Every 100 kcal of sunflower seeds brings 3.6 g of protein. On that measure it ranks 12th of the 27 seeds in this database and 569th of all 796 foods on the site. Measured by weight instead, its 20.8 g per 100 g ranks 10th in its group.
Around 14% of the calories in sunflower 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 sunflower seeds: 51.5 g of fat per 100 g against 20.8 g of protein, a ratio of 0.4 to 1.
Set against raw tahini, another seed entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.5 g more protein (raw tahini has 5.3 g per 2 tbsp).
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 weight at 28 g, and it covers about 12% of the 50 g FDA Daily Value for protein.
Serving sizes
Protein in common portions of sunflower seeds
Protein and calories in Sunflower seeds for 100 g, the site serving and USDA household portions.
Portion
Weight
Protein
Calories
100 g
100 g
20.8 g
584 kcal
1 oz (serving used here)
28 g
5.8 g
164 kcal
1 cup, with hulls, edible yield
46 g
9.6 g
269 kcal
1 cup
140 g
29.1 g
818 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 sunflower seeds
The nine essential amino acids in Sunflower seeds, per 100 g, per serving and per gram of protein.
Amino acid
Per 100 g
Per serving
mg per g protein
leucine
1.66 g
0.46 g
80
lysine
0.937 g
0.26 g
45
valine
1.32 g
0.37 g
63
isoleucine
1.14 g
0.32 g
55
threonine
0.928 g
0.26 g
45
phenylalanine
1.17 g
0.33 g
56
methionine
0.494 g
0.14 g
24
histidine
0.632 g
0.18 g
30
tryptophan
0.348 g
0.1 g
17
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.
20.8 g. The 1 oz serving used on this page weighs 28 g and so carries 5.8 g.
How much protein do you get per 100 calories of sunflower seeds?
3.6 g. That figure divides its 20.8 g of protein per 100 g by its 584 kcal per 100 g, so it does not depend on serving size.
Is the protein in sunflower seeds complete?
No. On its own, the protein in sunflower seeds 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 sunflower seeds?
About 12%. One 1 oz serving has 5.8 g, and the FDA Daily Value for protein is 50 g.
Figures from USDA FoodData Central record #170562 (Seeds, sunflower seed kernels, 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.