Every 100 kcal of chia seeds brings 3.4 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 16th of the 27 seeds in this database and 585th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 16.5 g per 100 g ranks 23rd in its group.
Around 14% of the calories in chia seeds come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. 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.
By weight, fat outweighs protein in chia seeds: 30.7 g of fat per 100 g against 16.5 g of protein, a ratio of 0.5 to 1.
Set against tahini, another seed entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (tahini has 5.1 g per 2 tbsp).
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 28 g, and it covers about 9% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of chia seeds
Protein and calories in Chia seeds for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
16.5 g
486 kcal
1 oz (serving used here)
28 g
4.6 g
136 kcal
The USDA record lists no other household measure for this food; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Amino acids
Essential amino acids in chia seeds
The nine essential amino acids in Chia seeds, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
1.37 g
0.38 g
83
lysine
0.97 g
0.27 g
59
valine
0.95 g
0.27 g
58
isoleucine
0.801 g
0.22 g
49
threonine
0.709 g
0.2 g
43
phenylalanine
1.02 g
0.29 g
62
methionine
0.588 g
0.16 g
36
histidine
0.531 g
0.15 g
32
tryptophan
0.436 g
0.12 g
26
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.
16.5 g. The 1 oz serving used on this page weighs 28 g and so carries 4.6 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of chia seeds?
3.4 g. That figure divides its 16.5 g of protein per 100 g by its 486 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in chia seeds complete?
Yes. The protein in chia seeds 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 chia seeds?
About 9%. One 1 oz serving has 4.6 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #170554 (Seeds, chia seeds, dried), 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.