Meal Calorie Calculator

Protein contains 4 calories per gram. A chicken breast with 30 grams of protein contributes 120 calories from protein alone, before counting any fat or sauces. The same 4 kcal/g rate applies to carbohydrates.

Fat contains 9 calories per gram, more than double the 4 calories per gram in protein and carbs. This is because fat molecules store more chemical energy in their bonds. It is why olive oil at 14 g per tablespoon delivers 120 calories, while a tablespoon of sugar (12 g of carbs) is only 48 calories.

Most fiber passes through largely undigested, so the FDA allows 0 calories per gram for insoluble fiber and 4 for soluble. A common compromise is 2 calories per gram, which this calculator uses by default. For low-carb tracking, subtract fiber from total carbs to get net carbs.

Common targets: breakfast 300 to 500 kcal, lunch and dinner 400 to 700 kcal each, snacks 100 to 250 kcal. The right number depends on your daily calorie target, which you can find using a Calorie Calculator or Calorie Deficit Calculator.

Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram. A standard 12 oz beer (about 14 g of alcohol) adds roughly 100 calories from the alcohol alone, plus more from carbs. A 5 oz glass of wine (about 14 g alcohol) is similar. Spirits at 1.5 oz with no mixer are around 100 calories.

They are accurate to within about 5 percent for most foods. The Atwater factors are averages; actual digestible energy varies slightly by food source. Fiber and resistant starch in particular can extract less energy than the average suggests, but the rounding is small enough that the totals work well for daily calorie tracking.

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