Calorie Density Calculator
Enter the calories and the serving weight from any Nutrition Facts label to get the food's calorie density in calories per gram, its energy density category, and its calories per 100 grams and per ounce. Then build a snack or a plate from USDA foods to see how each addition changes the calorie density of the whole thing. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Check one food
Result
Build a snack or a meal
Pick USDA foods and portions. The totals show the calorie density of everything together, the way you would actually eat it.
Food values: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy. Protein counts foods from the list only, because a label check does not ask for protein.
What calorie density means
The CDC defines energy density as the amount of energy, or calories, in a particular weight of food, generally shown as calories per gram (kcal/g). Foods with a lower energy density give fewer calories per gram than foods with a higher energy density, so for the same calories you can eat a larger portion of the lower one. The CDC's own example: 1.5 oranges weighing 200 grams provide 100 calories, while only 3 pretzel rods weighing 25 grams, at 4.0 calories per gram, provide the same 100 calories.
What makes a food more or less calorie dense
According to the CDC, energy density values run from 0 to 9 calories per gram, and they depend on what the food is made of:
- Water has 0 calories per gram. It adds weight but not energy, so it lowers energy density.
- Fiber has a relatively low energy density, 1.5 to 2.5 calories per gram.
- Carbohydrate and protein have 4 calories per gram.
- Fat has 9 calories per gram, more than twice as much as carbohydrate or protein, which makes it the most energy-dense part of food.
That is why the CDC says foods with a lower energy density, such as fruits, vegetables and broth-based soups, tend to have a high water content, lots of fiber or little fat. It also notes that increasing the water content lowers the energy density of all foods, even those high in fat.
Calorie density categories
The calculator uses four categories from nutrition researcher Barbara Rolls, published in Nutrition Bulletin in 2017 and used in her books on eating by energy density.
| Category | Calories per gram | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Very low | Less than 0.6 | Almost all fruit and non-starchy vegetables, and broth-based soups |
| Low | 0.6 to 1.5 | Whole grains, lean proteins, legumes and low-fat dairy |
| Medium | 1.6 to 3.9 | Breads, desserts, fat-free baked snacks, cheeses and higher-fat meats |
| High | 4.0 to 9.0 | Fried snacks, candy, cookies, nuts and fats |
The published ranges are written to one decimal place. The calculator counts values between 1.5 and 1.6 as low and values between 3.9 and 4.0 as medium. Label calories are rounded, so it accepts results up to 9.5 as high.
Calorie density chart of common foods
Calories per gram for everyday foods, from lowest to highest. Values come from USDA FoodData Central and do not change with portion size.
| Food | Calories per gram | Calories per 100 g | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken broth | 0.06 | 6 | Very low |
| Spinach, cooked | 0.23 | 23 | Very low |
| Watermelon | 0.30 | 30 | Very low |
| Strawberries | 0.32 | 32 | Very low |
| Broccoli, raw | 0.34 | 34 | Very low |
| Orange | 0.47 | 47 | Very low |
| Apple, with skin | 0.52 | 52 | Very low |
| Whole milk | 0.61 | 61 | Low |
| Oatmeal, cooked with water | 0.71 | 71 | Low |
| Tofu, firm, calcium-set | 0.78 | 78 | Low |
| Banana | 0.89 | 89 | Low |
| Baked potato with skin | 0.93 | 93 | Low |
| Greek yogurt, plain, whole milk | 0.97 | 97 | Low |
| Lentils, cooked | 1.16 | 116 | Low |
| White rice, cooked | 1.30 | 130 | Low |
| Scrambled eggs | 1.49 | 149 | Low |
| Pasta, cooked | 1.58 | 158 | Low |
| Avocado | 1.60 | 160 | Medium |
| Chicken breast, roasted | 1.65 | 165 | Medium |
| Salmon, Atlantic, cooked | 2.06 | 206 | Medium |
| Ground beef patty, 85% lean, broiled | 2.50 | 250 | Medium |
| Bagel, plain | 2.64 | 264 | Medium |
| Raisins | 2.99 | 299 | Medium |
| Pretzels, hard | 3.84 | 384 | Medium |
| Popcorn, air-popped | 3.87 | 387 | Medium |
| Cheddar cheese | 4.03 | 403 | High |
| Granola, homemade | 4.89 | 489 | High |
| Chocolate chip cookies | 4.92 | 492 | High |
| Potato chips | 5.32 | 532 | High |
| Almonds | 5.79 | 579 | High |
| Peanut butter, smooth | 5.98 | 598 | High |
| Walnuts | 6.54 | 654 | High |
| Butter | 7.17 | 717 | High |
| Olive oil | 8.84 | 884 | High |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (calories per 100 g divided by 100).
Using calorie density to gain weight
The CDC brief on energy density was written for people who want to eat fewer calories while still feeling full. The same numbers work in reverse when you need more calories from less food, for example with a small appetite or a heavy training load. Raising the calorie density of meals you already eat adds calories without asking you to eat bigger portions.
- Add fats you like. Olive oil has 8.84 calories per gram in USDA data. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030 name olive oil when they advise prioritizing oils with essential fatty acids for cooking or adding to meals.
- Add nuts, seeds and cheese. The NHS suggests adding extra calories to meals with cheese, nuts and seeds.
- Choose full-fat dairy. The Dietary Guidelines advise full-fat dairy with no added sugars.
- Drink some calories between meals. The CDC notes that most beverages have a low energy density, even those relatively high in calories, and that drinking more is not likely to make you feel full. The NHS suggests high-calorie drinks such as milkshakes between meals, but not filling up on drinks before meals.
- Keep the quality. The NHS advises not relying on chocolate, cakes and sugary drinks to gain weight.
Try it in the meal builder: a cup of cooked white rice alone is 1.30 calories per gram (low). Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil and the plate becomes about 325 calories in 171.5 grams, or 1.89 calories per gram (medium), with barely any extra volume. For food ideas, see our high-calorie foods list and our guide to gaining weight with a small appetite.
Using calorie density to lose weight
For weight loss, the CDC's advice runs the other way. It reports that low-energy-dense diets help people lower their calorie intake while maintaining feelings of fullness and controlling hunger, and it encourages eating satisfying portions of foods with a low energy density. Its practical tips include preparing fruits, vegetables and other foods without excess fat and sugar, choosing lower-fat meats and cheeses, and choosing water and other low-calorie beverages to quench thirst.
How to calculate calorie density by hand
Divide calories by grams. On a Nutrition Facts label, the FDA explains, serving sizes are given in familiar units such as cups or pieces, followed by the metric amount, such as the number of grams. So a snack with 190 calories in a 32 gram serving has 190 divided by 32, or about 5.94 calories per gram: high. If the label gives ounces, multiply ounces by 28.35 to get grams first.
For a whole meal, add up the calories of every part, add up the grams, and divide the first total by the second. That is exactly what the meal builder above does.
Frequently asked questions
- How do you calculate calorie density?
- Divide the calories in a serving by the serving's weight in grams. A food with 100 calories in 25 grams has a calorie density of 4.0 calories per gram. For a meal, divide total calories by total grams.
- What is a good calorie density?
- It depends on your goal. The CDC encourages low-energy-dense foods for people managing their weight because they allow satisfying portions for fewer calories. If you are trying to gain weight, adding higher-density foods such as nuts, cheese and olive oil packs more calories into the same amount of food.
- What foods have the highest calorie density?
- Fats and oils come closest to the maximum of 9 calories per gram. In USDA data, olive oil has 8.84, butter 7.17, walnuts 6.54, peanut butter 5.98 and almonds 5.79 calories per gram.
- Does water lower calorie density?
- Yes. The CDC notes that water has 0 calories per gram and adds weight but not energy, so increasing the water content lowers the energy density of any food, even a high-fat one.
- Is calorie density the same as calories per serving?
- No. Calories per serving depend on how big the serving is. Calorie density is calories per gram, so it lets you compare foods fairly no matter what serving size the label uses.
- How do I find the calorie density of a meal?
- Add up the calories and the grams of each food, then divide total calories by total grams. For example, 1 cup of cooked white rice plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil is about 325 calories in 171.5 grams, or 1.89 calories per gram.
Keep reading
Sources: CDC: Low-Energy-Dense Foods and Weight Management (Research to Practice Series No. 5) · Rolls BJ. Dietary energy density: Applying behavioural science to weight management. Nutr Bull 2017 · USDA FoodData Central · FDA: How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label · NHS: Healthy ways to gain weight · Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030.