Nutrient ranking · USDA SR Legacy & Foundation

Lowest Calorie Foods

According to USDA FoodData Central (refreshed July 2026), top 50 whole foods with the fewest calories per 100g.

50
Foods ranked
1 kcal
Top: Beverages
Calories
Ranked by

The verdict

Beverages tops every USDA reference food at 1 kcal - and the 50ᵗʰ-ranked food still delivers 12 kcal, so every food on this list is a genuinely strong source of calories.

1 kcal
top - Beverages
12 kcal
the bar to make the top 50
50
whole foods ranked

Values from USDA laboratory analysis. Verify with USDA FoodData Central → · FDA labeling rules →

Top 15 by calories

Whole foods ranked per serving, USDA reference data

  1. 1 Beverages, Energy drink 1 kcal
  2. 2 Beverages, tea 1 kcal
  3. 3 Beverages, WENDY'S 1 kcal
  4. 4 Beverages, coffee 1 kcal
  5. 5 Beverages, carbonated 1 kcal
  6. 6 Beverages, tea 1 kcal
  7. 7 Mollusks, clam 2 kcal
  8. 8 Beverages, coffee 2 kcal
  9. 9 Tea, herbal 2 kcal
  10. 10 Beverages, coffee 2 kcal
  11. 11 Beverages, carbonated 2 kcal
  12. 12 Beverages, SNAPPLE 2 kcal
  13. 13 Beverages, SNAPPLE 2 kcal
  14. 14 Beverages, coffee 2 kcal
  15. 15 Beverages, tea 2 kcal
Calories Source: USDA FoodData Central (July 2026)

The bar to make this top 50

Where the 50th-ranked food's calories per 100g sits among every USDA reference (whole) food, so you can see how selective this ranking really is.

Calories per 100g, the top-50 cut-off vs every USDA reference food

USDA reference (whole) foods with a value for this nutrient

12 Among the most affordable more affordable than 99% of 7,891 USDA reference foods

0–50: 1,035 USDA reference foods (13%). This entry sits in this band. 50–100: 1,093 USDA reference foods (14%). Above this entry. 100–150: 1,136 USDA reference foods (14%). Above this entry. 150–200: 986 USDA reference foods (12%). Above this entry. 200–250: 806 USDA reference foods (10%). Above this entry. 250–300: 692 USDA reference foods (9%). Above this entry. 300–350: 508 USDA reference foods (6%). Above this entry. 350–400: 630 USDA reference foods (8%). Above this entry. 400–450: 276 USDA reference foods (3%). Above this entry. 450–500: 214 USDA reference foods (3%). Above this entry. 500–550: 193 USDA reference foods (2%). Above this entry. 550–600: 322 USDA reference foods (4%). Above this entry. 600–650: 0 USDA reference foods (0%). Above this entry. Top-50 cut-off 0 650 every USDA reference food, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more USDA reference foods. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy & Foundation · July 2026

Is the top food also the best value?

Each of the top 50 foods plotted by calories against protein per 100g -- the highest-ranked food isn't always the most efficient pick.

#1 (Beverages): 1 kcal calories, 0 g protein per 100g -- median across the top 50

0.43.56.59.512.600.71.32.02.6Calories / 100gProtein / 100gBeverages: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.25Point 2: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.22Point 3: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.22Point 4: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.12Point 5: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.12Point 6: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.06Point 7: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.4Point 8: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.3Point 9: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.12Point 10: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.12Point 11: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.11Point 12: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.1Point 13: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.1Point 14: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.1Point 15: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.02Point 16: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.21Point 17: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.21Point 18: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.11Point 19: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.09Point 20: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.42Point 21: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.28Point 22: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.25Point 23: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.21Point 24: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.07Point 25: Calories / 100g 5, Protein / 100g 0.39Point 26: Calories / 100g 5, Protein / 100g 0.25Point 27: Calories / 100g 5, Protein / 100g 0.24Point 28: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 1.2Point 29: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 1.14Point 30: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.64Point 31: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.5Point 32: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.23Point 33: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.1Point 34: Calories / 100g 7, Protein / 100g 1.36Point 35: Calories / 100g 7, Protein / 100g 1.14Point 36: Calories / 100g 8, Protein / 100g 0.23Point 37: Calories / 100g 8, Protein / 100g 0.23Point 38: Calories / 100g 8, Protein / 100g 0.05Point 39: Calories / 100g 9, Protein / 100g 0.12Point 40: Calories / 100g 9, Protein / 100g 0.1Point 41: Calories / 100g 10, Protein / 100g 0.59Point 42: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 2.52Point 43: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 2.3Point 44: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 1.53Point 45: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.92Point 46: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.51Point 47: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.4Point 48: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.33Point 49: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.33Point 50: Calories / 100g 12, Protein / 100g 0.48Lower value, more proteinBest value: high + high proteinLower value, less proteinHigh value, less protein
#1 (Beverages): 1 kcal calories, 0 g protein per 100g -- median across the top 50
Read the chart as text
  • Beverages: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.25
  • Point 2: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.22
  • Point 3: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.22
  • Point 4: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.12
  • Point 5: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.12
  • Point 6: Calories / 100g 1, Protein / 100g 0.06
  • Point 7: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.4
  • Point 8: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.3
  • Point 9: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.12
  • Point 10: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.12
  • Point 11: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.11
  • Point 12: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.1
  • Point 13: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.1
  • Point 14: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.1
  • Point 15: Calories / 100g 2, Protein / 100g 0.02
  • Point 16: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.21
  • Point 17: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.21
  • Point 18: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.11
  • Point 19: Calories / 100g 3, Protein / 100g 0.09
  • Point 20: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.42
  • Point 21: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.28
  • Point 22: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.25
  • Point 23: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.21
  • Point 24: Calories / 100g 4, Protein / 100g 0.07
  • Point 25: Calories / 100g 5, Protein / 100g 0.39
  • Point 26: Calories / 100g 5, Protein / 100g 0.25
  • Point 27: Calories / 100g 5, Protein / 100g 0.24
  • Point 28: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 1.2
  • Point 29: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 1.14
  • Point 30: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.64
  • Point 31: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.5
  • Point 32: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.23
  • Point 33: Calories / 100g 6, Protein / 100g 0.1
  • Point 34: Calories / 100g 7, Protein / 100g 1.36
  • Point 35: Calories / 100g 7, Protein / 100g 1.14
  • Point 36: Calories / 100g 8, Protein / 100g 0.23
  • Point 37: Calories / 100g 8, Protein / 100g 0.23
  • Point 38: Calories / 100g 8, Protein / 100g 0.05
  • Point 39: Calories / 100g 9, Protein / 100g 0.12
  • Point 40: Calories / 100g 9, Protein / 100g 0.1
  • Point 41: Calories / 100g 10, Protein / 100g 0.59
  • Point 42: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 2.52
  • Point 43: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 2.3
  • Point 44: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 1.53
  • Point 45: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.92
  • Point 46: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.51
  • Point 47: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.4
  • Point 48: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.33
  • Point 49: Calories / 100g 11, Protein / 100g 0.33
  • Point 50: Calories / 100g 12, Protein / 100g 0.48

Reading the Lowest Calorie Foods Ranking

According to USDA FoodData Central (April 2026 release), the Lowest Calorie Foods ranking surfaces 50 whole foods from the Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases, ordered by calories per 100g serving. The number-one food on this list is Beverages, Energy drink, VAULT Zero, sugar-free, citrus flavor, delivering 1 kcal and carrying 1 calories in the same 100g portion. That combination of calorie count and calories is what makes the top of the ranking genuinely useful: high nutrient value against a reasonable calorie cost.

Top 50 whole foods with the fewest calories per 100g Because branded and processed foods are excluded, every entry here reflects a whole-food ingredient: raw or minimally prepared, with nutrient values from USDA laboratory analysis rather than manufacturer-submitted labels. The top five, Beverages, Beverages, Beverages, Beverages, Beverages, span multiple food groups, which matters for meal planning: a high-calories diet built entirely on one food group will miss other nutrients that rotating across groups naturally supplies. The visual bars beside each row scale against the maximum, so a food halfway down the list with a three-quarter bar is still a strong source rather than a distant also-ran.

Rankings like this work best as shopping-list anchors rather than as strict eating rules. A food scoring high on calories may still bring sodium, saturated fat, or other considerations that matter for specific diets, which is why each food in the table links to a full FDA-format nutrition label with macros, micronutrients, and daily values. Use the other diet rankings (keto-friendly, high-fiber, low-calorie, best protein-to-calorie ratio) to triangulate foods that satisfy multiple goals at once. For interpretation help, the nutrition guides explain how to balance rankings against real-world portion sizes and daily value targets.

→ Compare the top three lowest calorie foods side-by-side

# Food Calories
1 Beverages, Energy drink, VAULT Zero, sugar-free, citrus flavor 1 kcal
2 Beverages, tea, green, brewed, regular 1 kcal
3 Beverages, WENDY'S, tea, ready-to-drink, unsweetened 1 kcal
4 Beverages, coffee, brewed, prepared with tap water 1 kcal
5 Beverages, carbonated, low calorie, cola or pepper-type, with aspartame, without caffeine 1 kcal
6 Beverages, tea, instant, unsweetened, prepared with water 1 kcal
7 Mollusks, clam, mixed species, canned, liquid 2 kcal
8 Beverages, coffee, brewed, breakfast blend 2 kcal
9 Tea, herbal, brewed, Hohoysi (Hopi) 2 kcal
10 Beverages, coffee, instant, decaffeinated, prepared with water 2 kcal
11 Beverages, carbonated, low calorie, cola or pepper-type, with aspartame, contains caffeine 2 kcal
12 Beverages, SNAPPLE, tea, black and green, ready to drink, peach, diet 2 kcal
13 Beverages, SNAPPLE, tea, black and green, ready to drink, lemon, diet 2 kcal
14 Beverages, coffee, instant, regular, prepared with water 2 kcal
15 Beverages, tea, instant, lemon, diet 2 kcal
16 Soup, beef broth or bouillon, powder, prepared with water 3 kcal
17 Soup, beef broth, cubed, prepared with water 3 kcal
18 Butterbur, canned 3 kcal
19 Beverages, coffee, instant, chicory 3 kcal
20 Beverages, Energy Drink, sugar free 4 kcal
21 Soup, chicken broth or bouillon, dry, prepared with water 4 kcal
22 Beverages, Energy drink, ROCKSTAR, sugar free 4 kcal
23 Beverages, OCEAN SPRAY, Diet Cran Cherry 4 kcal
24 Beverages, OCEAN SPRAY, Diet Cranberry Juice 4 kcal
25 Soup, chicken broth cubes, dry, prepared with water 5 kcal
26 Beverages, Energy drink, RED BULL, sugar free, with added caffeine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 5 kcal
27 Soup, vegetable broth, ready to serve 5 kcal
28 Soup, SWANSON, beef broth, lower sodium 6 kcal
29 Soup, beef broth, less/reduced sodium, ready to serve 6 kcal
30 Soup, chicken broth, ready-to-serve 6 kcal
31 Beverages, Wine, non-alcoholic 6 kcal
32 Soup, SWANSON, vegetable broth 6 kcal
33 Beverages, coffee substitute, cereal grain beverage, prepared with water 6 kcal
34 Soup, chicken broth, less/reduced sodium, ready to serve 7 kcal
35 Soup, beef broth or bouillon canned, ready-to-serve 7 kcal
36 Butterbur, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 8 kcal
37 Butterbur, cooked, boiled, drained, without salt 8 kcal
38 Beverages, PEPSICO QUAKER, Gatorade G2, low calorie 8 kcal
39 Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared 9 kcal
40 Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared, decaffeinated 9 kcal
41 Cucumber, peeled, raw 10 kcal
42 Soup, beef broth bouillon and consomme, canned, condensed 11 kcal
43 Watercress, raw 11 kcal
44 Bamboo shoots, cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 11 kcal
45 Taro shoots, raw 11 kcal
46 Sauce, ready-to-serve, pepper or hot 11 kcal
47 Waxgourd, (chinese preserving melon), cooked, boiled, drained, with salt 11 kcal
48 Pickles, cucumber, sour, low sodium 11 kcal
49 Pickles, cucumber, sour 11 kcal
50 Pickles, cucumber, dill or kosher dill 12 kcal

Frequently Asked Questions

What food has the least calories? ▼

Beverages, Energy drink, VAULT Zero, sugar-free, citrus flavor has the highest amount with 1 kcal per 100g.

How many calories should I eat to lose weight? ▼

A typical calorie deficit for weight loss is 500 calories below your maintenance level, which varies by age, sex, weight, and activity. Consult a healthcare provider for personalized advice.

Are zero-calorie foods real? ▼

Very few foods have truly zero calories. Some vegetables like celery and cucumber are extremely low (around 10–16 calories per 100g), which is why they are sometimes called "negative calorie" foods.

More Diet Rankings

Highest Protein Foods → Keto-Friendly Foods → Highest Fiber Foods → Best Protein-to-Calorie Ratio →

More from the GetFoodFacts library

Key takeaways

  • The #1 food, Beverages, is 50% lighter than the 10th-ranked food, so the very top of this list carries an outsized share of the calories advantage.
  • Even the 50th-ranked food still comes in at 12 kcal per 100g, so every entry on this page clears the same bar, not just the top few.
  • The value-vs-cost view above shows the #1-ranked food isn't always the most efficient pick within this top 50, worth a look before assuming higher rank means better fit. Jump to the value-vs-cost chart
  • This list excludes branded and processed foods by design, for those, compare any two foods directly or browse by category. Compare two foods

Source: USDA FoodData Central — Standard Reference Legacy and Foundation databases. Branded and processed products are excluded. All values per 100g edible portion.
Source: GetFoodFacts ranking rule — Top 50 whole foods with the fewest calories per 100g.
This information is for reference only and should not replace professional dietary advice.

Read our methodology for how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Every figure on GetFoodFacts is rendered directly from official USDA FoodData Central records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.