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Food · American Indian/Alaska Native Foods

Tamale nutrition facts

A typical portion of tamale (1 piece; 186 g, tamales (Navajo)) has 280 calories and 12g of protein (USDA FoodData Central). USDA lists 5 descriptions of it: per 100 g they range from 153 calories (tamales (Navajo)) to 186 (no meat).

Nutrition Facts

Serving size1 piece (186g)
Amount per serving
Calories280
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g15%
Saturated Fat 4.5g22%
Trans Fat not declared
Cholesterol 30mg11%
Sodium 790mg35%
Total Carbohydrate 34g12%
Dietary Fiber 6g21%
Total Sugars 2g
Includes Added Sugars not declared
Protein 12g23%
Vitamin D not declared
Calcium 50mg4%
Iron 2.3mg13%
Potassium 240mg5%

* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Protein % DV here is not corrected for protein quality.

USDA values per 100 g for Tamales (Navajo), scaled to the portion. Check the USDA record.

Protein per 100 g
6.3g
more than 42% of 8,218 USDA reference foods
Calories per 100 g
153
more than 43% of reference foods
Sodium per 100 g
427mg
more than 80% of reference foods

1 piece weighs 186 g in USDA's record for Tamales (Navajo) (FDC 167636).

Where the calories come from: 47% carbohydrate, 36% fat and 16% protein (4 calories a gram of protein or carbohydrate, 9 of fat).

Also rich in

  • Vitamin B121.0 µg in 1 piece (186 g), 42% of the Daily Value
  • Zinc2.8 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 25% of the Daily Value
  • Selenium11 µg in 1 piece (186 g), 20% of the Daily Value
  • Niacin3.0 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 18% of the Daily Value
  • Vitamin B60.3 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 16% of the Daily Value
  • Phosphorus184 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 15% of the Daily Value
  • Manganese0.3 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 14% of the Daily Value
  • Copper0.1 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 13% of the Daily Value
  • Riboflavin0.1 mg in 1 piece (186 g), 11% of the Daily Value

Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC 167636), every nutrient the record reports; FDA Daily Values, 21 CFR 101.9.

Every form of tamale USDA describes

No meat has the most calories per 100 g (186); the fewest: Tamales (Navajo) (153)

Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186Calories per 100 g by USDA description of tamaleTamales (Navajo)153Masa and pork filling (Hopi)168Not further specified174No meat186
Per 100 g, USDA FoodData Central. The violet bar is the form on the label at left.
All 5 USDA descriptions of tamale, per 100 g
USDA descriptionCaloriesProteinFatSodium
Tamales (Navajo)1536.3 g6.1 g427 mg
Tamales, masa and pork filling (Hopi)16813.2 g4.7 g298 mg
Tamale, NFSSame values: Tamale, pork1747.4 g9 g473 mg
Tamale, no meat1863.5 g7.2 g277 mg

Every nutrient in this record (89)

The portion is 1 piece (186 g); % DV is for that portion.

Energy, macronutrients and sugars (19)
NutrientPer portionPer 100 g% DV
Protein11.7 g6.28 g23%
Total lipid (fat)11.4 g6.12 g15%
Carbohydrate, by difference33.7 g18.1 g12%
Ash2.55 g1.37 g
Energy285 kcal153 kcal
Starch22.8 g12.3 g
Sucrose0.74 g0.40 g
Glucose0.39 g0.21 g
Fructose0.32 g0.17 g
Lactose0 g0 g
Maltose0.41 g0.22 g
Water127 g68.1 g
Total Sugars1.84 g0.99 g
Galactose0 g0 g
Fiber, total dietary5.77 g3.10 g21%
Cholesterol31.6 mg17.0 mg11%
Fatty acids, total saturated4.46 g2.40 g22%
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated5.09 g2.74 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated1.28 g0.69 g
Minerals (10)
NutrientPer portionPer 100 g% DV
Calcium, Ca53.9 mg29.0 mg4%
Iron, Fe2.27 mg1.22 mg13%
Magnesium, Mg40.9 mg22.0 mg10%
Phosphorus, P184 mg99.0 mg15%
Potassium, K244 mg131 mg5%
Sodium, Na794 mg427 mg35%
Zinc, Zn2.75 mg1.48 mg25%
Copper, Cu0.12 mg0.063 mg13%
Manganese, Mn0.32 mg0.17 mg14%
Selenium, Se11.2 µg6.00 µg20%
Vitamins (19)
NutrientPer portionPer 100 g% DV
Retinol0 µg0 µg
Vitamin A, RAE0 µg0 µg0%
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)0 mg0 mg0%
Tocopherol, beta0 mg0 mg
Tocopherol, gamma0 mg0 mg
Tocopherol, delta0 mg0 mg
Tocotrienol, alpha0 mg0 mg
Tocotrienol, beta0 mg0 mg
Tocotrienol, gamma0 mg0 mg
Tocotrienol, delta0 mg0 mg
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid3.16 mg1.70 mg4%
Thiamin0.093 mg0.050 mg8%
Riboflavin0.15 mg0.080 mg11%
Niacin2.96 mg1.59 mg18%
Pantothenic acid0.38 mg0.20 mg
Vitamin B-60.27 mg0.14 mg16%
Folate, total27.9 µg15.0 µg
Vitamin B-121.00 µg0.54 µg42%
Folate, food27.9 µg15.0 µg
Amino acids (18)
NutrientPer portionPer 100 g% DV
Tryptophan0.097 g0.052 g
Threonine0.44 g0.24 g
Isoleucine0.50 g0.27 g
Leucine1.06 g0.57 g
Lysine0.79 g0.43 g
Methionine0.28 g0.15 g
Cystine0.15 g0.083 g
Phenylalanine0.51 g0.28 g
Tyrosine0.38 g0.20 g
Valine0.59 g0.32 g
Arginine0.73 g0.39 g
Histidine0.36 g0.20 g
Alanine0.78 g0.42 g
Aspartic acid1.03 g0.56 g
Glutamic acid1.91 g1.03 g
Glycine0.71 g0.38 g
Proline0.71 g0.38 g
Serine0.51 g0.27 g
Fatty acids (22)
NutrientPer portionPer 100 g% DV
SFA 8:00 g0 g
SFA 10:00 g0 g
SFA 12:00 g0 g
SFA 14:00.31 g0.17 g
SFA 16:02.59 g1.40 g
SFA 18:01.38 g0.74 g
SFA 20:00.019 g0.010 g
MUFA 18:14.54 g2.44 g
PUFA 18:21.20 g0.65 g
PUFA 18:30.054 g0.029 g
PUFA 20:40.024 g0.013 g
SFA 22:00 g0 g
MUFA 14:10.073 g0.039 g
MUFA 16:10.35 g0.19 g
MUFA 20:10.050 g0.027 g
SFA 15:00.045 g0.024 g
SFA 17:00.11 g0.059 g
PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c0 g0 g
PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c0 g0 g
MUFA 17:10.086 g0.046 g
PUFA 20:30 g0 g
MUFA 15:10 g0 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central, FDC 167636: every value the record reports, per 100 g as USDA gives it and scaled to the portion; Daily Values: 21 CFR 101.9.

Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, Foundation Foods and Survey foods), April 30, 2026 release.

Questions

How many calories are in tamale?

280 in 1 piece (186 g) of tamales (Navajo); 153 to 186 per 100 g across USDA's descriptions.

How much protein is in tamale?

12g in 1 piece; 6.3 g per 100 g.

How much sodium is in tamale?

790mg in 1 piece; 427 mg per 100 g. Salt added in cooking changes it: USDA lists salted and unsalted forms separately where it measured both.

Sources for this page
USDA FoodData Central
the food and product records, April 30, 2026 release. fdc.nal.usda.gov
FoodData Central documentation
what each data type is and how branded records are submitted. 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
FDA, How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
the 5% and 20% Daily Value rule. fda.gov