Protein content
2.7 g of protein in 1 cup cooked (240 g) of polenta, or 1.9 g for every 100 kcal it supplies.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is more of an energy food than a protein food.
| Protein per 100 kcal | 1.9 g |
|---|---|
| Protein per 100 g | 1.12 g |
| Protein per serving | 2.7 g in 1 cup cooked (240 g) |
| Calories from protein | 8% |
| Rank in grains, per 100 kcal | 101st of 111 |
| Rank of all foods, per 100 g | 717th of 796 |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 5% per serving |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
One 1 cup cooked, 2.7 g protein.
Every 100 kcal of polenta brings 1.9 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 101st of the 111 grains in this database and 705th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 1.12 g per 100 g ranks 110th in its group.
Only about 8% of the calories in polenta come from protein, so it is more of an energy food than a protein food. It is worth eating for other reasons; the protein it adds to a day is incidental.
USDA lists 0.28 g of fat per 100 g of polenta, too little for a protein-to-fat ratio to mean much.
Set against all-purpose flour, another grain entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g less protein (all-purpose flour has 3.2 g per 1/4 cup).
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 240 g, and it covers about 5% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Cornmeal cooked in water; corn protein is low in lysine and tryptophan.
Serving sizes
| Portion | Weight | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 1.12 g | 58 kcal |
| 1 cup cooked (serving used here) | 240 g | 2.7 g | 139 kcal |
| 1 cup, dry, yields | 955 g | 10.7 g | 554 kcal |
| 1 strip or slice | 50 g | 0.6 g | 29 kcal |
| 1 oz, dry, yields | 190 g | 2.1 g | 110 kcal |
Portion weights are the household measures listed on the USDA record; protein and calories scale from the per-100 g figures.
Related
Highest-protein grains per serving · Most protein-dense foods · Highest protein per 100 g
Quick answers
1.12 g. The 1 cup cooked serving used on this page weighs 240 g and so carries 2.7 g.
1.9 g. That figure divides its 1.12 g of protein per 100 g by its 58 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
No. On its own, the protein in polenta is short of at least one essential amino acid; other protein sources across the day fill the gap.
About 5%. One 1 cup cooked serving has 2.7 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #2708374 (Cornmeal mush, no added fat), FNDDS survey 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.