Nutrition selection

Nutrient dense foods for muscle gain: ranking

Written by NutriDecide Editorial Team Last updated: 2026-07-05

A curated food list to compare nutrients, calories and dietary context without focusing on just one item.

Use the tables to compare real options for your goal — values are per 100 g unless stated otherwise on the label.

Type: Food pages Focus: Nutrition Goal: Health & performance
🥦
🍎
🥕
🐟
🥚
🥜

Nutrition selection

Nutrient dense foods for muscle gain: ranking

A curated food list to compare nutrients, calories and dietary context without focusing on just one item.

Protein Fiber Vitamins Minerals Energy Balance

Advertising

Reserved space for contextual ads.

Page summary

🍽️

Total foods

100

items analyzed

Best choice

Gelatin, dried

💪

Average protein

35,2 g

per 100g

🌿

Average carbs

1,9 g

per 100g

🔥

Average fat

20,9 g

per 100g

Quick assessment

Our analysis

This list has 100 options focused on Nutrient density; Gelatin, dried leads the ranking with 1.72 per 100 g (muscle gain lens).

White, pepper has the highest nutrient density (1.72); use White, pepper, Black, pepper, Vitamin complex as a shortcut for variety without losing calorie context.

👍 Positive points

  • ✅ List with 100 foods; Gelatin, dried ranks among the top picks.
  • ✅ Leader in Nutrient density: White, pepper (1.72 per 100 g).
  • ✅ High-protein flagged options: Vitamin complex.

⚠️ Points to watch

  • ⚠️ Large list — compare portions and context, not just table rank.
  • ⚠️ Calorie range spans 41 kcal to 569 kcal per 100 g — the same pick can weigh very differently on your daily target.
  • ⚠️ Vitamin complex packs more calories (569 kcal per 100 g) — watch portions.

Full analysis

Quick assessment

This list has 100 options focused on Nutrient density; Gelatin, dried leads the ranking with 1.72 per 100 g (muscle gain lens).

White, pepper has the highest nutrient density (1.72); use White, pepper, Black, pepper, Vitamin complex as a shortcut for variety without losing calorie context.

Ranking snapshot

Among 100 foods ranked by Nutrient density, White, pepper leads with 1.72 per 100 g. The list spans 0.93 to 1.72, averaging 1.

Top picks to compare first

  • White, pepper: Protein 10.4, Calories 60, Carbs —
  • Black, pepper: Protein 10.9, Calories 73, Carbs —
  • Vitamin complex: Protein 20.15, Calories 569, Carbs 18.78

How to read this page

Editorial angle: muscle gain.

Use Nutrient density as the main axis, but cross-check calories, protein and your real portion. All 100 items were filtered for this lens — table rank is not an automatic recommendation.

Calorie spread

Items here range from 41 kcal to 569 kcal per 100 g. A top fiber pick can still be calorie-dense — pair it with vegetables and water when building the meal.

Practical tip

Pick two or three top items, compare Nutrient density with calories and build your real portion before deciding what enters your routine.

How to interpret this page

🔥 Calories: Calories show energy per 100 g and help you compare portion impact across foods. Use them with protein and carbs to see whether an option fits maintenance, deficit, or surplus goals. A low score does not mean a food is ‘bad’ — it reflects nutrient density for general health, not your specific plan.

💪 Protein: Protein per 100 g shows how concentrated a food is as a protein source. Higher values support muscle recovery, satiety, and meal balance when that is your priority. Compare foods on this page rather than judging a single macro in isolation.

🌾 Carbs: Carbs matter most in context: training days, ketogenic diets, and endurance goals change what ‘good’ looks like. Powders such as maltodextrin score lower on our general-health scale because they are energy-dense with little protein, fiber, or micronutrients — not because they are never useful.

🥑 Fat: Fat carries more than twice the calories per gram than protein or carbs, so small portion changes matter. Moderate fat levels can support hormones and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. Use this column with calories when balancing satiety and energy density.

Tip: combine the table with your goal — weight loss, muscle gain, low carb, endurance, or general health. The score helps compare options on this page; it does not replace medical or sports-nutrition advice.

Nutrition facts (per 100g)

The data shown is filtered to match this page’s topic.

The NutriDecide score (1–10) ranks foods on this page by protein, nutrient density, fiber, and a general-health lens — not by taste or whether they fit a specific diet. Low scores (e.g. maltodextrin) usually mean fewer nutrients per calorie; high scores (e.g. soy protein isolate) mean stronger protein and micronutrient density. It is a comparison tool: a low score does not forbid a food when it matches your goal.

FoodCaloriesProteinCarbsFatFiberScore
🍽️

White, pepper

60,010,42,126,2 8/10
🍽️

Black, pepper

73,010,93,326,5 8/10
🍽️

Vitamin complex

569,020,118,845,9 5/10
🍽️

Blood, bovine, raw (imported data)

73,017,80,10,10,0 6/10
🍽️

Baby clam

43,010,70,00,0 6/10
🍽️

Blood, pork, raw (imported data)

75,018,50,10,10,0 6/10
🍽️

Cockles

47,010,70,00,50,0 5/10
🍽️

Clams

47,010,70,00,50,0 5/10
🍽️

Canned cockles

47,010,70,50,0 5/10
🍽️

Baby clam

47,010,70,00,50,0 5/10
🍽️

Bread, wheat, toasted, with margarine

445,08,653,821,71,0 4/10
🍽️

Mollusc, mussel, cooked, without oil, with salt

77,015,80,01,60,0 6/10
🍽️

Mollusc, mussel, boiled, drained, without oil, without salt, Brazil

78,015,90,01,6 6/10
🍽️

Proteína isolada de soja em pó

335,088,03,01,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Proteína aislada de soja en polvo

335,088,03,01,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Soy protein isolate powder

335,088,03,01,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Mollusc, mussel, fresh, Brazil

105,017,30,43,80,0 6/10
🍽️

Meat, goat, offal, spleen, raw (imported data)

95,018,50,02,40,0 6/10
🍽️

Canned clams

79,017,41,50,40,0 6/10
🍽️

Mollusc, mussel, fresh, Brazil

71,012,72,51,10,0 5/10
🍽️

Squid, fried

66,016,6 5/10
🍽️

Peptídeos de colágeno em pó

360,090,00,00,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Collagen peptides powder

360,090,00,00,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Péptidos de colágeno en polvo

360,090,00,00,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Ling, cooked

98,024,50,073,90,0 6/10
🍽️

Common sole, grilled/pan-fried without added fat

94,423,60,075,60,0 6/10
🍽️

Beef on skewer, raw

80,020,00,00,0 6/10
🍽️

Aspartame sweetener, in tablets

44,011,0 4/10
🍽️

Jello, unflavored, dry mix (imported date)

343,085,60,00,10,0 10/10
🍽️

Gelatin, dried

348,086,90,011,30,0 10/10
🍽️

Gelatin

338,084,40,00,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Pollock, cooked

97,824,40,074,10,0 6/10
🍽️

Meat, frog, thigh, raw, Brazil

65,016,00,00,20,0 6/10
🍽️

Soluble coffee, powder

118,018,511,020,7 7/10
🍽️

Meat, frog, back, raw, Brazil

64,015,70,00,20,0 5/10
🍽️

Bigeye scad, raw

70,917,50,00,0 6/10
🍽️

Calcium caseinate powder

360,088,02,01,50,0 10/10
🍽️

Caseinato de cálcio em pó

360,088,02,01,50,0 10/10
🍽️

Caseinato de calcio en polvo

360,088,02,01,50,0 10/10
🍽️

Nursehound or lesser spotted dogfish, cooked

104,025,473,20,0 5/10
🍽️

Proteína de suero aislada en polvo

370,090,02,01,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Whey protein isolate powder

370,090,02,01,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Whey protein isolado em pó

370,090,02,01,00,0 10/10
🍽️

Fish, saltwater, cod, salted, desalted, cooked, boiled, without oil, unsalted

84,020,40,00,20,0 6/10
🍽️

Flying fish, raw

87,021,00,00,30,0 6/10
🍽️

Pouting, raw

81,319,70,078,90,0 6/10
🍽️

Proteína de suero hidrolizada en polvo

365,088,03,01,50,0 10/10
🍽️

Whey protein hidrolisado em pó

365,088,03,01,50,0 10/10
🍽️

Hydrolyzed whey protein powder

365,088,03,01,50,0 10/10
🍽️

Cod, salted, steeped, raw

108,026,00,00,40,0 6/10

Vitamins and minerals

Showing top foods: 12 / 100
🍽️

Food

White, pepper

Minerals

Calcium 265,0
Iron 14,3
Magnesium 90,0
Phosphorus 176,0
Potassium 73,0
Sodium 5,0
Zinc 1,1

Vitamins

Vitamin A 0,0
Vitamin C 21,0
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 2,5
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Black, pepper

Minerals

Calcium 437,0
Iron 28,9
Magnesium 194,0
Phosphorus 173,0
Potassium 1259,0
Sodium 44,0
Zinc 1,4

Vitamins

Vitamin A 19,0
Vitamin C 21,0
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 1,0
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Vitamin complex

Minerals

Calcium
Iron 785,6
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Potassium 123,5
Sodium
Zinc 1683,5

Vitamins

Vitamin A 44890,0
Vitamin C 3367,0
Vitamin D 561,2
Vitamin E 561,2
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Blood, bovine, raw (imported data)

Minerals

Calcium 6,0
Iron 48,0
Magnesium 3,0
Phosphorus 59,0
Potassium 41,0
Sodium 330,0
Zinc 0,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 21,0
Vitamin C 0,0
Vitamin D 0,1
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1 0,1
Vitamin B2 0,0
Vitamin B3 0,8
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6 0,0
Vitamin B12 0,6
🍽️

Food

Baby clam

Minerals

Calcium 128,0
Iron 24,0
Magnesium 51,0
Phosphorus 130,0
Potassium 43,0
Sodium
Zinc 1,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 250,0
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Blood, pork, raw (imported data)

Minerals

Calcium 6,0
Iron 42,0
Magnesium 9,0
Phosphorus 74,0
Potassium 174,0
Sodium 207,0
Zinc 0,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 30,0
Vitamin C 0,0
Vitamin D 0,1
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1 0,1
Vitamin B2 0,0
Vitamin B3 0,1
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6 0,0
Vitamin B12 0,1
🍽️

Food

Cockles

Minerals

Calcium 128,0
Iron 24,0
Magnesium 51,0
Phosphorus 130,0
Potassium 314,0
Sodium 56,0
Zinc 1,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 250,0
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Clams

Minerals

Calcium 128,0
Iron 24,0
Magnesium 51,0
Phosphorus 130,0
Potassium 314,0
Sodium 56,0
Zinc 1,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 250,0
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Canned cockles

Minerals

Calcium 128,0
Iron 24,0
Magnesium 51,0
Phosphorus 204,0
Potassium 43,0
Sodium 3520,0
Zinc 1,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 250,0
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Baby clam

Minerals

Calcium 128,0
Iron 24,0
Magnesium 51,0
Phosphorus 130,0
Potassium 43,0
Sodium 601,0
Zinc 1,3

Vitamins

Vitamin A 250,0
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E 0,4
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
🍽️

Food

Bread, wheat, toasted, with margarine

Minerals

Calcium 4,3
Iron 907,0
Magnesium 95,8
Phosphorus 161,0
Potassium 0,1
Sodium 26,3
Zinc 0,1

Vitamins

Vitamin A 0,0
Vitamin C 125,0
Vitamin D 1,6
Vitamin E 0,3
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1 0,0
Vitamin B2 0,0
Vitamin B3 0,0
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6 0,0
Vitamin B12 0,0
🍽️

Food

Mollusc, mussel, cooked, without oil, with salt

Minerals

Calcium 16,5
Iron 41,8
Magnesium 18,4
Phosphorus 141,0
Potassium 132,0
Sodium 362,0
Zinc 3,0

Vitamins

Vitamin A
Vitamin C 6,7
Vitamin D 0,0
Vitamin E 0,0
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1 0,1
Vitamin B2 0,2
Vitamin B3 1,5
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6 0,1
Vitamin B12 11,9

Analysis

💪

Protein

Moderate

🌾

Carbs

🥑

Fat

Low

🔥

Calories

Low

🏆

Summary

Decide better

Frequently asked questions

What is the Nutrient dense foods for muscle gain: ranking list for?

It groups 100 filtered foods; Gelatin, dried is a standout for the muscle gain angle.

Where to start in the table?

Start with White, pepper, Black, pepper, Vitamin complex and compare protein, fiber and calories per 100 g.

How to read the list numbers?

All values are per 100 g. Mentally adjust for the portion you actually eat.

Are values per serving or per 100 g?

On this page, unless noted otherwise, main macros are per 100 g.

Advertising

Reserved space for contextual ads.

Related content