Protein content
A 1 cup serving of sweet corn 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 cup (149 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 5.1 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 3.41 g |
| Calories per serving | 143 kcal |
| Protein density | 14% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 10% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Vegetables |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #169999 |
A typical 1 cup serving of sweet corn contains 5.1 grams of protein (3.41 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 14% of the calories in sweet corn 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 105 vegetables in the database, sweet corn ranks 9th by protein per serving, and 487th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against asparagus, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.8 g more protein (asparagus has 4.3 g per 1 cup cooked).
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 149 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #169999 - "Corn, sweet, yellow, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt" (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
Sweet corn has 3.41 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup serving (149 g) provides 5.1 g.
No. Sweet corn 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 serving of sweet corn contains 5.1 g of protein, about 10% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Sweet corn 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 asparagus, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.8 g more protein (asparagus has 4.3 g per 1 cup cooked).
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