Every 100 kcal of canned clams brings 17 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 55th of the 121 seafood in this database and 99th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 24.2 g per 100 g ranks 46th in its group.
About 68% of the calories in canned clams 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, canned clams has 15.2 g of protein for each gram of fat (24.2 g against 1.59 g per 100 g).
Set against albacore tuna (canned in water), another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (albacore tuna (canned in water) has 20.1 g per 3 oz drained).
It is a complete protein - it supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own. The serving quoted here is measured by weight at 85 g, and it covers about 41% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of canned clams
Protein and calories in Canned clams for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
24.2 g
142 kcal
3 oz drained (serving used here)
85 g
20.6 g
121 kcal
1 cup
160 g
38.7 g
227 kcal
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Amino acids
Essential amino acids in canned clams
The nine essential amino acids in Canned clams, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
1.98 g
1.68 g
82
lysine
1.86 g
1.58 g
77
valine
1.23 g
1.05 g
51
isoleucine
1.14 g
0.97 g
47
threonine
1.16 g
0.99 g
48
phenylalanine
0.925 g
0.79 g
38
methionine
0.698 g
0.59 g
29
histidine
0.496 g
0.42 g
20
tryptophan
0.339 g
0.29 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.
SampleWhat goal trends look like after a week
109 g
Average per logged day
4 of 7
Days goal met
71%
Complete-protein share
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Sample figures for one made-up week against a 110 g goal, not your data. Red bars met the goal. Your own log fills this in with Premium.
Related
Other seafood by protein per calorie
Swap for more protein per calorie
Clams - 17.3 g per 100 kcal, 21.8 g per 3 oz cooked
Whelk - 17.3 g per 100 kcal, 40.5 g per 3 oz cooked
Flounder - 17.7 g per 100 kcal, 12.9 g per 3 oz cooked
Closest in protein per calorie
Sockeye salmon - 17 g per 100 kcal, 22.5 g per 3 oz cooked
Turbot - 16.9 g per 100 kcal, 17.5 g per 3 oz cooked
Coho salmon - 16.8 g per 100 kcal, 19.9 g per 3 oz cooked
Chum salmon - 16.8 g per 100 kcal, 21.9 g per 3 oz cooked
24.2 g. The 3 oz drained serving used on this page weighs 85 g and so carries 20.6 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of canned clams?
17 g. That figure divides its 24.2 g of protein per 100 g by its 142 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in canned clams complete?
Yes. The protein in canned clams supplies all nine essential amino acids in adequate amounts, so it can carry a meal's protein on its own.
What share of the protein Daily Value is one serving of canned clams?
About 41%. One 3 oz drained serving has 20.6 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #171976 (Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, drained solids), 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.