Protein content
0.5 g of protein in 1 cup raw (20 g) of arugula, or 10.3 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is very protein-dense.
| Protein per 100 kcal | 10.3 g |
|---|---|
| Protein per 100 g | 2.58 g |
| Protein per serving | 0.5 g in 1 cup raw (20 g) |
| Calories from protein | 41% |
| Protein to fat | 3.9 g per 1 g fat |
| Rank in vegetables, per 100 kcal | 13th of 105 |
| Rank of all foods, per 100 g | 641st of 796 |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 1% per serving |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
One 1 cup raw, 0.5 g protein.
Every 100 kcal of arugula brings 10.3 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 13th of the 105 vegetables in this database and 244th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 2.58 g per 100 g ranks 30th in its group.
Protein accounts for roughly 41% of the calories in arugula, making it very protein-dense. The rest comes from fat and carbohydrate, so it adds a solid amount of protein while still carrying real energy - useful when you are eating to a calorie target rather than under one.
Weight for weight, arugula has 3.9 g of protein for each gram of fat (2.58 g against 0.66 g per 100 g).
Set against red cabbage, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (red cabbage has 1 g per 1 cup shredded raw).
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 20 g, and it covers about 1% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
| Portion | Weight | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 2.58 g | 25 kcal |
| 1 cup raw (serving used here) | 20 g | 0.5 g | 5 kcal |
| 1 leaf | 2 g | 0.1 g | 1 kcal |
| 0.5 cup | 10 g | 0.3 g | 3 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
2.58 g. The 1 cup raw serving used on this page weighs 20 g and so carries 0.5 g.
10.3 g. That figure divides its 2.58 g of protein per 100 g by its 25 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
No. On its own, the protein in arugula is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
About 1%. One 1 cup raw serving has 0.5 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #169387 (Arugula, 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.