Protein In Salmon Per 100g: Raw, Cooked and Cost per Serve

protein in salmon per 100g is about 20g for raw farmed Atlantic salmon and about 22g for cooked salmon in common food-composition entries. The difference is partly because cooking removes water, concentrating protein in each 100g of the cooked fish; the exact figure varies with species, product and cooking method. For a useful estimate, match the number to whether you weighed the salmon raw or cooked, then use the product label when you need the value for a specific Coles pack.

What “protein per 100g” means for salmon

Protein per 100g is a concentration: the grams of protein in 100g of the food in the state described. A value for raw salmon applies to raw weight; it is not automatically the right value for a cooked portion weighing 100g. Food-composition records distinguish entries such as raw farmed Atlantic salmon and cooked salmon, and their values are not interchangeable. For example, USDA FoodData Central lists about 20.4g protein per 100g for raw farmed Atlantic salmon and about 22.1g per 100g for cooked Atlantic salmon; check the specific raw and cooked entries when using those estimates.

Use the same weighing state for the food weight and the protein figure. If you log 150g of raw fillet against a cooked-food entry, or 150g cooked against a raw-food entry, your estimate can drift even though the salmon itself has not gained protein.

These are reference estimates, not a promise that every fillet has precisely that composition. Species, farming or wild origin, added ingredients and the amount of moisture lost all affect the value. A product label is the more relevant starting point for a branded or seasoned pack; a general database entry is useful when you have plain fish without a label or need a consistent estimate for planning.

Why raw and cooked numbers differ

Water loss changes the concentration

Cooking usually reduces the fish’s weight as moisture evaporates or drains away. Protein does not have to increase for the number per 100g to rise: there is simply less water in each 100g of cooked fish. That is why a cooked entry can show more protein per 100g than a raw entry, while the total protein in the original fillet remains broadly similar unless juices or edible parts are discarded.

Concentration is not creation. If a raw fillet weighs 200g and contains about 20.4g protein per 100g, its database-based estimate is roughly 41g total protein before cooking. If it weighs less after cooking, dividing a similar total across fewer cooked grams produces a higher per-100g figure. The calculation is an estimate: cooking losses and food composition vary.

Cooking method and product type matter

Oven-baked, pan-fried and poached salmon can finish at different weights because they lose or retain different amounts of water. Oil, glaze, crumb or sauce can also change the nutrition of the final meal, even when the salmon itself is unchanged. Canned salmon is another product category: drained fish, fish with liquid, bones, added salt and the specific brand can all affect what a serving provides.

For tracking, choose the closest matching entry rather than trying to make every salmon product fit one number:

• Raw plain fillet: log its uncooked weight with a raw salmon entry.
• Cooked plain fillet: weigh what you serve and choose a cooked entry.
• Marinated or crumbed salmon: use the package panel where available, because added ingredients contribute to the product’s nutrition.
• Canned salmon: follow the label’s serving basis, including whether it describes drained or undrained contents.

If you batch-cook several portions, a consistent method matters more than chasing a supposedly perfect database match. Either weigh portions raw and log raw, or weigh them cooked and log cooked. Avoid switching between the two from one meal to the next without changing the entry.

How to turn the number into a meal and macro decision

Scale protein to the portion you actually eat

Once the reference is clear, the arithmetic is simple: protein in a portion equals protein per 100g multiplied by portion weight, then divided by 100. For example, using the cooked estimate of 22.1g per 100g, a 150g cooked portion supplies about 33g protein. That can help a gym-goer decide whether the fish covers the main protein part of dinner or whether the meal needs another protein source.

Use the number as one input to the meal, not as the whole macro picture. Salmon also contributes energy and fat, while rice, potatoes, vegetables, cooking oil and sauces affect the total meal. If you are following a prescribed target, compare the full meal in your tracker against that target rather than assuming that a high-protein fillet automatically makes the whole plate fit.

• 100g cooked: about 22g protein, a smaller portion or a component in a mixed meal.
• 150g cooked: about 33g protein, a straightforward single-serve planning estimate.
• 200g cooked: about 44g protein, a larger portion that may use a substantial share of a daily target.

These are calculations from the cited cooked reference value, not universal serving recommendations. Appetite, training schedule, total daily intake and the rest of the meal determine whether a portion suits a particular person. For protein targets that depend on health status or a clinical plan, use advice from a qualified health professional rather than treating a per-100g food value as a prescription.

For context, Australian protein reference values differ by age and sex rather than assigning one target to everyone. The Australian Government’s protein Nutrient Reference Values are a better place to check population reference intakes than using a gym rule of thumb as a universal requirement. A food’s protein content tells you what it contributes; it does not tell you what your personal daily target should be.

Where tracking and shopping estimates can go wrong

Labels and database entries answer different questions

A food-composition database gives a reference for a described food. A packet label describes the packaged product and its stated serving basis. When the numbers disagree, first check whether one is raw and the other cooked, whether the label includes a marinade, and whether the package gives values per 100g or per serve. In Australia, Nutrition Information Panels provide standardised nutrition information for many packaged foods, but the product’s own panel is still the right place to check its stated basis; see Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s guidance on Nutrition Information Panels.

Do not treat “per serve” as a fixed portion. The manufacturer’s serving size may not match what you eat. If the panel gives protein per 100g, multiply that value by your portion weight and divide by 100. If it gives only protein per serve, check the serving weight before comparing it with a different product.

Pack weight is not always edible serving weight

For budgeting, the shelf price applies to the whole pack. For nutrition, your eaten amount may be lower if the pack includes skin, bones, excess liquid or parts you discard. Fillet packs often make portioning simpler, while whole or bone-in products may offer a different balance of convenience and waste. Do not assume the labelled pack weight equals the amount of cooked fish that will land on plates.

Common tracking and costing traps include:

• logging raw grams with a cooked entry, or the reverse;
• using a plain salmon database value for a product with crumb, glaze or sauce;
• comparing a price per pack with a protein figure per 100g without calculating total pack protein;
• dividing the price by planned servings while ignoring leftovers or discarded portions.

For consistent weekly planning, record the pack’s label values and weight, then use the same basis each time. If you cannot find an exact match in a tracker, choose the closest plain-food entry and note that it is an estimate rather than presenting it as label-accurate.

How to compare salmon’s protein with its grocery cost

Protein per 100g helps compare nutrition concentration; it does not by itself tell you which option is better value. A useful grocery comparison combines whole-pack spend, edible amount and total protein. This matters for Australian households buying a Coles pack for several meals: the checkout cost is paid up front, even if the fish is split across multiple dinners.

Here is an illustrative calculation, not a current Coles price or a claim about a typical pack. Suppose a 400g raw pack costs $12 and the plain raw salmon estimate is 20.4g protein per 100g:

1. Estimated protein in the pack: 400 × 20.4 ÷ 100 = 81.6g protein.
2. Estimated cost per gram of protein: $12 ÷ 81.6 = about 15 cents per gram.
3. If split into two equal raw portions, each portion is 200g raw, with about 41g protein before cooking, at $6 of the pack cost.

Illustrative example: The last figure is a portion allocation, not a discount at checkout: the household still needs to pay $12 for the pack. It also assumes the full 400g is edible and uses the raw database estimate. If some fish is discarded, or the product is marinated, the actual protein-per-dollar comparison changes. Update the price and label details when you shop; supermarket prices and pack sizes can change.

For a fair comparison with chicken, eggs, legumes or another fish, calculate each option using the same method: pack price divided by the estimated total protein in the usable pack. Then consider meal fit. A cheaper protein source may require extra ingredients or preparation; a more expensive fillet may suit a meal where convenience or variety matters. The number is a budgeting aid, not a verdict on which food is best.

A practical salmon-planning rule for the week

Start with the amount your meal plan needs, then shop and log on one consistent basis. For example, if two dinners each call for a 150g cooked salmon portion, plan for 300g cooked fish in total, then check the pack’s raw weight and label before deciding whether one pack covers both meals. Cooking changes weight, so do not assume 300g cooked and 300g raw are equivalent. If portions are important to your macro target, weigh the fish in the same state as the entry you use.

• Before shopping: set the number and size of portions, and check whether your plan is written in raw or cooked grams.
• At the shelf: compare pack price, pack size and label protein on the same basis; note whether the product is plain or prepared.
• After cooking: portion leftovers consistently and record whether your tracker entry is for cooked fish.
• When reviewing value: compare total pack protein against total pack cost, not just the protein number on a 100g line.

This approach keeps the useful shortcut—about 20g raw or 22g cooked per 100g for common Atlantic salmon references—while respecting the differences that matter in real shopping. For a repeatable weekly plan, Macronomics is relevant because its beta is designed for Coles shoppers who want to plan meals around macro targets, estimate whole-pack grocery costs and understand protein cost. If that matches your workflow, you can explore Macronomics as a planning option.

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