Protein content
A 1 oz serving of cashews contains 5.1 g of protein - a moderate source of protein, about 10% 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 oz (28 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 5.1 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 18.2 g |
| Calories per serving | 155 kcal |
| Protein density | 13% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 10% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Nuts |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #170162 |
A typical 1 oz serving of cashews contains 5.1 grams of protein (18.2 g per 100 g), which makes it a moderate source of protein. That covers roughly 10% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Around 13% of the calories in cashews come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Among the 31 nuts in the database, cashews ranks 12th by protein per serving, and 487th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against cashew butter, another nut entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (cashew butter has 5.6 g per 2 tbsp).
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 weight at 28 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #170162 - "Nuts, cashew nuts, 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
Cashews has 18.2 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 oz serving (28 g) provides 5.1 g.
No. Cashews 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 oz serving of cashews contains 5.1 g of protein, about 10% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Cashews is a moderate source of protein, and about 13% of its calories come from protein, which makes it more of an energy food than a protein food. Set against cashew butter, another nut entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (cashew butter has 5.6 g per 2 tbsp).
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