Fish and seafood
Scallops on a GLP-1: protein, portions and how to actually eat it
About 20 g of protein per 100 g (3.5 oz), cooked, for around 110 calories. Six large scallops, about 100 g (3.5 oz), give roughly 20 g of protein for 110 calories.
To reach 30 g of protein from scallops alone you would need about 150 g (5.3 oz). On a small appetite that is often more than one sitting allows, which is why we pair it rather than chase the whole target from one food.
How scallops sits on a GLP-1
Scallops are soft, sweet and mild, which puts them among the few proteins that stay appealing when meat has gone off entirely. They cook in ninety seconds and they are ruined in three minutes, so the whole skill is taking them off the heat early.
When your appetite is small
Six seared scallops is about 20 g of protein and roughly 110 calories, and they look like a treat rather than like a chore, which on a flat week is worth more than the numbers.
Three ways to prepare it
Seared ninety seconds a side
Very hot pan, dry scallops, do not crowd them. Take them off while the centre is still translucent.
Poached gently in stock
Three minutes in barely simmering liquid keeps them silky. Serve them in the broth.
Raw, thinly sliced, with citrus
Scallop crudo with lemon and olive oil is cold, soft and among the easiest things to eat on a nausea day.
What to eat it with
Butter, lemon, pea puree, cauliflower puree, bacon. They are lean and mild, so they want fat and salt alongside.
How it compares
| Food | Protein per 100 g | Energy per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scallops | about 20 g | 110 kcal | this page |
| Prawns | about 24 g | 99 kcal | See the page |
| Calamari and squid | about 18 g | 95 kcal | See the page |
| Cod and white fish | about 23 g | 105 kcal | See the page |
All figures are typical values for the food as eaten, cooked, not laboratory figures for a particular brand.
Australian, US and UK names
Scallops in all three countries. Australian scallops are often sold on the half shell with the roe attached; US and UK scallops are usually sold as the white adductor muscle only, which changes the weight per piece.
Questions people ask
Are scallops a good protein source?
Reasonable at about 20 g per 100 g, and very easy to eat. They are expensive per gram of protein, so treat them as the meal you will actually finish rather than the cheap option.
Your number comes first
Knowing what is in a food only helps once you know how much you are aiming for. The target is 1.2 to 1.6 g of protein per kg of your goal weight, not your current weight, which for most people is 90 to 140 g a day.
Work out your protein targetMore on eating well when your appetite is small: high protein foods for a small appetite, how much protein on a GLP-1, and every food we have written up. The whole system in five documents is the Keep Muscle Kit, A$47 / US$29 / £23.
EverStrong provides nutrition and strength coaching and education. It is not medical advice and does not replace your prescribing doctor.