How much protein is in cod?
Cod has 19.4 g of protein per 3 oz cooked (85 g) — that's 22.8 g per 100 g, or about 6.5 g per ounce. One 3 oz cooked is roughly 39% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · Atlantic, cooked, dry heat · FDC 171956
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz cooked (85 g) | 19.4 g | 89 | 0.8 g | 0 g |
| 100 g | 22.8 g | 105 | 0.9 g | 0 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 6.5 g | 30 | 0.3 g | 0 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 171956, SR Legacy). Atlantic, cooked, dry heat.
The leanest protein on the plate, calorie for calorie
Where most fish pages have to talk you down from the per-100g number, cod is the rare food where the real serving is almost as impressive as the lab figure. A 3 oz cooked portion (85 g) carries about 19.4 grams of protein for just 89 calories — and a normal dinner fillet of about 6 oz (~39 g of protein) still comes in under 180 calories. At 22.8 g of protein per 100 g with only 0.9 g of fat, cod has one of the best protein-per-calorie ratios of any whole food you can buy: leaner than chicken breast, and even leaner than tilapia, the fish it’s most often compared to.
That lean profile is the whole point. Because there’s almost no fat riding along, the calories track the protein almost one-to-one, so you can eat a genuinely satisfying fillet without the number creeping up the way it does with a fattier cut. It’s also a complete protein — all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts — so it stands on its own with nothing to pair it with.
The honest trade-off: clean, not oily
Cod’s leanness is its strength and, in one specific way, its limit. The same near-zero fat that makes it so calorie-efficient means cod is not an omega-3 fish. The EPA and DHA fats that make salmon and sardines worth singling out come bundled with the fat those fish carry — and cod simply doesn’t have it. If you’re eating fish specifically for those long-chain omega-3s, cod won’t deliver them; reach for an oily fish for that job and let cod do something different.
And what it does is be the clean, mild, everyday protein — the white fish you eat for lean grams without fuss or strong flavor. It brings some selenium, vitamin B12, and phosphorus, plus about 244 mg of potassium per 3 oz, but nobody eats cod for its micronutrient headline. They eat it because it’s the most protein-dense, lowest-calorie fish in the case. When you want that same lean-fish convenience without cooking, a no-cook packaged option like canned salmon or albacore tuna (Wild Planet, StarKist) is the pantry version — and the canned salmon even adds the omega-3s cod skips. The graded picks below are where to start.
Packaged fish options, graded
If you'd rather grab it off a shelf, here are the best-graded fish in our catalog — each scored on our transparent 6-dimension Labelgrade.
-
Labelgrade 81/100 · 18 g protein · 90.1 cal
Check price on Amazon -
Labelgrade 80/100 · 16 g protein · 79.9 cal
Check price on Amazon
Buy links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The Labelgrade is independent of any affiliate relationship. More.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in cod?
About 19.4 g of protein in a 3 oz cooked serving (85 g), which is 22.8 g per 100 g, or roughly 6.5 g per ounce (USDA FDC 171956, Atlantic cod, cooked by dry heat). The standout is the calorie cost: that 3 oz portion is just 89 calories, one of the best protein-per-calorie ratios of any whole food.
Is cod a good protein source?
Yes, and it's the leanest way to get it. Cod is a complete protein and delivers ~19.4 g in a real 3 oz serving for under 90 calories — even leaner than tilapia. The only honest limitation is that it's not an omega-3 fish: cod gives you clean, low-calorie protein, not the EPA and DHA fats that make salmon or sardines special.
How much protein is in a cod fillet?
A typical dinner fillet is about 6 oz cooked (170 g), which delivers roughly 39 grams of protein for around 178 calories. Because cod is so lean, you can eat a generous fillet without the calories climbing the way they would with a fattier fish — protein goes up, fat barely moves.
Is cod a complete protein?
Yes. Like all fish, cod contains all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts, so it counts as a complete, high-quality protein on its own with no need to pair it with anything.
What is cod good for nutritionally?
Cod's whole appeal is lean, high-quality protein at a very low calorie and fat cost — just 0.9 g of total fat per 100 g, which is why it's a go-to when you want maximum protein per calorie. It supplies some selenium, vitamin B12, and phosphorus, plus about 244 mg of potassium per 3 oz. What it does not bring is meaningful omega-3s, so pair it with an oily fish elsewhere in the week if those fats are your goal.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 171956 (Atlantic cod, cooked by dry heat; SR Legacy). We re-verify reference pages periodically and update when USDA revises its underlying data.
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.