Cod, Atlantic, cooked (dry heat)

Atlantic cod, cooked by dry heat (baked, broiled, or pan-seared), is USDA FDC ID 171956 (SR Legacy): 22.8 g protein and 105 kcal per 100 g, i.e. 21.71 g protein per 100 kcal — (22.8 / 105) x 100. A 3 oz (85 g) cooked fillet, the standard dietary-reference serving, provides about 19.4 g protein for 89 kcal. Cod is very lean (0.86 g total fat, 0.168 g saturated fat per 100 g) with 55 mg cholesterol and 78 mg sodium per 100 g, plus meaningful selenium (37.6 mcg per 100 g) and vitamin B12 (1.05 mcg per 100 g, per FDC). The FDA/EPA fish consumption advisory places cod in its "Best Choices" (lowest mercury) category, alongside shrimp, crab, and tilapia, meaning it carries the FDA's least restrictive guidance among the fish on this list — 2-3 servings a week is considered appropriate for most adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding people, per that same FDA chart. Cod carries no major documented allergen concerns beyond the general fish-allergy category (distinct biologically from shellfish allergy, though some people react to both). Because it is so mild-flavored and lean, cod has long been one of the most heavily fished and commercially available whitefish in North America and Europe; historic overfishing of Atlantic cod stocks (notably the collapse of the Grand Banks fishery in the 1990s) has made some regional cod fisheries subject to quotas, so sustainability-conscious buyers may want to check for Pacific cod or MSC-certified sourcing, though this does not change the nutrition profile. Fresh and frozen cod fillets are sold in virtually every US supermarket seafood section year-round and are typically less expensive than tuna or halibut, making cod one of the more accessible entries in this ranking for a household on a budget.