Protein content
3.7 g of protein in 1 cup cooked (156 g) of broccoli, or 6.8 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.8 g |
|---|---|
| Protein per 100 g | 2.38 g |
| Protein per serving | 3.7 g in 1 cup cooked (156 g) |
| Calories from protein | 27% |
| Leucine per serving | 0.23 g |
| Rank in vegetables, per 100 kcal | 34th of 105 |
| Rank of all foods, per 100 g | 656th of 796 |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 7% per serving |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
One 1 cup cooked, 3.7 g protein.
Every 100 kcal of broccoli brings 6.8 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 34th of the 105 vegetables in this database and 358th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 2.38 g per 100 g ranks 40th in its group.
Around 27% of the calories in broccoli come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. 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.
USDA lists 0.41 g of fat per 100 g of broccoli, too little for a protein-to-fat ratio to mean much.
Set against frozen corn, another vegetable entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (frozen corn has 4.2 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 quoted here is measured by volume at 156 g, and it covers about 7% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
| Portion | Weight | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 2.38 g | 35 kcal |
| 1 cup cooked (serving used here) | 156 g | 3.7 g | 55 kcal |
| 0.5 cup, chopped | 78 g | 1.9 g | 27 kcal |
| 1 stalk, large (11"-12" long) | 280 g | 6.7 g | 98 kcal |
| 1 stalk, medium (7-1/2" - 8" long) | 180 g | 4.3 g | 63 kcal |
| 1 stalk, small (5" long) | 140 g | 3.3 g | 49 kcal |
| 1 spear (about 5" long) | 37 g | 0.9 g | 13 kcal |
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Amino acids
| Amino acid | Per 100 g | Per serving | mg per g protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| leucine | 0.147 g | 0.23 g | 62 |
| lysine | 0.155 g | 0.24 g | 65 |
| valine | 0.138 g | 0.22 g | 58 |
| isoleucine | 0.092 g | 0.14 g | 39 |
| threonine | 0.096 g | 0.15 g | 40 |
| phenylalanine | 0.116 g | 0.18 g | 49 |
| methionine | 0.043 g | 0.07 g | 18 |
| histidine | 0.063 g | 0.1 g | 26 |
| tryptophan | 0.034 g | 0.05 g | 14 |
Per-100 g values are the amino acid analysis on the USDA record. The serving and per-gram-of-protein columns are arithmetic on those values; they are not a protein quality score.
Related
Highest-protein vegetables per serving · Most protein-dense foods · Highest protein per 100 g
Head to head
Quick answers
2.38 g. The 1 cup cooked serving used on this page weighs 156 g and so carries 3.7 g.
6.8 g. That figure divides its 2.38 g of protein per 100 g by its 35 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
No. On its own, the protein in broccoli is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
About 7%. One 1 cup cooked serving has 3.7 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #169967 (Broccoli, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt), 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.