Protein content
A 1 oz serving of chia seeds contains 4.6 g of protein - a moderate source of protein, about 9% 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 | 4.6 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 16.5 g |
| Calories per serving | 136 kcal |
| Protein density | 14% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 9% |
| Protein quality | Complete protein |
| Category | Seeds |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #170554 |
A typical 1 oz serving of chia seeds contains 4.6 grams of protein (16.5 g per 100 g), which makes it a moderate source of protein. That covers roughly 9% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Around 14% of the calories in chia seeds 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 27 seeds in the database, chia seeds ranks 21st by protein per serving, and 509th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against tahini, another seed entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (tahini has 5.1 g per 2 tbsp).
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 28 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #170554 - "Seeds, chia seeds, dried" (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
Chia seeds has 16.5 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 oz serving (28 g) provides 4.6 g.
Yes. Chia seeds 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 1 oz serving of chia seeds contains 4.6 g of protein, about 9% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Chia seeds is a moderate source of protein, and about 14% of its calories come from protein, which makes it more of an energy food than a protein food. Set against tahini, another seed entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (tahini has 5.1 g per 2 tbsp).
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