Protein content
A 3 oz drained serving of canned tuna (in water) contains 21.7 g of protein - a very good source of protein, about 43% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is extremely protein-dense.
| Serving | 3 oz drained (85 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 21.7 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 25.5 g |
| Calories per serving | 99 kcal |
| Protein density | 88% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 43% |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
| Category | Seafood |
| Food type | Prepared / processed |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #171986 |
A typical 3 oz drained serving of canned tuna (in water) contains 21.7 grams of protein (25.5 g per 100 g), which makes it a very good source of protein. That covers roughly 43% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
About 88% of the calories in canned tuna (in water) come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense - close to the practical ceiling for a whole food. Foods in this band are the ones that let you raise your protein intake without raising your calorie intake much at all.
Among the 121 seafood in the database, canned tuna (in water) ranks 27th by protein per serving, and 115th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against atlantic pollock, another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (atlantic pollock has 21.2 g per 3 oz cooked).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving above is measured by weight at 85 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Rich in leucine, the amino acid that most strongly triggers muscle-protein synthesis.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #171986 - "Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, drained solids" (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
Canned tuna (in water) has 25.5 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 3 oz drained serving (85 g) provides 21.7 g.
Yes. Canned tuna (in water) is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
A 3 oz drained serving of canned tuna (in water) contains 21.7 g of protein, about 43% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Canned tuna (in water) is a very good source of protein, and about 88% of its calories come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense. Set against atlantic pollock, another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (atlantic pollock has 21.2 g per 3 oz cooked).
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