frozen (168192) | 1 cup chopped | 3.6 g | 7% | 357 | 1.5 g |
| Tamarind, raw pulp (167763) | 1 cup pulp | 3.4 g | 7% | 287 | 2.8 g |
| Avocado, raw (171705) | 1 cup cubes | 3.0 g | 6% | 240 | 2.0 g |
| Pomegranate arils, raw (169134) | 1 cup | 2.9 g | 6% | 144 | 1.7 g |
| Jackfruit, raw (174687) | 1 cup sliced | 2.8 g | 6% | 157 | 1.7 g |
| Coconut, raw (170169) | 1 cup shredded | 2.7 g | 5% | 283 | 3.3 g |
| Groundcherries, raw (173043) | 1 cup | 2.7 g | 5% | 74 | 1.9 g |
| Cherimoya, raw (173953) | 1 cup pieces | 2.5 g | 5% | 120 | 1.6 g |
| Breadfruit, raw (171714) | 1 cup | 2.4 g | 5% | 227 | 1.1 g |
| Soursop, raw (167761) | 1 cup pulp | 2.2 g | 4% | 148 | 1.0 g |
| Apricots, raw (171697) | 1 cup halves | 2.2 g | 4% | 74 | 1.4 g |
| Kiwifruit, green, raw (168153) | 1 cup sliced | 2.1 g | 4% | 110 | 1.1 g |
| Mulberries, raw (169913) | 1 cup | 2.0 g | 4% | 60 | 1.4 g |
| Blackberries, raw (173946) | 1 cup | 2.0 g | 4% | 62 | 1.4 g |
| Plantain, yellow, raw (169130) | 1 cup sliced | 1.9 g | 4% | 181 | 1.3 g |
| Banana, raw (173944) | 1 medium | 1.3 g | 3% | 105 | 1.1 g |
| Apple with skin, raw (171688) | 1 medium | 0.5 g | 1% | 95 | 0.3 g |
The fruits high in protein by this measure are mostly tropical and mostly dense: passion fruit, sugar-apple, guava, durian, tamarind and avocado fill the top six, with pomegranate, jackfruit, raw coconut, cherimoya, breadfruit, soursop and plantain next in the USDA data. Among everyday fruits, apricots, kiwi, mulberries and blackberries sit at about 2 grams per cup and a medium banana at about 1.3 grams in USDA data. Raw coconut, which USDA files with nuts and seeds, is included as the flesh of a fruit.
Dried fruit, listed separately: protein per half cup
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans count half a cup of dried fruit as one cup-equivalent of fruit, so the table uses half of the USDA 1-cup portion for each entry, the USDA 28-gram portion for dried goji and one date for the Medjool entry.
| Dried fruit (USDA FDC ID) | Serving | Protein | % DV | Calories | Per 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goji, dried (173032) | 5 tablespoons | 4.0 g | 8% | 98 | 14.3 g |
| Peaches, dried, uncooked (169934) | 1/2 cup halves | 2.9 g | 6% | 191 | 3.6 g |
| Raisins, dark, seedless (168165) | 1/2 cup packed | 2.7 g | 5% | 247 | 3.3 g |
| Currants, zante, dried (171724) | 1/2 cup | 2.5 g | 5% | 209 | 3.4 g |
| Figs, dried, uncooked (174665) | 1/2 cup | 2.5 g | 5% | 186 | 3.3 g |
| Apricots, dried, uncooked (173941) | 1/2 cup halves | 2.2 g | 4% | 157 | 3.4 g |
| Prunes, uncooked (168162) | 1/2 cup pitted | 1.9 g | 4% | 209 | 2.2 g |
| Dates, deglet noor (171726) | 1/2 cup chopped | 1.8 g | 4% | 207 | 2.5 g |
| Dates, medjool (168191) | 1 date | 0.4 g | 1% | 66 | 1.8 g |
| Cranberries, dried, sweetened (171723) | 1/4 cup | 0.1 g | 0% | 123 | 0.2 g |
Dried goji berries are the outlier at 14.3 grams of protein per 100 grams in USDA data, several times any other fruit in either table, though the USDA portion is only 28 grams. Peaches, raisins, currants, figs and dried apricots cluster between 3.3 and 3.6 grams per 100 grams, prunes and dates a little lower, and dried cranberries, sweetened in the USDA entry, carry almost none. Our sibling guide to high calorie fruits ranks the same entries by calories.
Fruits with the most protein, gram for gram
Among fresh entries, USDA lists raw coconut at about 3.3 grams of protein per 100 grams, tamarind pulp at 2.8, guava at 2.5, passionfruit at 2.2, sugar-apple at 2.1 and avocado at 2.0; durian, fourth per cup only because the USDA cup weighs 243 grams, drops to about 1.5 grams per 100 grams. The protein in fruit is diluted by water: USDA lists strawberries at about 91 grams of water per 100 grams, against 47 for raw coconut and 31 for tamarind pulp.
How the protein Daily Value works on a label
Under the FDA labeling rule (21 CFR 101.9), 50 grams of protein is the Daily Reference Value for adults and children 4 and older, and protein may be calculated as 6.25 times the nitrogen content of the food. The protein percent Daily Value is optional on most labels but required with a protein claim, and FDA requires it to be the corrected amount: the grams of protein multiplied by the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) of the food, as 21 CFR 101.9(c)(7) describes. When that score is below 20 percent for a food meant for people 4 and older, FDA requires either the corrected percentage or the statement “not a significant source of protein” next to the grams. The table percentages skip that correction.
FDA’s nutrient content claim rule (21 CFR 101.54) allows “high,” “rich in” or “excellent source of” only when a food contains 20 percent or more of the Daily Value per reference amount, and “good source,” “contains” or “provides” at 10 to 19 percent. By plain grams, only passionfruit and sugar-apple touch the 10% line, and none of the fruits reaches the 20% line that “high” requires. A food labeled high in protein is therefore almost always something from the Dietary Guidelines protein foods group, as our guide to high protein foods shows.
Protein in fruit next to the protein foods group
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, state that the protein foods group comprises foods from both animal and plant sources in several subgroups: meats, poultry and eggs; seafood; and nuts, seeds and soy products, with beans, peas and lentils counted as part of the protein foods group as well as the vegetable group. The same document adds that protein is also found in some foods from other food groups, such as dairy, and describes the fruit group as whole fruits and 100% fruit juice. The 2025-2030 edition lists eggs, poultry, seafood, red meat and plant-sourced protein foods such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and soy. Fruit is on neither list, which is the plain way to say that fruit is a minor protein source.
USDA values show the gap: a cup of cooked lentils has about 17.9 grams of protein, a single-serve container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt about 17.3 grams, one large hard-boiled egg about 6.3 grams (see our egg nutrition guide) and an ounce of almonds about 6.0 grams, against about 5.2 grams for the cup of passionfruit at the top of the fruit table. See also our high protein vegetables and high protein snacks guides.
This is a ranking of USDA food values, not an intake target; how much fruit or protein suits a particular person is a question for a registered dietitian or healthcare provider. Values differ by variety, ripeness and database.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which fruit has the most protein per serving?
In USDA data, a cup of purple passionfruit and a cup of sugar-apple pulp each have about 5.2 grams of protein; guava follows at about 4.2 grams per cup, then durian, tamarind pulp and avocado.
Does dried fruit have more protein than fresh fruit?
Per 100 grams, yes, because drying removes water: USDA lists dried goji at 14.3 grams and most other dried fruit at 2 to 4 grams per 100 grams. Per half-cup serving, most dried fruit lands at 2 to 3 grams in USDA data, about the same as a cup of fresh fruit.
Can fruit stand in for the protein foods group?
No. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describe the protein foods group as meats, poultry, eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds, soy products and beans, peas and lentils; fruit is a separate food group and a minor protein source.
Why is the protein percent Daily Value on a label lower than grams divided by 50?
FDA (21 CFR 101.9) requires the label percentage, when shown, to be the grams of protein multiplied by the food’s protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score, so plant foods show a lower corrected figure. The percentages in this article skip that correction and compare plain grams.
Is any fruit allowed to be labeled high in protein?
FDA’s claim rule (21 CFR 101.54) requires 20 percent or more of the Daily Value per reference amount for “high” or “excellent source of”; no fruit in the USDA tables reaches that line even before the protein-quality correction.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: High Calorie Fruits: USDA Calories per 100 Grams, Ranked, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources, Guava: Benefits, USDA Nutrition, Vitamin C and How to Eat It, Jackfruit: USDA Jackfruit Nutrition, Meat Substitute Facts and Allergy.