Protein content
A 1 cup raw serving of arugula contains 0.5 g of protein - only a minor source of protein, about 1% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is very protein-dense.
| Serving | 1 cup raw (20 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 0.5 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 2.58 g |
| Calories per serving | 5 kcal |
| Protein density | 41% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 1% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Vegetables |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #169387 |
A typical 1 cup raw serving of arugula contains 0.5 grams of protein (2.58 g per 100 g), which makes it only a minor source of protein. That covers roughly 1% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Protein accounts for roughly 41% of the calories in arugula, making it very protein-dense. The rest comes from fat and carbohydrate, so it adds a solid amount of protein while still carrying real energy - useful when you are eating to a calorie target rather than under one.
Among the 105 vegetables in the database, arugula ranks 96th by protein per serving, and 774th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against red cabbage, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (red cabbage has 1 g per 1 cup shredded raw).
It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving above is measured by volume at 20 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #169387 - "Arugula, raw" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Arugula has 2.58 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup raw serving (20 g) provides 0.5 g.
No. Arugula is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
A 1 cup raw serving of arugula contains 0.5 g of protein, about 1% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Arugula is only a minor source of protein, and about 41% of its calories come from protein, which makes it very protein-dense. Set against red cabbage, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (red cabbage has 1 g per 1 cup shredded raw).
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