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Low-calorie foods

178 USDA reference foods have 40 calories or less in a typical portion, FDA's "low calorie" line (21 CFR 101.60(b)(2)). The lowest, mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, liquid, has 1.7 kcal in 3 oz.

Updated · By · data: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release · how the figures are checked

Which foods have the least calories per portion?

  1. 1
    Clams
    Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, liquid · 3 oz (85 g)
    1.7kcal2.0 kcal per 100 g
  2. 2
    Coconut water
    Nuts, coconut water (liquid from coconuts) · 1 tbsp (15 g)
    2.9kcal19 kcal per 100 g
  3. 3
    Butterbur
    Butterbur, canned · 1 cup, chopped (124 g)
    3.7kcal3.0 kcal per 100 g
  4. 4
    Watercress
    Watercress, raw · 1 cup, chopped (34 g)
    3.7kcal11 kcal per 100 g
  5. 5
    Endive
    Endive, raw · 0.5 cup, chopped (25 g)
    4.3kcal17 kcal per 100 g
  6. 6
    Pickles
    Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill · 1 spear (40 g)
    4.8kcal12 kcal per 100 g
  7. 7
    Pumpkin flowers
    Pumpkin flowers, raw · 1 cup (33 g)
    5.0kcal15 kcal per 100 g
  8. 8
    Green leaf lettuce
    Lettuce, green leaf, raw · 1 cup shredded (36 g)
    5.4kcal15 kcal per 100 g
  9. 9
    Chrysanthemum
    Chrysanthemum, garland, raw · 1 cup (1" pieces) (25 g)
    6.0kcal24 kcal per 100 g
  10. 10
    Amaranth leaves
    Amaranth leaves, raw · 1 cup (28 g)
    6.4kcal23 kcal per 100 g
  11. 11
    Chicory greens
    Chicory greens, raw · 1 cup, chopped (29 g)
    6.7kcal23 kcal per 100 g
  12. 12
    Spinach
    Spinach, raw · 1 cup (30 g)
    6.9kcal23 kcal per 100 g
  13. 13
    Radishes
    Radishes, white icicle, raw · 0.5 cup slices (50 g)
    7.0kcal14 kcal per 100 g
  14. 14
    Butterhead lettuce
    Lettuce, butterhead (includes boston and bibb types), raw · 1 cup, shredded or chopped (55 g)
    7.2kcal13 kcal per 100 g
  15. 15
    Balsam-pear
    Balsam-pear (bitter gourd), leafy tips, raw · 0.5 cup (24 g)
    7.2kcal30 kcal per 100 g
  16. 16
    Pumpkin leaves
    Pumpkin leaves, raw · 1 cup (39 g)
    7.4kcal19 kcal per 100 g
  17. 17
    Alfalfa seeds
    Alfalfa seeds, sprouted, raw · 1 cup (33 g)
    7.6kcal23 kcal per 100 g
  18. 18
    Chicory
    Chicory, witloof, raw · 0.5 cup (45 g)
    7.7kcal17 kcal per 100 g
  19. 19
    Seaweed
    Seaweed, Canadian Cultivated EMI-TSUNOMATA, rehydrated · 0.25 cup (25 g)
    7.8kcal31 kcal per 100 g
  20. 20
    Hungarian peppers
    Peppers, hungarian, raw · 1 pepper (27 g)
    7.8kcal29 kcal per 100 g
  21. 21
    New zealand spinach
    New Zealand spinach, raw · 1 cup, chopped (56 g)
    7.8kcal14 kcal per 100 g
  22. 22
    Gourd
    Gourd, white-flowered (calabash), raw · 0.5 cup (1" pieces) (58 g)
    8.1kcal14 kcal per 100 g
  23. 23
    Beet greens
    Beet greens, raw · 1 cup (38 g)
    8.4kcal22 kcal per 100 g
  24. 24
    Cabbage
    Cabbage, common (danish, domestic, and pointed types), freshly harvest, raw · 0.5 cup, shredded (35 g)
    8.4kcal24 kcal per 100 g
  25. 25
    Purslane
    Purslane, raw · 1 cup (43 g)
    8.6kcal20 kcal per 100 g
  26. 26
    Broccoli raab
    Broccoli raab, raw · 1 cup chopped (40 g)
    8.8kcal22 kcal per 100 g
  27. 27
    Sour cream
    Sour cream, fat free · 1 tablespoon (12 g)
    8.9kcal74 kcal per 100 g
  28. 28
    Chinese cabbage
    Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw · 1 cup, shredded (70 g)
    9.1kcal13 kcal per 100 g
  29. 29
    Chard
    Chard, swiss, raw · 1 leaf (48 g)
    9.1kcal19 kcal per 100 g
  30. 30
    Taro shoots
    Taro shoots, raw · 1 shoot (83 g)
    9.1kcal11 kcal per 100 g
  31. 31
    Radicchio
    Radicchio, raw · 1 cup, shredded (40 g)
    9.2kcal23 kcal per 100 g
  32. 32
    Jute
    Jute, potherb, raw · 1 cup (28 g)
    9.5kcal34 kcal per 100 g
  33. 33
    Malabar spinach
    Malabar spinach, cooked · 1 cup (44 g)
    10kcal23 kcal per 100 g
  34. 34
    Cowpeas
    Cowpeas, leafy tips, raw · 1 cup, chopped (36 g)
    10kcal29 kcal per 100 g
  35. 35
    Asparagus
    Asparagus, frozen, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt · 4 spears (60 g)
    11kcal18 kcal per 100 g
  36. 36
    Red leaf lettuce
    Lettuce, red leaf, raw · 1 serving (85 g)
    11kcal13 kcal per 100 g
  37. 37
    Collards
    Collards, raw · 1 cup, chopped (36 g)
    12kcal32 kcal per 100 g
  38. 38
    Taro leaves
    Taro leaves, raw · 1 cup (28 g)
    12kcal42 kcal per 100 g
  39. 39
    Cornsalad
    Cornsalad, raw · 1 cup (56 g)
    12kcal21 kcal per 100 g
  40. 40
    Cucumber
    Cucumber, peeled, raw · 1 cup, sliced (119 g)
    12kcal10 kcal per 100 g
  41. 41
    Chrysanthemum leaves
    Chrysanthemum leaves, raw · 1 cup, chopped (51 g)
    12kcal24 kcal per 100 g
  42. 42
    Snap beans
    Beans, snap, yellow, canned, regular pack, drained solids · 10 beans (62 g)
    12kcal20 kcal per 100 g
  43. 43
    Iceberg lettuce
    Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw · 1 serving (89 g)
    12kcal14 kcal per 100 g
  44. 44
    Sweet peppers
    Peppers, sweet, red, canned, solids and liquids · 0.5 cup, halves (70 g)
    13kcal18 kcal per 100 g
  45. 45
    Napa cabbage
    Cabbage, napa, cooked · 1 cup (109 g)
    13kcal12 kcal per 100 g
  46. 46
    Bamboo shoots
    Bamboo shoots, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt · 1 cup (1/2" slices) (120 g)
    13kcal11 kcal per 100 g
  47. 47
    Grape tomatoes
    Tomatoes, grape, raw · 5 tomatoes (50 g)
    13kcal27 kcal per 100 g
  48. 48
    Egg white
    Egg, white, raw, frozen, pasteurized · 1 oz (28 g)
    13kcal48 kcal per 100 g
  49. 49
    Summer squash
    Squash, summer, zucchini, includes skin, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt · 0.5 cup slices (90 g)
    14kcal15 kcal per 100 g
  50. 50
    Celery
    Celery, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt · 2 stalks (75 g)
    14kcal18 kcal per 100 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation, Survey), April 30, 2026 release; typical portions are USDA's NLEA servings or the household measure nearest FDA's reference amount; Daily Value: 21 CFR 101.9.

Per 100 g, the list starts elsewhere

The portion ranking compares everyday foods at the portion FDA's reference amounts describe (USDA's NLEA serving where it lists one). Seasonings, sauces, powders, dried and concentrated forms, raw meat and fish, uncooked grains and dry beans, restaurant items and foods without a household measure near that portion are ranked per 100 g only: nobody eats a cup of dried thyme. Per 100 g, these lead:

FoodCalories per 100 gIn the portion ranking
Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, liquid2.0 kcalranked 1
Butterbur, canned3.0 kcalranked 3
Cucumber, peeled, raw10 kcalranked 40
Taro shoots, raw11 kcalranked 30
Bamboo shoots, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt11 kcalranked 46
Watercress, raw11 kcalranked 4
Beans, mung, mature seeds, sprouted, canned, drained solids12 kcalranked 55
Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill12 kcalranked 6

Source: USDA FoodData Central, April 30, 2026 release.

Download: this list as CSV (CC BY 4.0).

Sources for this page
USDA FoodData Central
the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies
the survey foods and their portions. ars.usda.gov
21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
21 CFR 101.12, Reference amounts customarily consumed
the serving each kind of food is labeled by. ecfr.gov
FDA, Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
the Daily Values in a table. fda.gov