How much protein is in ham?
Ham has 14.1 g of protein per 3 oz (85 g) — that's 16.6 g per 100 g, or about 4.7 g per ounce. One 3 oz is roughly 28% of the 50 g Daily Value for protein.
USDA FoodData Central · sliced, regular · FDC 173864
Protein & macros by portion
| Portion | Protein | Calories | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz (85 g) | 14.1 g | 139 | 7.5 g | 3.1 g |
| 100 g | 16.6 g | 164 | 8.8 g | 3.6 g |
| 1 oz (28 g) | 4.7 g | 46 | 2.5 g | 1 g |
Values computed from USDA per-100 g data (FDC 173864, SR Legacy). sliced, regular.
Deli ham is one of the most convenient proteins in the fridge — no cooking, just stack and eat — and a 3 oz serving (85 g) carries about 14.1 g of protein for roughly 139 calories. Per 100 g that’s 16.6 g of protein, or about 4.7 g per ounce, and it’s a complete protein with all nine essential amino acids. But the honest headline on ham isn’t the protein. It’s the sodium: ham is cured, and that curing loads it with salt — about 814 mg per 100 g, which works out to roughly 692 mg in a single 3 oz serving. That’s a large share of a day’s sodium from one sandwich’s worth of meat, and it’s the number that should shape how often you reach for it.
The sodium is the real story
Curing is what makes ham shelf-friendly and gives it that savory, salty bite — and it’s also why ham sits so high on sodium. At ~692 mg per 3 oz, a couple of sandwiches’ worth can quietly eat through a big portion of the day’s recommended limit, which matters most if you’re watching blood pressure. Ham is also a processed meat, the category nutrition guidance consistently flags for moderation. None of that makes ham off-limits — it makes it a food to enjoy in normal amounts rather than lean on heavily. If sodium is a concern, lower-sodium deli hams exist and are worth seeking out on the label.
Decent everyday protein, just not a workhorse
Set the salt aside and ham does a real job: ~14.1 g of complete protein per 3 oz with zero prep is a legitimately useful, satisfying sandwich and snack protein. The trouble is only that you pay for more protein with more sodium — stacking the slices stacks the salt too — so ham works best as an occasional protein rather than the one you build every meal around. For a protein you can eat daily without the sodium load, leaner deli options are the better default.
If you want the same grab-and-go convenience with less salt and fat, turkey breast is the leaner deli protein, chicken breast is the lean cooked staple, and sirloin steak is the heavier red-meat option. To turn these per-serving numbers into a daily target for your body weight, see how much protein per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much protein is in a 3 oz serving of ham?
About 14.1 g of protein in a 3 oz (85 g) serving of regular sliced ham, which is 16.6 g per 100 g, or roughly 4.7 g per ounce (USDA FDC 173864). That serving runs about 139 calories — but the number to watch isn't protein, it's sodium, at roughly 692 mg per 3 oz.
Is ham a good protein source?
It's a decent everyday protein, with an honest caveat. Deli ham is a convenient, complete protein at about 14.1 g per 3 oz, and it's a perfectly reasonable sandwich filler. But it's cured, so it carries a lot of sodium per serving, and it's a processed meat — fine in moderation, not one to lean on heavily. For a daily protein workhorse, leaner and lower-sodium options like turkey or chicken breast do the same job with less salt.
How much protein is in a slice of deli ham?
It depends on thickness, but a typical thin deli slice is roughly 1 oz, so it carries about 4.7 g of protein. A 3-slice sandwich portion (~3 oz) lands near 14.1 g — a sensible lunch amount. Stacking more protein in means stacking more sodium too, which is the trade-off to keep in mind.
Is ham a complete protein?
Yes. Like all meat, ham contains all nine essential amino acids in usable amounts, so it counts as a complete, high-quality protein on its own — no pairing required. Protein quality isn't the issue with ham; the cured-meat sodium and processing are the things to weigh.
What is ham good for nutritionally, and what's the catch?
It's a quick, complete protein that needs no cooking, which makes it a genuinely convenient sandwich and snack protein at about 14.1 g per 3 oz. The catch is sodium: because it's cured, regular ham runs around 814 mg per 100 g — roughly 692 mg in a 3 oz serving, a big chunk of a day's limit. As a processed meat it's best eaten in moderation rather than as an everyday staple.
When was this data last verified?
2026-06-03, against USDA FoodData Central FDC 173864 (Ham, sliced, regular, approximately 11% fat; 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.