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Meat, fish, and eggs

Cooked octopus

Cooked octopus provides 29.8 g of protein for 164 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 18.2 g of protein for every 100 kcal.

USDA description: Octopus, cooked

  • High in protein

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Moderate energy density: 164 kcal/100 g0
Protein: 18.2 g/100 kcal+2
Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal0
Solid food with 60.5 g of water, under 700

Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.

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Sources
9 primary
Data
USDA FDC 174249

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Nutrition facts

Calories
164 kcal per serving
164 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
29.8 g per serving
29.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
4.4 g per serving
4.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
2.1 g per serving
2.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
0.5 g per serving
0.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
60.5 g per serving
60.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Mollusks, octopus, common, cooked, moist heat (FDC ID 174249), accessed September 23, 2026.

A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving provides about 164 kcal, 29.8 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.

The typical serving (100 g (3.5 oz)) is a common amount used for the math, not a recommendation. Ounces and cups are rounded US equivalents; the values come from the database entry cited in the sources.

What it is and how to eat it

Octopus is sold fresh, frozen or already cooked, and in Spain pulpo a la gallega is very popular: boiled and served in slices with olive oil, coarse salt and paprika; in Mexico it is eaten in seafood cocktails or a la diabla, in a spicy sauce, and in Peru as pulpo al olivo, with an olive sauce. It loses a lot of water when cooked, which is why this page, for common octopus cooked in water according to USDA, shows 164 kcal and 29.8 g of protein per 100 g, exactly twice the raw values (82 kcal and 14.9 g).

A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving provides 29.8 g of protein and 164 kcal with only 2.1 g of fat, so it packs a lot of protein into little volume, which helps you start meals with protein, as the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests. It is firm and needs good chewing, so thin slices or chopped pieces in a salad are usually easier to eat when appetite is low. The same advisory suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, and in pulpo a la gallega each teaspoon of oil (5 g) adds about 44 kcal, so in those days dress it with little oil.

What the evidence says

It has 96 mg of cholesterol per 100 g according to USDA, roughly half as much as a 50 g hard-boiled egg, and only 0.45 g of saturated fat. The American Heart Association's 2019 science advisory notes that shellfish such as shrimp are relatively high in cholesterol but very low in saturated fat, and USDA's octopus entry follows the same pattern. Protein provides 73% of its energy, far above the 20% the EU requires for a "high protein" claim, and with 9.54 mg of iron per 100 g it exceeds the 4.2 mg required for "high iron" (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011). This entry has 460 mg of sodium per 100 g, almost a quarter of the 2,000 mg a day that WHO recommends not exceeding, before counting the coarse salt added to pulpo a la gallega.

The sources for this section are listed under "Sources" at the end of the page.

Satiety

The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.

What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication

High in protein
It has at least 10 g of protein per 100 g and 6 g per 100 kcal. Protein is the most filling nutrient per calorie and helps preserve muscle mass during weight loss, which matters especially when a GLP-1 medication reduces your appetite.

Frequently asked questions about cooked octopus

How much protein is in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cooked octopus?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked octopus has 29.8 g of protein. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 29.8 g of protein. That is 18.2 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why it carries our “High in protein” tag.

How many calories does a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cooked octopus have?

100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked octopus has 164 kcal. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 164 kcal. That is a moderate energy density.

Is cooked octopus filling?

Moderately: our estimated satiety score is 3 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 0 (moderate energy density: 164 kcal/100 g) + 2 (protein: 18.2 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 0 (solid food with 60.5 g of water, under 70) = 3. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

What should I know about cooked octopus on a GLP-1 medication?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about cooked octopus on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.

What counts as a normal serving of cooked octopus?

We use 100 g (3.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 164 kcal, 29.8 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

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Sources

Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.

  1. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Mollusks, octopus, common, cooked, moist heat (FDC ID 174249).accessed .
  2. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Mollusks, octopus, common, raw (FDC ID 174218).accessed .
  3. Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
  4. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Oil, olive, salad or cooking (FDC ID 171413).accessed .
  5. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Egg, whole, cooked, hard-boiled (FDC ID 173424).accessed .
  6. Clinical guidelineCirculation (American Heart Association).Carson JAS, et al. Dietary Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2020;141(3):e39-e53. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000743.accessed .
  7. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
  8. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
  9. InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .