Food Calorie Database
Trying to figure out how many calories are actually in that banana, that bowl of rice, or that restaurant meal you just eyeballed? Our food calorie database is your go-to reference for calories, macronutrients, and portion sizes across hundreds of everyday foods. Whether you are a meal prepper planning your weekly nutrition, a fitness enthusiast hitting specific macro targets, or just someone trying to stop guessing at what is on your plate, having accurate calorie data makes all the difference. We break down each food with calories per serving, macronutrient breakdown (protein, carbs, fat), fiber content, and a visual portion reference so you never have to wonder about the calories in peanut butter again (spoiler: 200 calories equals about two tablespoons).our database is organized by category for easy browsing.
What Is
A food calorie database is a comprehensive reference tool that lists the energy and macronutrient content of various foods per standard serving size. It answers the fundamental question every calorie-conscious eater has: how much energy am I actually consuming? The data in our database is sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database — the gold standard for food composition data in North America — as well as supplier-verified nutrition labels. Calories in food come from three macronutrients: protein provides 4 calories per gram, carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram. Alcohol adds 7 calories per gram (often called empty calories since it provides no protein, carbs, or fat). A food that is 100 grams with 10 percent protein, 30 percent carbs, and 10 percent fat contains roughly (10 x 4) + (30 x 4) + (10 x 9) = 250 calories per 100 grams. Understanding calorie density is just as important as total calories. Calorie density refers to the number of calories per unit weight or volume of food. Vegetables like spinach and broccoli have very low calorie density (around 20 to 35 calories per 100 grams), meaning you can eat large volumes for few calories. Nuts, oils, and cheese have high calorie density (500 to 900 calories per 100 grams), meaning small amounts pack a lot of energy. Research from Dr. Barbara Rolls at Penn State shows that eating foods with lower calorie density leads to greater satiety and natural calorie reduction without conscious restriction.
How to Use
- Browse or search for the food you are looking up. Our database is organized by category — fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, dairy, nuts and seeds, beverages, restaurant meals, and snacks — so you can scan by type or use the search bar to jump directly to a specific item.
- Select your food from the list. Each entry displays the food name, a photo or icon reference, and the standard serving size (e.g., 1 medium apple, 100 grams, 1 cup cooked).
- Review the calorie and macro breakdown. You will see total calories, grams of protein, carbohydrates (including fiber and sugar), total fat (including saturated fat), and sometimes micronutrient highlights per serving.
- Adjust the serving size to match your actual portion. Use the portion slider or type a custom weight in grams to see real-time updates to the calorie and macro numbers. This prevents the common mistake of assuming a restaurant serving equals a standard serving.
- Compare similar foods side by side. Wondering whether brown rice or quinoa fits your macros better? Pull up both entries at once and compare calories, protein, fiber, and micronutrients in one view.
- Use the database for meal planning. As you build meals for the day, keep a running tally of calories and macros. Aim for balanced meals: a quality protein source, a fiber-rich carbohydrate, plenty of vegetables, and a small amount of healthy fat.
- Bookmark foods you eat frequently for quick access. Regulars like chicken breast, oats, bananas, eggs, and rice can be saved to your quick-lookup list to speed up daily tracking.
Examples
Input: Male: 75kg, 175cm, 30yo
Process: BMR=1699 kcal/day
Result: BMR=1699 kcal/day (resting metabolism)
Input: Female: 60kg, 162cm, 25yo
Process: BMR=1327 kcal/day
Result: BMR=1327 kcal/day (resting metabolism)
Input: Male: 85kg, 180cm, 45yo
Process: BMR=1755 kcal/day
Result: BMR=1755 kcal/day (resting metabolism)
Related Searches
People also search for: Indian food calories, calorie counter, Indian food chart, roti calories, rice calories, biryani calories.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this calorie database?
Our data comes primarily from USDA FoodData Central, which is compiled through laboratory analysis of food samples. However, natural variation exists — a calorie count for an apple can vary by 10 to 20 percent depending on variety, ripeness, size, and growing conditions. Restaurant foods are particularly variable because portion sizes and recipes differ between locations and even between cooks in the same kitchen. Use these numbers as solid estimates, not absolute truth. For casual tracking, they are more than accurate enough. For competitive bodybuilding prep or medical-grade tracking, weigh your food with a digital scale and cross-reference with nutrition labels.
Why do calorie counts differ between raw and cooked foods?
Cooking changes the water content of food, which concentrates or dilutes calorie density. 100 grams of raw white rice contains about 350 calories, but once cooked it absorbs water and expands to roughly 300 grams, so 100 grams of cooked rice drops to about 130 calories. The total calories are the same, but the weight changes dramatically. This is one of the biggest sources of tracking error. Meat loses roughly 25 percent of its weight during cooking due to water loss, making cooked meat more calorie-dense per gram. Always know whether a database entry is for raw or cooked weight.
What is the most calorie-dense food in the database?
Pure fats and oils top the list. Olive oil, butter, coconut oil, and vegetable oils all contain approximately 884 to 900 calories per 100 grams (about 120 calories per tablespoon). After that come nuts and seeds — macadamia nuts at 718 calories per 100 grams, pecans at 691, and peanuts at 567. Dried fruits are also surprisingly dense (raisins at 299 calories per 100 grams) because the water has been removed while the natural sugars remain. On the opposite end, cucumbers (15 cal), celery (16 cal), lettuce (15 cal), and strawberries (32 cal) are among the lowest calorie foods available.
Should I trust restaurant calorie counts?
Studies show published restaurant calorie counts are generally within 10 to 15 percent of actual values, but individual servings can vary much more. A study in JAMA Internal Laboratory found that a claimed 600-calorie entrée could contain up to 800 calories depending on how enthusiastically the cook portioned it. Fast food chains tend to be more consistent due to standardized portions, while sit-down restaurants show wider variation. If precise tracking matters to you, build your meals from whole, single-ingredient foods where possible and use restaurant data as a rough guide.
How do I calculate the calories of a recipe?
Weigh each ingredient in grams, look up its calories per 100 grams in our database, and multiply. For example, a smoothie with 200 grams banana (89 cal/100g), 150 grams whole milk (61 cal/100g), and 30 grams peanut butter (588 cal/100g) totals (178 + 91.5 + 176.4) = 446 calories. Divide by the number of servings to get per-serving calories. This method is surprisingly motivating once you start seeing how fast liquid calories (oils, nut butters, sugars) stack up.