Why does the same food show different calories on different websites?

Small discrepancies of 5-10% are normal, coming from natural variation in the food, different reference databases, and preparation method (raw vs cooked).

Should I weigh food raw or cooked?

Be consistent and check which basis a database uses. Meat loses 20-30% of its weight when cooked, so cooked weight is more calorie-dense per gram.

What's the easiest way to estimate portion sizes without a scale?

Hand-based estimates work reasonably well: a palm-sized portion of meat is roughly 100-120g, a cupped hand of rice is about 80-100g cooked.

Are calories in the same as calories absorbed?

Not exactly, though the difference is small for most foods. High-fibre foods are absorbed slightly less completely than the label suggests.

Calories in Foods — Complete Nutrition Table

Knowing the calorie and macronutrient content of everyday foods is the foundation of any nutrition plan — whether you're tracking intake for weight loss, hitting a protein target for muscle gain, or just trying to understand what's actually in your meals. This table covers 150+ common foods across seven categories, with values standardised per 100g so you can compare foods on an even footing regardless of typical serving size. Use the search box or category tabs below to find what you're looking for, or pair this data with our Calorie & Macro Calculator to turn it into a personalised daily target.

Food	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat

All values per 100g. Sources: USDA FoodData Central, nutritional databases.

Understanding the seven food categories

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Meat & Fish

The primary source of complete protein for most diets, containing all nine essential amino acids. Fatty fish like salmon also provide omega-3s. Calorie content varies widely — lean poultry breast is roughly 165 kcal/100g, while fattier cuts can exceed 300 kcal/100g.

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Dairy & Eggs

A versatile source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D. Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese offer some of the best protein-to-calorie ratios in this category, while whole milk and cheese are more calorie-dense due to fat content.

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Grains

The main carbohydrate source for most diets worldwide, providing sustained energy and, in whole-grain form, significant fibre. Refined grains (white rice, white bread) are digested faster than whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa), which affects blood sugar response.

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Vegetables

Generally the lowest-calorie, highest-volume food category, making them useful for feeling full on fewer calories. Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower) are particularly nutrient-dense relative to their minimal calorie content.

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Fruits

A source of natural sugars, fibre, and micronutrients like vitamin C and potassium. Calorie density varies from very low (watermelon, berries) to moderate (bananas, grapes) — dried fruits are a notable exception, much more calorie-dense per 100g due to water removal.

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Nuts & Seeds

Calorie-dense due to high healthy fat content — often 500-600+ kcal/100g — but also rich in fibre, protein, and minerals like magnesium. Because they're so easy to overeat by volume, portion awareness matters more here than in most other categories.

Where this data comes from

Nutritional values in this table are sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database, the standard reference used by nutrition professionals and researchers in the United States, cross-checked against other public nutrition databases for consistency. All figures are standardised to 100g, which is the international convention for comparing foods — this is different from typical serving size, so a 100g calorie figure for something like nuts (which are often eaten in 20-30g portions) will look higher than what you'd actually consume in one sitting.

Natural foods (unlike packaged products with fixed labels) have some inherent variation based on growing conditions, ripeness, and preparation method — the values here represent typical averages, not exact figures for any specific item you buy. For packaged foods, always check the actual nutrition label on the product, since brand formulations vary.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Small discrepancies (usually 5-10%) are normal and come from natural variation in the food itself, different reference databases, and sometimes whether the value includes skin, bone, or preparation method (raw vs cooked). For precise tracking, cooked weight and method matter — a food's calorie density changes when water is lost during cooking.

Be consistent, and check which basis a database uses. Meat loses 20-30% of its weight when cooked (mostly water), so 100g of raw chicken and 100g of cooked chicken have different calorie counts per gram — cooked is more calorie-dense by weight since the water content is lower. Most food tracking apps default to raw weight for meat, so it's worth confirming which convention you're using.

Hand-based estimates are a reasonably good starting point: a palm-sized portion of meat is roughly 100-120g, a cupped hand of rice or pasta is about 80-100g cooked, and a fist-sized portion of vegetables is roughly 150g. These aren't precise, but a kitchen scale is inexpensive and gives far more accurate results if precision matters for your goals.

Not exactly, though the difference is usually small for most foods. High-fibre foods and nuts, for example, are absorbed slightly less completely than the label suggests, since some calories pass through undigested. For most practical purposes and typical diets, the values in this table are a reliable working estimate, but this is why very high-fibre diets sometimes see slightly lower real-world calorie absorption than the numbers imply.

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