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Calorie density by USDA food group

Fats and Oils have the highest calorie density of USDA's food groups, a median of 717 calories per 100 g; vegetables and vegetable products the lowest, 35 calories. Of vegetables, 93% are very low or low density (under 1.5 calories a gram), and so are 88% of fruits.

Published · By · the rules are cited to FDA and USDA, the figures computed from USDA FoodData Central (April 30, 2026 release)

Fats and Oils: 717 calories per 100 g; vegetables and vegetable products: 35

Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35Median calories per 100 g, by USDA food groupFats and Oils717Nut and Seed Products574Snacks434Breakfast Cereals371Baked Products366Sweets366Cereal Grains and Pasta357Spices and Herbs282Sausages and Luncheon Meats271Fast Foods263Restaurant Foods204Beef Products197Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes197Lamb, Veal, and Game Products196Pork Products180Dairy and Egg Products177Poultry Products176American Indian/Alaska Native Foods140Legumes and Legume Products127Finfish and Shellfish Products119Baby Foods69Soups, Sauces, and Gravies61Fruits and Fruit Juices59Beverages48Vegetables and Vegetable Products35
Median per 100 g over USDA SR Legacy and Foundation foods.

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

The bands, group by group

Food groupFoodsMedian calories per 100 gVery low (under 60)Low (60-150)Medium (150-400)High (over 400)
Fats and Oils2177172%8%18%71%
Nut and Seed Products1565741%2%23%74%
Snacks1764340%0%31%69%
Breakfast Cereals1953718%8%74%11%
Baked Products5203661%0%60%39%
Sweets3603663%18%43%36%
Cereal Grains and Pasta2223570%20%77%2%
Spices and Herbs6528218%9%66%6%
Sausages and Luncheon Meats1772710%15%80%5%
Fast Foods3122630%5%93%2%
Restaurant Foods1142041%18%81%1%
Beef Products9751970%20%78%2%
Meals, Entrees, and Side Dishes811970%38%62%0%
Lamb, Veal, and Game Products4661960%26%69%5%
Pork Products3431800%32%62%6%
Dairy and Egg Products33817712%34%45%9%
Poultry Products3951760%31%65%4%
American Indian/Alaska Native Foods16514017%36%36%10%
Legumes and Legume Products31212713%48%26%13%
Finfish and Shellfish Products2881193%67%31%0%
Baby Foods3456924%54%6%16%
Soups, Sauces, and Gravies2576148%33%14%5%
Fruits and Fruit Juices4185950%38%12%0%
Beverages3704860%18%18%3%
Vegetables and Vegetable Products9043566%27%7%0%

Method and limits

Calorie (energy) density is calories per gram of food as eaten; per 100 g the bands are very low under 60, low 60 to 150, medium 150 to 400 and high over 400, the four bands of the British Nutrition Foundation's "Feed Yourself Fuller" energy-density chart (the concept is explained in the CDC's Research to Practice brief "Low-Energy-Dense Foods and Weight Management"). Values are USDA's for each food as described (raw, cooked, dried), so a group's median mixes forms: dried fruit raises the fruit median, raw vegetables lower theirs.

Download: the table as CSV (CC BY 4.0: reuse it with a link to this page).

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
21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food
the label format, rounding and Daily Values. ecfr.gov
21 CFR 101 subpart D, Nutrient content claims
the thresholds for "low sodium", "sugar free", "high in". ecfr.gov
FDA, How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label
the 5% and 20% Daily Value rule. fda.gov