The Little-Known Ingredient That Packs Over 15 Grams Of Protein In Under 100 Calories

There's one source of protein that's probably not going to be on a lot of people's shopping lists in the United States. However, it's worth trying at least once if you're looking for a massive protein boost. It's dried squid, which is more popular in Asian cuisine but is making its way into stores around the world. (It's available online, if you're looking for a source.) 

How can munching on dried squid help you meet some of your healthier eating goals? According to data from Nutrition Value, one 28-gram serving of dried squid contains 17 grams of protein for just 99 calories. Plus, it packs in other important nutrients, like 264 milligrams of potassium and 35 milligrams of calcium.

By adding dried squid into your weekly meal and snack rotation, you can give your taste buds something different. This may be exciting news if you've become kind of tired of eating other protein sources like poultry, red meat, soy, nuts, and workout powders. And while squid might not appeal to everyone's palate, it's important not to say "no" to dried squid before trying it. After all, some describe its taste and texture as akin to beef jerky. Therefore, it might not be quite what you expect.

The Mayo Clinic advises that the average adult devote up to 35% of his or her daily calories toward protein. In other words, if you're striving for 2,000 calories a day, you could eat up to 700 calories (seven servings) of dried squid. And if you did, you'd end up eating 119 grams of protein. That's considerable, and matches the protein in many other go-to foods.

For instance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes that one cup of cooked chicken contains 231 calories and offers 43.4 grams of protein. If you ate three cups of cooked chicken, you'd wind up with roughly the same calorie count and a little more protein than the seven servings of dried squid. In other words, you could swap out a bit of your usual chicken for dried squid and not lose much protein at all.

Peanut butter, a popular plant-based protein food, offers another comparison opportunity with dried squid. Again, data from the USDA shows that for every two tablespoons of peanut butter, you get 191 calories and 7.1 grams of protein. This is a far lower protein-to-calorie ratio than dried squid.

This isn't to suggest that you get all your protein from dried squid, of course. But it reveals the importance of staying open-minded and informed when choosing proteins for reliable, functional fuel.

It's worth noting that squid isn't a source of limited proteins. On the contrary, it falls into the category of being a complete protein, per a 2020 study in Food Science and Technology. This means that dried squid gives your body at least some of all of the nine essential amino acids it requires to perform at optimal levels but can't make on its own.

Squid may provide you with other advantages as well. WebMD notes that its beneficial omega-3 fatty acids may assist your cardiovascular performance and ease inflammation-related conditions. In a 2018 study published in Food and Function, mice that were given a supplement derived from squid skin experienced reduced inflammation. This caused researchers to conclude that squid skin may be an appropriate therapeutic agent to use for patients with acute and chronic inflammatory conditions.

As a final nutritional bonus, squid tends to be lower in its mercury levels than other seafood. Consequently, you're less likely to accidentally ingest a lot of mercury by occasionally nibbling on strips of dried squid.