Every 100 kcal of flaxseed brings 3.4 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 14th of the 27 seeds in this database and 582nd of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 18.3 g per 100 g ranks 15th in its group.
Around 14% of the calories in flaxseed 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 flaxseed: 42.2 g of fat per 100 g against 18.3 g of protein, a ratio of 0.4 to 1.
Set against lotus seeds, another seed entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (lotus seeds has 4.3 g per 1 oz).
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 21 g, and it covers about 8% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of flaxseed
Protein and calories in Flaxseed for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
18.3 g
534 kcal
2 tbsp (serving used here)
21 g
3.8 g
112 kcal
1 tbsp, whole
10.3 g
1.9 g
55 kcal
1 cup, whole
168 g
30.7 g
897 kcal
1 tbsp, ground
7 g
1.3 g
37 kcal
1 tsp, whole
3.4 g
0.6 g
18 kcal
1 tsp, ground
2.5 g
0.5 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
Essential amino acids in flaxseed
The nine essential amino acids in Flaxseed, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
1.24 g
0.26 g
68
lysine
0.862 g
0.18 g
47
valine
1.07 g
0.22 g
58
isoleucine
0.896 g
0.19 g
49
threonine
0.766 g
0.16 g
42
phenylalanine
0.957 g
0.2 g
52
methionine
0.37 g
0.08 g
20
histidine
0.472 g
0.1 g
26
tryptophan
0.297 g
0.06 g
16
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 seeds by protein per calorie
Swap for more protein per calorie
Poppy seeds - 3.4 g per 100 kcal, 1.6 g per 1 tbsp
18.3 g. The 2 tbsp serving used on this page weighs 21 g and so carries 3.8 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of flaxseed?
3.4 g. That figure divides its 18.3 g of protein per 100 g by its 534 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in flaxseed complete?
No. On its own, the protein in flaxseed is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
What share of the protein Daily Value is one serving of flaxseed?
About 8%. One 2 tbsp serving has 3.8 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #169414 (Seeds, flaxseed), 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.