Highest Leucine Foods

Leucine is the branched-chain amino acid that directly activates mTORC1, the molecular switch for muscle protein synthesis (MPS). Research consistently shows that hitting ~2.5–3 g of leucine per meal is needed to maximally stimulate the MPS signal — below this threshold, the trigger fires weakly regardless of total protein intake (Norton & Layman 2006; Witard et al. 2014). This page ranks every food in our database with verified leucine data by leucine per serving. For a deeper look at the amino acid science, see the leucine guide.

Leucine data is sourced from USDA FoodData Central per-amino-acid values and covers USDA-confirmed products only. Coverage is partial by design — foods without confirmed leucine values are excluded from this ranking. See the methodology for details.

81 products with leucine data · sorted by leucine per serving (descending)

Highest leucine foods

Top 15 by leucine / serving.

Bars colored by Protein Density tier. Values in g leucine.

Filters81/81

Showing 81 / 81

Tier

Platinum (40%+)Gold (25–39%)Silver (15–24%)Avoid (<15%)

Brand

Country

						Quality	Serving
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar David	74.7%	28g	150	18.7g	2.94g	—	75g
Chocolate Brownie Protein Bar Quest	46.7%	21g	180	11.7g	2.21g	—	60g
Birthday Cake Protein Bar Quest	42%	21g	200	10.5g	2.21g	—	60g
Cookies and Cream Protein Bar Quest	42%	21g	200	10.5g	2.21g	—	60g
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Protein Bar Quest	42%	21g	200	10.5g	2.21g	—	60g
Caramel Cashew Protein Bar Barebells	40%	20g	200	10g	2.1g	—	55g
Creamy Crisp Protein Bar Barebells	40%	20g	200	10g	2.1g	—	55g
BBQ Tortilla Style Protein Chips Quest	54.3%	19g	140	13.6g	2g	—	32g
Loaded Taco Tortilla Style Protein Chips Quest	54.3%	19g	140	13.6g	2g	—	32g
Ranch Tortilla Style Protein Chips Quest	51.4%	18g	140	12.9g	1.89g	—	32g
Nacho Cheese Tortilla Style Protein Chips Quest	54.3%	19g	140	13.6g	1.81g	—	32g
Coconut Protein Bar Built	37.8%	17g	180	9.4g	1.79g	—	55g
Salted Caramel Protein Bar Built	37.8%	17g	180	9.4g	1.79g	—	55g
Peanut Butter Power Cookie NuGo	27.8%	16g	230	7g	1.68g	—	60g
Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt Chobani	71.1%	16g	90	17.8g	1.65g	—	170g
Total 0% Plain Greek Yogurt Fage	80%	18g	90	20g	1.65g	—	170g
Total 2% Plain Greek Yogurt Fage	56.7%	17g	120	14.2g	1.65g	—	170g
Plain Skyr Yogurt Painterland Sisters	68%	17g	100	17g	1.65g	—	150g
Double Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie Quest	25%	15g	240	6.3g	1.58g	—	58g
Triple Zero Strawberry Greek Yogurt Oikos	60%	15g	100	15g	1.43g	—	150g
Triple Zero Vanilla Greek Yogurt Oikos	60%	15g	100	15g	1.43g	—	150g
Vanilla Skyr Yogurt Siggi’s	50.9%	14g	110	12.7g	1.33g	—	150g
Peanut Butter Frosted Cookies Quest	20%	12g	240	5g	1.26g	—	50g
Cocoa Cereal Magic Spoon	37.1%	13g	140	9.3g	1.24g	—	33g
Fruity Cereal Magic Spoon	37.1%	13g	140	9.3g	1.24g	—	33g
Peanut Butter Cereal Magic Spoon	34.7%	13g	150	8.7g	1.24g	—	33g
Frosted Cereal Magic Spoon	37.1%	13g	140	9.3g	1.24g	—	33g
Lowfat Cottage Cheese Daisy	57.8%	13g	90	14.4g	1.19g	—	113g
1% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese Good Culture	70%	14g	80	17.5g	1.19g	—	113g
2% Low-Fat Cottage Cheese Good Culture	62.2%	14g	90	15.6g	1.19g	—	113g
Less Sugar Vanilla Greek Yogurt Chobani	40%	12g	120	10g	1.14g	—	150g
Strawberry Greek Yogurt Two Good	60%	12g	80	15g	1.14g	—	150g
Vanilla Greek Yogurt Two Good	60%	12g	80	15g	1.14g	—	150g
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ALOHA	23.3%	14g	240	5.8g	1.09g	—	56g
Cinnamon Toast Cereal Catalina Crunch	40%	11g	110	10g	1.05g	—	36g
Honey Graham Cereal Catalina Crunch	40%	11g	110	10g	1.05g	—	36g
Maple Waffle Cereal Catalina Crunch	40%	11g	110	10g	1.05g	—	36g
Birthday Cake Cookies Buff Bake	21.2%	9g	170	5.3g	0.95g	—	39g
Chocolate Chip Cookies Buff Bake	20%	9g	180	5g	0.95g	—	39g
Snickerdoodle Cookies Buff Bake	21.2%	9g	170	5.3g	0.95g	—	39g
Parmesan Cheese Crisps Whisps	33.3%	10g	120	8.3g	0.95g	—	23g
Chocolate Chip Protein Bar RXBAR	22.9%	12g	210	5.7g	0.94g	—	52g
GoLean Original Kashi	30.6%	13g	170	7.6g	0.91g	—	53g
Beef Bison Bacon Cranberry Bar EPIC	36.7%	11g	120	9.2g	0.88g	—	43g
Buffalo Chicken Chips Wilde	33.8%	11g	130	8.5g	0.88g	—	28g
Sea Salt Chicken Chips Wilde	36.7%	11g	120	9.2g	0.88g	—	28g
Cheddar Cheese Crisps Whisps	30%	9g	120	7.5g	0.86g	—	23g
Special K Protein Granola Special K	24%	12g	200	6g	0.84g	—	50g
Italian Style Beef Stick Chomps	40%	9g	90	10g	0.81g	—	28g
Jalapeno Beef Stick Chomps	40%	9g	90	10g	0.81g	—	28g
Original Beef Jerky Chomps	51.4%	9g	70	12.9g	0.81g	—	28g
Sweet BBQ Beef Jerky Country Archer	60%	12g	80	15g	0.81g	—	28g
Original Beef Jerky Country Archer	60%	12g	80	15g	0.81g	—	28g
Chipotle Beef Jerky Krave	45%	9g	80	11.3g	0.81g	—	28g
Sweet Chipotle Beef Jerky Krave	45%	9g	80	11.3g	0.81g	—	28g
Old Fashioned Beef Jerky Old Trapper	55%	11g	80	13.8g	0.81g	—	28g
Strawberry Frozen Greek Yogurt Two Good	20%	8g	160	5g	0.76g	—	99g
Vanilla Chocolate Chip Frozen Greek Yogurt Two Good	18.8%	8g	170	4.7g	0.76g	—	99g
Original Turkey Stick Chomps	51.4%	9g	70	12.9g	0.72g	—	28g
Special K Protein Cereal Special K	33.3%	10g	120	8.3g	0.7g	—	35g
Light String Cheese Frigo	48%	6g	50	12g	0.62g	—	21g
Mozzarella String Cheese Frigo	35%	7g	80	8.8g	0.62g	—	28g
Chocolate Chip Complete Cookie Lenny & Larry’s	14.5%	8g	220	3.6g	0.62g	—	57g
Peanut Butter Complete Cookie Lenny & Larry’s	13.9%	8g	230	3.5g	0.62g	—	57g
Double Chocolate Complete Cookie Lenny & Larry’s	14.5%	8g	220	3.6g	0.62g	—	57g
Snickerdoodle Complete Cookie Lenny & Larry’s	14.5%	8g	220	3.6g	0.62g	—	57g
Light Mozzarella String Cheese Sargento	48%	6g	50	12g	0.62g	—	21g
Mozzarella String Cheese Sargento	30%	6g	80	7.5g	0.62g	—	28g
Snack Cheese Mozzarella Tillamook	28.6%	5g	70	7.1g	0.62g	—	21g
Mini Babybel Light Babybel	48%	6g	50	12g	0.57g	—	21g
Cookies and Cream Greek Yogurt Bar Yasso	24%	6g	100	6g	0.57g	—	65g
Mint Chocolate Chip Greek Yogurt Bar Yasso	24%	6g	100	6g	0.57g	—	65g
Sea Salt Caramel Greek Yogurt Bar Yasso	24%	6g	100	6g	0.57g	—	65g
Mini Babybel Original Babybel	28.6%	5g	70	7.1g	0.48g	—	21g
Birthday Cake Pint Halo Top	25%	5g	80	6.3g	0.48g	—	64g
Sea Salt Caramel Pint Halo Top	25%	5g	80	6.3g	0.48g	—	64g
Vanilla Bean Pint Halo Top	25%	5g	80	6.3g	0.48g	—	64g
Chocolate Pint Halo Top	25%	5g	80	6.3g	0.48g	—	64g
White Cheddar Cheez-It Snap’d Cheez-It	12.3%	4g	130	3.1g	0.38g	—	28g
Cinnamon Sugar Chickpea Puffs Hippeas	12.3%	4g	130	3.1g	0.31g	—	28g
Chocolate Mini Ice Cream Bar Magnum	4.7%	2g	170	1.2g	0.19g	—	43g

Why leucine matters

The 2.5 g threshold

Norton & Layman (2006) established that leucine acts as a metabolic signal — not just a substrate — for initiating MPS via mTORC1. Doses below ~2.5 g produce a submaximal anabolic response; above the threshold, the signal saturates. This is why protein quantity alone (total grams) is an incomplete guide: 20 g of protein from collagen (very low leucine) is far less anabolic than 20 g from whey (high leucine).

Best food sources

Animal proteins are consistently the highest leucine sources per gram: whey protein isolate (~11% leucine by weight), casein (~10%), eggs (~8.5%), chicken breast (~8%), and beef (~8%). Most dairy foods — Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese — fall in the 9–10% range. Plant proteins are typically lower: soy ~8%, pea ~8%, wheat gluten ~7%.

Leucine data sourced from USDA FoodData Central per-amino-acid values, converted per-serving. Coverage is partial — only USDA-confirmed products with available amino acid records are included. See methodology for the math and data sources.