Protein content
A 1 cup cooked serving of white rice contains 4.3 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 cup cooked (158 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 4.3 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 2.69 g |
| Calories per serving | 205 kcal |
| Protein density | 8% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 9% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Grains |
| Food type | Prepared / processed |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #168878 |
A typical 1 cup cooked serving of white rice contains 4.3 grams of protein (2.69 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.
Only about 8% of the calories in white rice 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, white rice ranks 54th by protein per serving, and 523rd out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against breadcrumbs, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (breadcrumbs has 3.8 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 158 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #168878 - "Rice, white, long-grain, regular, enriched, cooked" (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
White rice has 2.69 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup cooked serving (158 g) provides 4.3 g.
No. White rice 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 cooked serving of white rice contains 4.3 g of protein, about 9% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
White rice is a moderate source of protein, and about 8% of its calories come from protein, which makes it more of an energy food than a protein food. Set against breadcrumbs, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (breadcrumbs has 3.8 g per 1 oz).
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