16 Nuts and Seeds High in Protein

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BSc (Hons) MSc DipION
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Dr. Patricia Shelton
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16 Nuts and Seeds High in Protein

Nuts and seeds are a heart-healthy snack. Almonds, in particular, have been shown to lower cholesterol. In addition to being a good source of fiber and healthy fats, nuts can also be a good source of protein.

The current daily value (DV) for protein is 50 grams per day. (1) One ounce (1oz) of nuts or seeds is typically equivalent to a handful, or 2-3 tablespoons. Most nuts provide between 8 and 18% DV of protein per 1oz handful.

High protein nuts and seeds include hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, cashews, and more. Below is a list of 16 nuts and seeds high in protein. For more, see the extended list of less common nuts and seeds high in protein.

List of High Protein Nuts

Hemp Seeds1 Hemp Seeds
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
9g
(18% DV)
31.6g
(63% DV)
11.4g
(23% DV)
Squash and Pumpkin Seeds2 Squash and Pumpkin Seeds
Protein
per 1oz Handful
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
8.5g
(17% DV)
29.8g
(60% DV)
10.4g
(21% DV)
Peanuts3 Peanuts (Dry Roasted)
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
6.9g
(14% DV)
24.4g
(49% DV)
8.3g
(17% DV)

Peanuts are actually legumes, but are listed here since they are nuts in the culinary sense.

Almonds4 Almonds
Protein
per 1oz Handful
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
6g
(12% DV)
21.2g
(42% DV)
7.3g
(15% DV)
Pistachios5 Pistachios (Dry Roasted)
Protein
per 1 Oz Handful
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
6g
(12% DV)
21.1g
(42% DV)
7.4g
(15% DV)
Sunflower Seeds6 Sunflower Seeds (Dry Roasted)
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
5.5g
(11% DV)
19.3g
(39% DV)
7.1g
(14% DV)
Flax Seeds7 Flax Seeds
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
5.2g
(10% DV)
18.3g
(37% DV)
6.9g
(14% DV)
Sesame Seeds8 Sesame Seeds
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
4.8g
(10% DV)
17g
(34% DV)
6g
(12% DV)
Chia Seeds9 Chia Seeds
Protein
per oz(~2 Tblsp)
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
4.7g
(9% DV)
16.5g
(33% DV)
6.8g
(14% DV)
Cashews10 Cashews (Dry Roasted)
Protein
per 1 Oz Handful
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
4.3g
(9% DV)
15.3g
(31% DV)
5.3g
(11% DV)
Walnuts11 Walnuts
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
4.3g
(9% DV)
15.2g
(30% DV)
4.7g
(9% DV)
Hazelnuts12 Hazelnuts (Filberts) (Dry Roasted)
Protein
per 1 Oz Handful
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
4.3g
(9% DV)
15g
(30% DV)
4.7g
(9% DV)
Pine Nuts13 Pine Nuts
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
3.9g
(8% DV)
13.7g
(27% DV)
4.1g
(8% DV)
Pecans14 Pecans
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
2.6g
(5% DV)
9.2g
(18% DV)
2.7g
(5% DV)
Macadamia Nuts15 Macadamia Nuts
Protein
per 1 Oz Handful
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
2.2g
(4% DV)
7.9g
(16% DV)
2.2g
(4% DV)
Dried Coconut16 Dried Coconut
Protein
per Oz
Protein
per 100g
Protein
per 200 Calories
2g
(4% DV)
6.9g
(14% DV)
2.1g
(4% DV)

Extended List of Protein Rich Nuts and Seeds

FoodServingProtein
1 Butternuts (Dried)1oz14% DV
(7.1g)
2 Black Walnuts (Dried)1oz14% DV
(6.8g)
3 Safflower Seeds1oz9% DV
(4.6g)
4 Lotus Seeds1oz9% DV
(4.4g)
5 Hickory Nuts (Dried)1oz7% DV
(3.6g)
6 Pilinuts (Dried)1oz6% DV
(3.1g)
7 Ginkgo Nuts (Dried)1oz6% DV
(2.9g)
8 Acorns (Dried)1oz5% DV
(2.3g)
9 Beechnuts (Dried)1oz4% DV
(1.8g)
10 Coconut Waterper cup3% DV
(1.7g)
11 Breadfruit Nuts (Boiled)1oz3% DV
(1.5g)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that's found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It's more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Data Sources and References

  1. U.S.FDA - Daily Value on the New Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  2. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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