The short answer
100 g of maize (dry, uncooked) has 8.8 g of protein and 334 kcal.1 That's about 18% of the 50 g of protein ICMR-NIN suggests a day for a 60 kg adult.2
Nutrition in 100 g of maize
| Per 100 g | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 334 kcal (1398 kJ) |
| Protein | 8.8 g ± 0.5 |
| Fat | 3.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 64.8 g |
| Fibre | 12.2 g |
| Water | 9.3 g |
These figures are for dry maize, before cooking. Grains absorb water as they cook, so weigh them dry for an accurate count.
How much maize for your protein?
The amounts below are worked out from IFCT's figure of 8.8 g per 100 g. To see how maize fits into a whole day, add it in the day builder.
| To get | Eat about | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 10 g of protein | 114 g (dry, uncooked weight) | 381 kcal |
| 20 g of protein | 227 g (dry, uncooked weight) | 758 kcal |
| 30 g of protein | 341 g (dry, uncooked weight) | 1139 kcal |
How maize compares
Maize has more protein per 100 g than 48% of the 542 foods in IFCT 2017. Here it is beside the other cereals and millets we cover:
| Cereals and millets | Protein / 100 g | kcal | From protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rajgira | 13.3 g | 356 | 15% |
| Quinoa | 13.1 g | 328 | 16% |
| Sooji | 11.4 g | 334 | 14% |
| Bajra | 11 g | 348 | 13% |
| Barley | 10.9 g | 316 | 14% |
| Atta | 10.6 g | 320 | 13% |
| Maida | 10.4 g | 352 | 12% |
| Little millet | 10.1 g | 346 | 12% |
| Jowar | 10 g | 334 | 12% |
| Brown rice | 9.2 g | 354 | 11% |
| Kodo millet | 8.9 g | 332 | 11% |
| Maize | 8.8 g | 334 | 11% |
| White rice | 7.9 g | 356 | 9% |
| Parboiled rice | 7.8 g | 352 | 9% |
| Puffed rice | 7.5 g | 362 | 8% |
| Poha | 7.4 g | 354 | 9% |
| Ragi | 7.2 g | 321 | 9% |
Other vegetarian foods with similar protein: dry coconut (7.3 g), green peas (7.3 g), moringa leaves (6.4 g), jackfruit seeds (5.8 g), buffalo milk (3.7 g). For more protein per 100 g, try soybean (37.8 g), masoor dal (24.4 g), moong dal (23.9 g). See every food on one protein chart.
Protein quality
Cereals and millets supply a large share of the protein Indians eat, simply because we eat so much of them. Their protein is low in lysine, which pulses, milk and eggs supply, so pairing them improves the mix.3
Maize in Indian languages
Names as listed in IFCT 2017, which records what the food is called in each region it was sampled from.1
- Assamese
- Makoi
- Bengali
- Bhutta
- Gujarati
- Makai
- Hindi
- Makka
- Kannada
- Mekke jola
- Malayalam
- Maize
- Marathi
- Maka
- Odia
- Maka
- Punjabi
- Chhali
- Tamil
- Makka Cholam
- Telugu
- Mokkajonna
- Urdu
- makai
Common questions
How much protein is in 100 g of maize?
8.8 g, according to the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 from ICMR-NIN. That's for dry, uncooked maize, per 100 g of the edible part. 100 g also gives 334 kcal.
How much maize gives 20 g of protein?
About 227 g (dry, uncooked weight). That's roughly 40% of the 50 g a day ICMR-NIN suggests for a 60 kg adult.
Is maize a good source of protein?
11% of its calories come from protein, and it has more protein per 100 g than 48% of the 542 foods in IFCT 2017. Cereals and millets supply a large share of the protein Indians eat, simply because we eat so much of them.
Should I weigh maize raw or cooked?
Raw. These figures are per 100 g of dry maize. Cooking adds water, so the same 100 g cooked has noticeably less protein.
References
- Longvah T, Ananthan R, Bhaskarachary K, Venkaiah K. Indian Food Composition Tables 2017. National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR), Hyderabad. nin.res.in. Read through the open-data copy by Subhajit Sahu (ifct2017, MIT licence).
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition. Nutrient Requirements for Indians: Recommended Dietary Allowances and Estimated Average Requirements. 2020. nin.res.in
- WHO/FAO/UNU Expert Consultation. Protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition. WHO Technical Report Series 935, 2007. who.int