Every 100 kcal of canned tuna (in water) brings 22 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 7th of the 121 seafood in this database and 10th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 25.5 g per 100 g ranks 28th in its group.
About 88% of the calories in canned tuna (in water) 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 tuna (in water) has 31.1 g of protein for each gram of fat (25.5 g against 0.82 g per 100 g).
Set against atlantic pollock, another seafood entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (atlantic pollock has 21.2 g per 3 oz cooked).
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 43% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Rich in leucine, the amino acid that most strongly triggers muscle-protein synthesis.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of canned tuna (in water)
Protein and calories in Canned tuna (in water) for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
25.5 g
116 kcal
3 oz drained (serving used here)
85 g
21.7 g
99 kcal
1 can
165 g
42.1 g
191 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 tuna (in water)
The nine essential amino acids in Canned tuna (in water), per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
2.07 g
1.76 g
81
lysine
2.34 g
1.99 g
92
valine
1.31 g
1.11 g
51
isoleucine
1.18 g
1 g
46
threonine
1.12 g
0.95 g
44
phenylalanine
0.996 g
0.85 g
39
methionine
0.755 g
0.64 g
30
histidine
0.751 g
0.64 g
29
tryptophan
0.286 g
0.24 g
11
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
Pacific cod - 22 g per 100 kcal, 15.9 g per 3 oz cooked
Haddock - 22.2 g per 100 kcal, 17 g per 3 oz cooked
Tuna pouch - 22.4 g per 100 kcal, 14.3 g per 1 pouch
Closest in protein per calorie
Northern pike - 21.9 g per 100 kcal, 21 g per 3 oz cooked
Mahi mahi - 21.7 g per 100 kcal, 20.1 g per 3 oz cooked
How much protein is in 100 g of canned tuna (in water)?
25.5 g. The 3 oz drained serving used on this page weighs 85 g and so carries 21.7 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of canned tuna (in water)?
22 g. That figure divides its 25.5 g of protein per 100 g by its 116 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in canned tuna (in water) complete?
Yes. The protein in canned tuna (in water) 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 tuna (in water)?
About 43%. One 3 oz drained serving has 21.7 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #171986 (Fish, tuna, light, canned in water, without salt, 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.