Protein content
1.3 g of protein in 1 cup (33 g) of alfalfa sprouts, or 17.3 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is extremely protein-dense.
| Protein per 100 kcal | 17.3 g |
|---|---|
| Protein per 100 g | 3.99 g |
| Protein per serving | 1.3 g in 1 cup (33 g) |
| Calories from protein | 69% |
| Protein to fat | 5.8 g per 1 g fat |
| Rank in vegetables, per 100 kcal | 3rd of 105 |
| Rank of all foods, per 100 g | 581st of 796 |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 3% per serving |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
One 1 cup, 1.3 g protein.
Every 100 kcal of alfalfa sprouts brings 17.3 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 3rd of the 105 vegetables in this database and 90th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 3.99 g per 100 g ranks 8th in its group.
About 69% of the calories in alfalfa sprouts come from protein, which makes it extremely protein-dense - close to the practical ceiling for a whole food. Foods in this band are the ones that let you raise your protein intake without raising your calorie intake much at all.
Weight for weight, alfalfa sprouts has 5.8 g of protein for each gram of fat (3.99 g against 0.69 g per 100 g).
Set against butternut squash, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (butternut squash has 1.8 g per 1 cup cubes baked).
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 quoted here is measured by volume at 33 g, and it covers about 3% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
| Portion | Weight | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 3.99 g | 23 kcal |
| 1 cup (serving used here) | 33 g | 1.3 g | 8 kcal |
| 1 tbsp | 3 g | 0.1 g | 1 kcal |
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Related
Highest-protein vegetables per serving · Most protein-dense foods · Highest protein per 100 g
Quick answers
3.99 g. The 1 cup serving used on this page weighs 33 g and so carries 1.3 g.
17.3 g. That figure divides its 3.99 g of protein per 100 g by its 23 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
No. On its own, the protein in alfalfa sprouts is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
About 3%. One 1 cup serving has 1.3 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #168384 (Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw), SR Legacy data. USDA data is in the public domain. Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.