Seafood

Lobster nutrition, by serving and by method.

The number most people want first: 3 oz of raw lobster holds 65 calories, alongside 14 g of protein. USDA files this under “Crustaceans, lobster, northern, raw”, and that is the record used here. Change the way it is prepared and an identical weight swings from 77 up to 89 calories per 100 g. Use the selector that follows to match your own portion; the panel and the nutrient table track it.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

USDA FoodData Central records 174208, 174209 supply every value here. The calculation happens in this page.

Calories in lobster, serving by serving

USDA puts 3 oz of raw lobster at 65 calories and 100 g at 77. Other household measures follow, each with its weighed gram figure.

What lobster offers in protein

3 oz of raw lobster provides 14 g of protein. Set beside the 50 g reference intake, that is 28 percent. With 86 percent of its calories coming from protein, lobster is close to pure protein in practical terms.

Of every 100 calories, 91 come from protein, 9 from fat and 0 from carbohydrate.

Lobster, method by method

Per 100 g, boiled lobster carries 16 percent more calories than raw — 89 against 77. The difference is moisture lost to the heat, so the same weight holds more food.

To keep it fair, all figures are for 85 g.

Kitchen notes on lobster

This marine crustacean is sold alive, frozen, or as cooked tail and claw meat. Choose live specimens that are active, holding their claws upward rather than hanging limp. Avoid any with cracked shells or those showing black discolouration at the joints. Soft-shell lobsters have sweeter meat but contain more water than hard-shell varieties.

Boiling and steaming cook the flesh in its shell, while split tails can be grilled. Heat causes the translucent flesh to turn opaque and firm. The common error is overcooking, which transforms the tender muscle into tough, rubbery, stringy fibres. Keep a close watch; remove the meat from the heat the moment it loses transparency.

Cold lobster meat is tossed with mayonnaise and lemon juice for traditional coastal rolls. In French cookery, it is simmered in rich cognac sauces or baked with mustard and cheese. Cantonese preparations stir-fry the chopped pieces with ginger and spring onions, letting the shell juices coat the aromatics.

Micronutrients in lobster

Against the Daily Value, 3 oz of raw lobster stands out for 98 percent of a day’s selenium, 44 percent of a day’s vitamin B12, 27 percent of a day’s zinc. The table follows the selector above, so change the serving or the method and it updates.

Watch the sodium: 423 mg in 100 g, or 18 percent of the recommended maximum for a day.

Where lobster fits in a day

Against the standard 2,000 calorie reference, 3 oz of raw lobster takes up 3 percent of the energy and supplies 28 percent of the protein. For a figure that fits you, start with the TDEE calculator, then set grams with the macro calculator.

Three recipes built around lobster

Written by the Calorie Counter Team. The nutrition under each one is not an estimate: every ingredient is matched to its USDA FoodData Central record and the totals are summed from those, then divided by the servings.

Breakfast · British

Lobster Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs cooked with butter and folded with warm lobster meat and fresh chives.

10 min · serves 2

251kcal

24gprotein

16gfat

0.8gcarbs

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs 200 g
• cooked lobster meat 120 g
• unsalted butter 15 g
• fresh chives 5 g
• fine salt 2 g

Method

1. Whisk the eggs and salt in a bowl until combined.
2. Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat.
3. Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until soft curds form.
4. Fold in the lobster meat and chives, cooking for one further minute to warm the lobster through.
5. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Per serving, from 5 USDA FoodData Central records. Cooking changes weight and some nutrients; treat these as close rather than exact.

Lunch · American

Classic Lobster Roll

Cold lobster meat dressed with mayonnaise and celery, served in a toasted buttered bun.

15 min · serves 2

474kcal

29gprotein

26gfat

28gcarbs

Ingredients

• cooked lobster meat 250 g
• mayonnaise 45 g
• finely diced celery 20 g
• lemon juice 10 g
• unsalted butter 15 g
• two white split-top buns 110 g
• fine salt 1 g

Method

1. Chop the cooked lobster meat into two-centimetre pieces.
2. Mix the lobster, mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and toast the outer sides of the buns.
4. Divide the lobster mixture evenly between the toasted buns.

7 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Dinner · French

Baked Lobster Thermidor

Lobster meat cooked in a white wine, mustard, and cream sauce, then baked with parmesan cheese.

30 min · serves 2

517kcal

34gprotein

37gfat

6.9gcarbs

Ingredients

• cooked lobster meat 300 g
• unsalted butter 25 g
• finely chopped shallots 30 g
• dry white wine 60 g
• double cream 120 g
• English mustard 5 g
• grated parmesan cheese 25 g

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the shallots for three minutes.
2. Pour in the white wine and simmer until the liquid reduces by half.
3. Stir in the double cream and English mustard, bringing the mixture to a simmer.
4. Fold the lobster meat into the sauce and transfer the mixture to a baking dish.
5. Scatter the parmesan cheese over the top and grill under a preheated broiler for four minutes.

7 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

A plate built around lobster

To see how lobster adds up in a meal, here it is beside two ordinary companions, all three from USDA figures.

How lobster compares with similar foods

Each food is shown per 100 g, in the form named beside it.

What people ask about lobster

How many calories does 3 oz of raw lobster have?

The USDA figure is 65 calories, or 77 per 100 g. It is taken from the record “Crustaceans, lobster, northern, raw”, FDC 174208.

Is there much protein in lobster?

3 oz of raw lobster has 14 g of protein. By weight that is 17 g per 100 g, and the serving covers 28 percent of the Daily Value.

Does cooking change the calories in lobster?

It does. The same 85 g is 65 calories raw and 76 boiled, with the other preparations listed here falling in between.

Does lobster fit a calorie deficit?

That depends on the rest of the day, not on lobster. For planning: 3 oz of raw lobster is 65 calories and 14 g of protein, 86 percent protein by energy, a ratio that tends to make a target easier to hold.

How do you know when a boiled lobster is done?

The shell turns a bright red colour, and the long antennae pull out easily when tugged gently. The meat inside the tail must be completely white throughout, with no translucent or greyish patches left in the centre.

What is the green paste inside the cooked lobster?

This is the tomalley, which functions as the liver and pancreas. It has a concentrated, briny flavour and is considered a delicacy by some cooks. You can eat it straight from the shell or stir it into warm sauces.

Sources

• Crustaceans, lobster, northern, raw — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174208
• Crustaceans, lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174209
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9