Seitan (prepared wheat gluten)
Among the highest-protein vegan foods (typical label values), but it's pure gluten, so avoid it if you have celiac disease.
1 Amount
How it fits your macros
Get your daily targets with the macro calculator to see what share of your day this portion covers.
Seitan for gym-goers
Per 100 g, seitan (prepared wheat gluten) provides 141 kcal, 25 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate (1 g fiber, 1 g sugars) and 2 g fat (0.3 g saturated). At 17.7 g of protein per 100 kcal, it ranks among the most protein-dense foods, which helps a lot when calories are tight on a cut.
A typical serving (1 portion, about 100 g) comes to roughly 141 kcal and 25 g protein.
These are typical averages. Brand, variety, ripeness and cooking method all shift the numbers, so weigh food in the same state (raw or cooked) as the entry you log.
About Seitan
Seitan is wheat gluten, the protein left once the starch is washed out of wheat dough, cooked into something chewy and meat-like. This entry uses typical label values for prepared seitan: around 25 g of protein per 100 g with very little fat. That makes it leaner and more protein-dense than tofu or tempeh.
In a gym diet
Almost all of seitan's calories come from protein, which is why vegan lifters lean on it to hit high targets on a cut. Gluten is low in lysine, so it isn't complete on its own. Beans, lentils, tofu or soy milk somewhere in the day cover the gap. It stands in convincingly for chicken or beef strips in stir-fries and sandwiches, and homemade seitan costs very little per gram of protein next to most packaged meat alternatives.
Preparation and cooking
Store-bought seitan is already cooked and only needs heating in a pan, the oven or a sauce. A hot pan and a little oil give it a crisp edge; log the oil. Seitan simmered in broth can soak up liquid and sodium, so values vary from batch to batch.
Buying and storage
Sodium varies a lot by brand because seitan is often packed in salty broth, and this entry already lists around 300 mg per 100 g. Keep it refrigerated in its liquid and use it within about a week of opening, or freeze portions.
Things to watch
Seitan is pure gluten. Skip it if you have celiac disease, a wheat allergy or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Flavored and marinated versions can be high in sodium and sugar, so read the label.
Meal ideas
- Seitan and pepper fajitas with guacamole and pico de gallo in corn tortillas.
- Sliced seitan, roasted potatoes and green beans with mushroom gravy for a lean dinner.
- Gochujang seitan rice bowl with kimchi, cucumber and sesame seeds.
Nutrient highlights
Good source (10–19% DV per 100 g): Iron (14%).
How it ranks among 16 Plant Protein
| Protein per 100 kcal | 17.7 g | #2 of 16 |
| Protein per 100 g | 25 g | #3 of 16 |
| Fiber per 100 g | 1 g | #13 of 16 |
| Lowest calories per 100 g | 141 kcal | #9 of 16 |
Ranked within this category of the gym.diet food database (1 = best for that measure).
Similar foods
Textured vegetable protein (TVP), dry
330 kcal · P 52 · C 33 · F 1.2
→Vital wheat gluten (dry flour)
370 kcal · P 75.2 · C 13.8 · F 1.9
→Tofu, firm (calcium-set, raw)
144 kcal · P 17.3 · C 2.8 · F 8.7
→Tofu, silken, firm
62 kcal · P 6.9 · C 2.4 · F 2.7
→Soybeans, mature (boiled, cooked)
172 kcal · P 18.2 · C 8.4 · F 9
→Tempeh
192 kcal · P 20.3 · C 7.6 · F 10.8
Source
Approximate per-100 g values compiled from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy / Foundation Foods), rounded. Daily Values are the U.S. FDA reference amounts for adults (2,000 kcal diet).
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in seitan?
Seitan (prepared wheat gluten) has about 141 kcal per 100 g, or roughly 141 kcal per 1 portion (100 g).
How much protein is in seitan?
About 25 g of protein per 100 g and 25 g per 1 portion. That works out to 17.7 g per 100 kcal, so it's a very protein-dense food.
Is seitan good for cutting or bulking?
With this much protein per calorie, it's especially useful when cutting, and it works in any phase.
Is seitan a complete protein?
Not by itself, because wheat gluten is low in the essential amino acid lysine. Eat lysine-rich legumes such as lentils, beans or soy over the day and your overall intake is complete. Plenty of vegan lifters just add a soy-based sauce or a side of beans.
Why does seitan protein vary so much between brands?
Recipes mix different amounts of flour, chickpea flour and other ingredients into the gluten, and the seitan absorbs different amounts of broth. Both shift the protein, carbs and sodium per 100 g. Log it from your own product's label.
Nutrition Facts
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Values approximate.