Calorie Cheat Sheet: Our (Printable) Guide to Help You Track Calories
4 min
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No doubt you’ve heard about calories (more accurately, kilocalories) enough times before. But what are calories, exactly? And which foods are the highest in calories? We’ve got the answers – and printable calorie charts to back them up!
What Are Calories?
Calories are the energy you give your body through the food you eat — basically, the fuel you need to breathe, walk, exercise, and even sleep. In science, a calorie is the amount of energy needed to heat 1 liter of water by 1°C. Basically, one calorie is the amount of energy it takes to heat a liter of mineral water up from 19° C to 20° C.
The amount of calories in something tells you how much energy it will give you. A pizza, for example, contains 800 calories, whereas a bowl of pumpkin soup contains only 350 calories. That great Italian classic will technically give you much more energy.
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Are All Calories the Same?
“Eating too many sweets leads to weight gain.” There’s something to that old saying. Sweets and fast food are particularly high in energy. If you consume more energy than you spend, you may gain weight, no matter whether you’re eating candy or oatmeal. However, if you don’t consume enough calories, you will lose weight and your body won’t have enough energy to carry out all kinds of metabolic processes.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that all calories are the same, though. A chocolate bar may have the same caloric value as a smoothie with nuts and oats, but that doesn’t mean they’ll both have the same effects on your body. Many chocolate bars contain a high amount of sugar and fat, which enter the bloodstream quickly, cause the body to produce more insulin and store more fat – most noticeable in your hips and belly.
Not to mention, a chocolate bar won’t keep you satisfied nearly as long as a smoothie. That’s because smoothies are filled with complex carbohydrates and fiber from oatmeal and fresh fruit, which takes longer for your body to absorb and prevents your blood sugar levels from rising too quickly, keeping you feeling full for hours.
In general, what counts is the amount of calories you’re eating, because you’d gain weight if you drank too many smoothies, too. Spreading your calorie needs equally across the days’ meals and snacks will set you up for a balanced and healthy diet.
Need some healthy snack inspo? Here are some of our best recipes for satisfying your cravings and helping you stick to your goals. How about a fruity, super-simple watermelon ice pop? Clocking in at just 30 kcal per 100 grams, watermelon is one of the fruits with the least calories.
Calorie Calculation: This is how much energy you need!
In order to find out how much energy your body needs on a daily basis, you have to calculate how much energy your body is using. Your basal metabolic rate is the energy your body uses even when at rest (yup, even when you’re chilling on the couch). Want more on that? Check out our guide to NEAT. Additional energy that you need for physical activities is called your energy expenditure.
Everyday Products: Calorie Chart
Wondering how many calories are in an egg, or an apple? Our calorie chart breaks down everything you need to know.
Don’t forget that calories can vary depending on the portion size you’re eating and the way the food is prepared.
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Calorie Chart: Fruits
| Type of fruit | kcal per 100 g |
| Apples | 52 kcal |
| Apricot | 43 kcal |
| Banana | 88 kcal |
| Blackberries | 43 kcal |
| Blood orange | 45 kcal |
| Blueberries | 35 kcal |
| Canary melon | 54 kcal |
| Cherries | 50 kcal |
| Cranberries | 46 kcal |
| Figs | 107 kcal |
| Ginger | 80 kcal |
| Grapefruit | 50 kcal |
| Grapes | 70 kcal |
| Kiwi | 51 kcal |
| Lemon | 35 kcal |
| Lychee | 66 kcal |
| Mango | 62 kcal |
| Passionfruit | 97 kcal |
| Peaches | 41 kcal |
| Pears | 55 kcal |
| Pineapple | 55 kcal |
| Plums | 47 kcal |
| Pomegranate | 74 kcal |
| Quince | 38 kcal |
| Raspberries | 36 kcal |
| Rhubarb | 21 kcal |
| Rosehip | 162 kcal |
| Strawberries | 32 kcal |
| Tangerine | 50 kcal |
| Watermelon | 30 kcal |
Calorie Chart: Vegetables
| Type of vegetable | kcal per 100 g |
| Artichoke | 47 kcal |
| Arugula | 25 kcal |
| Asparagus | 18 kcal |
| Avocado | 160 kcal |
| Beets | 43 kcal |
| Broccoli | 35 kcal |
| Brussels sprouts | 43 kcal |
| Carrot | 36 kcal |
| Cauliflower | 25 kcal |
| Chard | 19 kcal |
| Chili pepper | 40 kcal |
| Corn | 108 kcal |
| Cucumber | 15 kcal |
| Eggplant | 24 kcal |
| Fennel | 31 kcal |
| Green beans | 25 kcal |
| Iceberg Lettuce | 14 kcal |
| Kale | 49 kcal |
| Kohlrabi | 27 kcal |
| Leek | 31 kcal |
| Mushrooms | 22 kcal |
| Napa cabbage | 13 kcal |
| Onion | 40 kcal |
| Peas | 84 kcal |
| Pepper | 21 kcal |
| Potato | 86 kcal |
| Pumpkin | 19 kcal |
| Radish | 16 kcal |
| Red cabbage | 29 kcal |
| Spinach | 23 kcal |
| Sweet potatoes | 76 kcal |
| Watercress | 19 kcal |
| Zucchini | 20 kcal |
Calorie Chart: Meat
| Type of meat | kcal pro 100 g |
| Bacon | 541 kcal |
| Chicken breast | 75 kcal |
| Filet mignon | 171 kcal |
| Filet of beef | 115 kcal |
| Ground beef | 162 kcal |
| Ham | 335 kcal |
| Lamb | 178 kcal |
| Pork | 311 kcal |
| Ribs | 335 kcal |
| Sausage | 375 kcal |
| Veal | 94 kcal |
Calorie Chart: Fish
| Type of fish | kcal pro 100 g |
| Fish sticks | 249 kcal |
| Herring | 146 kcal |
| Mackerel | 305 kcal |
| Octopus | 175 kcal |
| Pollack | 79 kcal |
| Salmon | 137 kcal |
| Sardines | 196 kcal |
| Sole | 77 kcal |
Dairy and Egg Products Calorie Chart
| Type of dairy/egg product | kcal pro 100 g | |
| Coconut milk | 136 kcal | |
| Cottage cheese | 67 kcal | |
| Eggs | 145 kcal | |
| Goat cheese | 207 kcal | |
| Gruyère | 392 kcal | |
| Heavy cream | 215 kcal | |
| Milk | 47 kcal | |
| Mozzarella | 330 kcal | |
| Plain yogurt | 62 kcal | |
| Sour cream | 292 kcal | |
| Swiss cheese | 382 kcal |
Pasta Calorie Chart
| Type of pasta | kcal pro 100 g |
| Farfalle, cooked | 147 kcal |
| Fusilli, cooked | 156 kcal |
| Gnocchi, cooked | 133 kcal |
| Lasagne sheets, cooked | 131 kcal |
| Macaroni, cooked | 144 kcal |
| Spaghetti, cooked | 157 kcal |
Calorie Chart: Breads
| Type of bread | kcal pro 100 g |
| Baguette | 248 kcal |
| Brioche | 354 kcal |
| Croissant | 393 kcal |
| Chocolate croissant | 460 kcal |
| Raisin bread | 274 kcal |
| Whole grain bread | 293 kcal |
| White bread | 265 kcal |
| Wraps | 310 kcal |
Calorie Chart: Alcohol
| Type of alcohol | kcal pro 100 ml |
| Beer | 43 kcal |
| Champagne | 91 kcal |
| Martini | 125 kcal |
| Red wine | 85 kcal |
| White wine | 82 kcal |
Fast Food Calorie Chart
| Type of fast food | kcal pro 100 g |
| Cheeseburger | 250 kcal |
| Chips | 539 kcal |
| French fries | 291 kcal |
| Kebab | 215 kcal |
| Chocolate-hazelnut spread | 547 kcal |
| Pizza Margherita (cheese pizza) | 199 kcal |
If your pizza cravings are just too much to bear, save yourself bunches of calories as compared to normal pizza by baking yourself a Protein Pizza, without missing out on your favorite flavors.
Weight Loss Calorie Chart
If you want to lose weight, your body needs to burn more calories than it gets. Your weight loss doesn’t depend on cutting out one single food, but rather on a moderate calorie deficit over a longer time period. We recommend you make sure you’re eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as eating a higher volume of food, and with a high fiber content, with a lower calorie content. This calorie chart has some of the foods we recommend.
| WEIGHT LOSS CALORIE CHART | kcal pro 100 g |
| Lettuce | 14 kcal |
| Cucumber | 15 kcal |
| Asparagus | 18 kcal |
| Zucchini | 20 kcal |
| Mushrooms | 22 kcal |
| Spinach | 23 kcal |
| Cauliflower | 25 kcal |
| Watermelon | 30 kcal |
| Strawberries | 32 kcal |
| Broccoli | 35 kcal |
| Apple | 52 kcal |
| Low-fat quark | 67 kcal |
| Potatoes | 86 kcal |
| Lentils, cooked | 97 kcal |
| Chickpeas | 137 kcal |
| Salmon | 137 kcal |
The Healthy Snack for Anytime
Snacks that have added sugar, like cookies, are extremely high in sugar. We’ve developed the perfect alternative for all you snack lovers out there: our Protein Balls. They hit you with only 174 kcal per package, while taking care of fiber and protein, too. Perfect for the office or on the run. And we’ve got them in vegan, too!
More health facts from foodspring:
- 33 Types of Sports – And Which Is Best for You
- These low-calorie snacks keep you full in under 100 kcal!
- What You Need to Know About Counting Calories
- Nutrition Diary: Here’s how you do it for best results!
Sources for this article
We at foodspring use only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial policy to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
