nutrient
Protein
Protein is a chain of amino acids that provides structure and performs work throughout the body.
Educational draft · Human scientific and editorial review pending. About review status
Dietary protein is digested into amino acids and small peptides; the body then uses the resulting building blocks for new proteins and other compounds.
Food sources
Per 100 g| Food | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Braised chicken breast | 32.1 g |
| Pumpkin seeds | 29.9 g |
| Roasted beef tenderloin | 27.7 g |
| Anchovies, canned in olive oil, drained | 26.9 g |
| Atlantic sardines, canned in oil (SR Legacy 2018) | 24.6 g |
Show 46 more foods
About these amounts
These values describe the named food and preparation. A 100 g comparison is not a suggested serving. Small amounts are rounded for display; an unreported amount is not zero.
Portions recorded by the source
- Braised chicken breast: 1 piece (174 g) — 55.85 g.
- Roasted beef tenderloin: 1 roast (462 g) — 127.97 g.
- Braised chicken drumstick: 1 drumstick (104 g) — 24.86 g.
- Almonds, dry-roasted and salted: 1 cup (135 g) — 27.54 g.
- Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 1 can (142 g) — 26.98 g.
- Cottage cheese, 2% fat: 1 cup (220 g) — 24.2 g.
- Greek yogurt, plain nonfat: 1 container (156 g) — 16.07 g.
- Hummus, commercial: 2 tablespoon (33.9 g) — 2.49 g.
- Low-fat milk, 1% and fortified: 1 cup (246 g) — 8.31 g.
- Canned diced tomatoes: 1 cup (245 g) — 2.06 g.
The source records and EFSA guidance are linked in References below.
How it works
A supply of building blocks
Proteins are polypeptide chains whose amino-acid sequence helps determine how they fold and function. Dietary proteins are broken down and their amino acids join a shared pool used for synthesis, turnover and specialised pathways. Protein quality and requirements depend on age, body size, physiological state and the amino-acid pattern of the diet.
Related topics
Sulfur is a component of amino acids in Protein
Sulfur occurs in the amino acids methionine and cysteine that form part of dietary proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for protein
Vitamin B6 supports metabolism of amino acids from Protein
Vitamin B6 coenzymes participate in many reactions involving amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin B6: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
Alanine is used to build Protein
Alanine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Arginine is used to build Protein
Arginine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Asparagine is used to build Protein
Asparagine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Show 19 more
Aspartic acid is used to build Protein
Aspartic acid is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Cysteine is used to build Protein
Cysteine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Glutamic acid is used to build Protein
Glutamic acid is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Glutamine is used to build Protein
Glutamine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Glycine is used to build Protein
Glycine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Proline is used to build Protein
Proline is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Serine is used to build Protein
Serine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Tyrosine is used to build Protein
Tyrosine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Histidine is used to build Protein
Histidine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Isoleucine is used to build Protein
Isoleucine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Leucine is used to build Protein
Leucine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Lysine is used to build Protein
Lysine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Methionine is used to build Protein
Methionine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Phenylalanine is used to build Protein
Phenylalanine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Threonine is used to build Protein
Threonine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Tryptophan is used to build Protein
Tryptophan is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Valine is used to build Protein
Valine is one of the amino acids used to assemble proteins.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-05 · Sources: NIH National Library of Medicine: Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids
Dietary cholesterol is transported with Protein
Blood lipoproteins contain lipids and proteins and carry cholesterol through the body.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-16 · Sources: NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: Blood Cholesterol — What is Blood Cholesterol?
Cystine in food data is reported within Protein
Cystine is reported in the food amino-acid profile rather than added to total protein.
Evidence: Established · Source checked 2026-09-16 · Sources: USDA Agricultural Research Service: Standard Reference Release 28: Documentation and User Guide — nutrient definitions
Worth knowing
EFSA adult reference. EFSA reports a population reference intake of 0.83 g protein per kg body weight per day for healthy adults. It is a population reference, not a personal prescription.
Amino-acid pattern matters. Protein quality depends on the digestible amount and pattern of indispensable amino acids, not only on total grams.
A closer look
The number has a boundary
EFSA found insufficient evidence to set a tolerable upper intake level for protein. The reference is based on nitrogen balance, while possible long-term health outcomes were not sufficient to derive additional DRVs.
References
Source-checked local draft.
Human editorial review pending.
- European Food Safety Authority (opens in new tab)Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for proteinChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab)Biochemistry, Essential Amino AcidsChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH National Library of Medicine (opens in new tab)Biochemistry, Protein CatabolismChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Vitamin B6: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (opens in new tab)Blood Cholesterol — What is Blood Cholesterol?Checked 2026-09-16
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)Standard Reference Release 28: Documentation and User Guide — nutrient definitionsChecked 2026-09-16
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central Foundation Foods, April 2026 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData Central SR Legacy, April 2018 JSON releaseChecked 2026-09-05
- European Food Safety Authority (opens in new tab)Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for magnesiumChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-04
- USDA Agricultural Research Service (opens in new tab)FoodData CentralChecked 2026-09-04
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Iron: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (opens in new tab)Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health ProfessionalsChecked 2026-09-05
Take it into the kitchen
Explore this nutrient in simple meals. Recipe pages show estimated amounts and missing data.
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