Most foods are good at one or the other. Meat, fish and dairy bring protein and no fibre at all. Fruit, vegetables and wholegrains bring fibre and not much protein. The short list below is the overlap: foods that carry a meaningful amount of both.
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Why the Overlap Is Small
Fibre is a plant structure. Animals do not have it, so no animal food contains any. That rules out the entire protein aisle most people reach for first: chicken, beef, fish, eggs, milk, yoghurt and whey all deliver zero fibre.
Plants have plenty of fibre but are usually lower in protein, and the protein they do have is often incomplete. The foods that do both well are therefore concentrated in one place: legumes, nuts and seeds. Everything below is a version of that.
All figures are approximate, per 100g, and based on typical values for the raw or dried food unless stated otherwise. Brand, variety and cooking method all move these numbers.
Legumes and Pulses
The strongest category by a wide margin, and the reason most high-protein high-fibre eating patterns end up built on beans.
| Food | Protein / 100g | Fibre / 100g | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lupin (kernel or flakes) | ~40g | ~28g | Highest combined of any common legume. Declared allergen in Australia. |
| Tempeh | ~19g | ~9g | Fermented soy, holds shape when cooked |
| Edamame (cooked) | ~11g | ~5g | Easiest legume to eat as a snack |
| Lentils (cooked) | ~9g | ~8g | No soaking required, cheapest per serve |
| Black beans (cooked) | ~9g | ~9g | Best fibre-to-protein balance of the tinned beans |
| Chickpeas (cooked) | ~9g | ~8g | Most versatile across sweet and savoury |
| Kidney beans (cooked) | ~9g | ~7g | Must be cooked thoroughly, never eaten raw |
Nuts and Seeds
Denser than legumes because there is no water in them, but also much higher in fat and energy, so portion size matters more.
| Food | Protein / 100g | Fibre / 100g | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chia seeds | ~17g | ~34g | Highest fibre of anything on this page bar psyllium |
| Hemp seeds | ~31g | ~4g | Excellent protein, modest fibre |
| Pumpkin seeds | ~30g | ~6g | Good savoury topper |
| LSA (linseed, sunflower, almond) | ~25g | ~20g | The most efficient single addition for both |
| Peanuts | ~26g | ~8g | Technically a legume; common allergen |
| Almonds | ~21g | ~12g | Best all-round nut for this pairing |
| Sunflower seeds | ~21g | ~9g | Cheapest seed per kilo |
| Psyllium husk | ~2g | ~80g | Almost pure fibre. No real protein. |
Wholegrains
Lower in protein than the two categories above, but they form the base of most meals so the totals add up quickly.
- Rolled oats - ~13g protein, ~10g fibre. The best-performing everyday grain for this pairing.
- Wholemeal bread - ~13g protein, ~7g fibre. Check the label, as white bread with colouring is common.
- Wholemeal pasta - ~13g protein, ~8g fibre dried. Legume pastas go considerably higher again.
- Quinoa (cooked) - ~4g protein, ~3g fibre. Popular but weaker than its reputation once cooked.
- Barley (cooked) - ~2g protein, ~4g fibre. Strong soluble fibre, low protein.
Vegetables
No vegetable is high in protein in absolute terms, but several are respectable relative to their calories and all bring fibre.
- Green peas - ~5g protein, ~5g fibre. The strongest common vegetable for both.
- Broccoli - ~3g protein, ~3g fibre. Better raw or lightly steamed.
- Brussels sprouts - ~3g protein, ~4g fibre.
- Sweet corn - ~3g protein, ~2g fibre.
- Artichoke - ~3g protein, ~5g fibre. High fibre for a vegetable.
How to Actually Use This
Reading a table is easy, changing what you eat is not. Three changes account for most of the gap:
- Add a tin of legumes to something you already cook. Not a new meal, an addition to an existing one. Bolognese, curry, soup and salad all take a tin of lentils without complaint.
- Put a tablespoon of seeds on breakfast. Chia or LSA, every day. This is the single highest-return habit on the page.
- Switch one refined grain to a wholegrain. Usually bread, because most people eat it daily and the swap is invisible.
Protein powder does not belong on this list, and it is worth being clear about why. Lupin protein isolate is around 90% protein and roughly 3% fibre, because refining an isolate strips the fibre out. Whole lupin at the top of the legumes table is a genuinely exceptional fibre food. The isolate made from it is not. Use the powder to close a protein gap, and use the foods above to close a fibre one. See the range.
Allergen note: lupin is a declared allergen in Australia and Lupin Gold contains gluten. People with peanut or other legume allergies should review the allergen information page before use.
FAQs
What food is highest in both protein and fibre?
Among common foods, lupin kernels and flakes lead on the combination at roughly 40g of protein and 28g of fibre per 100g. Chia seeds are the highest for fibre specifically at around 34g per 100g with 17g of protein. Among everyday staples, rolled oats and tinned legumes are the most practical sources of both.
Do any animal foods contain fibre?
No. Dietary fibre comes from plant cell walls, so meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy contain none at all. This is why diets built mainly around animal protein tend to fall short on fibre unless plants are deliberately added.
Does protein powder count towards fibre intake?
Barely. Whey contains no fibre. Plant isolates contain very little, because the refining process that concentrates the protein removes most of the fibre. Lupin protein isolate retains around 3%, which is higher than most isolates but still under a gram per serve. Treat protein powder as a protein source only.
How much protein and fibre do Australian adults need?
For fibre, the NHMRC Adequate Intake is 25g a day for women and 30g a day for men, with a higher Suggested Dietary Target of 28g and 38g. For protein, most adults do well on roughly 0.8g to 1.2g per kilogram of body weight a day, rising with training load. Both figures are general guidance rather than individual advice.
Related reading: six high-protein, high-fibre breakfasts - lupin vs soy vs pea vs whey
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and reflects our own research and understanding at the time of writing. We are not dietitians, and information may evolve. It is not individual medical or dietary advice - please speak with your healthcare professional for personalised guidance.
