Protein content
A 1 cup cooked serving of brown rice contains 5.3 g of protein - a moderate source of protein, about 11% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is more of an energy food than a protein food.
| Serving | 1 cup cooked (195 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 5.3 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 2.74 g |
| Calories per serving | 240 kcal |
| Protein density | 9% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 11% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Grains |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #169704 |
A typical 1 cup cooked serving of brown rice contains 5.3 grams of protein (2.74 g per 100 g), which makes it a moderate source of protein. That covers roughly 11% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Only about 9% of the calories in brown rice come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It is worth eating for other reasons; the protein it adds to a day is incidental.
Among the 111 grains in the database, brown rice ranks 38th by protein per serving, and 474th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against shredded wheat, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (shredded wheat has 5.8 g per 1 cup).
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 195 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #169704 - "Rice, brown, long-grain, cooked (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program)" (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
Brown rice has 2.74 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup cooked serving (195 g) provides 5.3 g.
No. Brown rice 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 cooked serving of brown rice contains 5.3 g of protein, about 11% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Brown rice is a moderate source of protein, and about 9% of its calories come from protein, which makes it more of an energy food than a protein food. Set against shredded wheat, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (shredded wheat has 5.8 g per 1 cup).
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