Protein content
A 1/4 cup serving of cornmeal contains 2.5 g of protein - only a minor source of protein, about 5% 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 | 1/4 cup (30.5 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 2.5 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 8.12 g |
| Calories per serving | 110 kcal |
| Protein density | 9% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 5% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Grains |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #169697 |
A typical 1/4 cup serving of cornmeal contains 2.5 grams of protein (8.12 g per 100 g), which makes it only a minor source of protein. That covers roughly 5% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it adds toward your protein total for the day.
Only about 9% of the calories in cornmeal 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, cornmeal ranks 97th by protein per serving, and 625th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against whole wheat crackers, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (whole wheat crackers has 3 g per 1 oz).
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 30.5 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #169697 - "Cornmeal, whole-grain, yellow" (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
Cornmeal has 8.12 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1/4 cup serving (30.5 g) provides 2.5 g.
No. Cornmeal 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 1/4 cup serving of cornmeal contains 2.5 g of protein, about 5% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Cornmeal is only a minor 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 whole wheat crackers, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (whole wheat crackers has 3 g per 1 oz).
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