How much protein is in apple?
Apple has 0.5 g of protein per 1 medium (182 g) — that's 0.3 g per 100 g, or about 0.1 g per ounce. One 1 medium is roughly 1% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · raw, with skin · FDC 171688
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 medium (182 g) | 0.5 g | 95 | 0.4 g | 25.1 g |
| 100 g | 0.3 g | 52 | 0.2 g | 13.8 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 0.1 g | 15 | 0.1 g | 3.9 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 171688, SR Legacy). raw, with skin.
If you’re searching “protein in apple,” the short answer is: there’s almost none. One medium apple with skin (182 g) has about 0.5 g of protein — that’s 0.3 g per 100 g — for roughly 95 calories. An apple is one of the most nearly protein-free whole foods you can pick up. You’d have to eat about ten apples to match the protein in a single egg, so no realistic snack of apples is going to contribute to a protein goal.
Why an apple is basically protein-free
An apple is carbohydrate and water. A medium one is about 25 g of carbohydrate — roughly 19 g of it sugar — with that token ~0.5 g of protein and essentially no fat. That’s the entire macro story. With so little protein, the usual follow-up questions (is it complete? how much per serving?) stop mattering; the honest answer is that an apple simply isn’t in the protein conversation. It’s a sweet, crunchy carb, and that’s exactly what it’s meant to be.
What “an apple a day” is actually about
The old saying isn’t wrong — it’s just not about protein. An apple’s real value is fiber: about 4.4 g in a medium one, a big chunk of it pectin, a soluble fiber linked to steadier blood sugar and a healthier gut. On top of that you get vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants concentrated largely in the skin (which is why eating it unpeeled matters). And because all of that arrives for only ~95 calories with real chew and sweetness, an apple is a genuinely smart low-calorie snack that satisfies a sweet craving. Fiber and satiety, not amino acids, are the point.
So eat the apple for what it is, then get your protein from foods built for it. The classic pairing is an apple with peanut butter, which adds a few grams of protein plus healthy fat and turns a pure-carb snack into something more balanced; apple slices also work alongside a string cheese, a handful of almonds, or a tub of Greek yogurt. To figure out your daily protein target in the first place, see how much protein per day — then let the apple be the fiber-rich snack while protein-dense foods do the heavy lifting. Other fruits people ask the same question about: banana and orange.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in an apple?
About 0.5 g of protein in one medium apple (182 g), which is just 0.3 g per 100 g (USDA FDC 171688). That's effectively protein-free — a medium apple is around 95 calories, essentially all of it from carbohydrate.
Is an apple a good source of protein?
No — about as far from one as a whole food gets. At roughly half a gram per apple, you'd have to eat ten apples to reach the protein in a single egg. An apple is a fiber-and-carbohydrate snack, full stop. It's the thing you eat alongside a protein, not the protein.
How much protein is in two apples?
Two medium apples come to about 1 g of protein and roughly 190 calories. Even doubling up leaves you with a rounding error's worth of protein, which is the honest point: apples are not a protein food at any realistic quantity.
Is apple protein complete?
The question is essentially moot — with only ~0.5 g of protein in a whole apple, its amino acid makeup is nutritionally irrelevant. Like most fruit, what little protein it has is incomplete, but you'd never eat an apple for protein in the first place.
What is an apple actually good for nutritionally?
Fiber and a low-calorie, satisfying crunch. A medium apple delivers about 4.4 g of fiber — much of it pectin, a soluble fiber tied to steady blood sugar and gut health — plus vitamin C and antioxidants, mostly in the skin. 'An apple a day' is really about fiber and being a sensible low-calorie snack, not about protein.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-04, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 171688 (Apples, raw, with skin; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when the underlying USDA entry changes.
Whole-food values are USDA reference data and are not assigned a Labelgrade — that score is for branded packaged products, where ingredients and added sugar/sodium actually vary. See our methodology and how much protein you need per day.