Calories in Fats & Oils
Cooking oils, butter, and fats. 15 fats & oils with detailed nutrition.
Fats & Oils at a glance
Best fats for everyday use
Most evidence-based, most versatile, most worth the calorie cost:
Olive Oil
120 calories per tbsp, monounsaturated, the centerpiece of the most-studied diet pattern (Mediterranean). Use for low-medium heat cooking and salad dressing.
Avocado Oil
124 calories per tbsp, neutral flavor, high smoke point. Best for high-heat cooking when you want a healthy oil.
Butter
102 calories per tbsp. When used as flavor, not as the cooking medium, the calorie cost is modest.
All fats & oils (15)
Olive Oil
119 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Butter
102 cal / 1 tablespoon
0.1g protein • 0g carbs • 81.1g fat
Coconut Oil
121 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Avocado Oil
884 cal / 100g
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Sesame Oil
124 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Canola Oil
900 cal / 100g
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Ghee
126 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Vegetable Oil
126 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Peanut Oil
126 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Lard
115 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 100g fat
Bacon Grease
115 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 99.5g fat
Duck Fat
113 cal / 1 tablespoon
0g protein • 0g carbs • 99.8g fat
Coconut Butter
103 cal / 1 tablespoon
5.3g protein • 21.5g carbs • 69.1g fat
Almond Butter
206 cal / 2 tablespoons
20.8g protein • 21.2g carbs • 53g fat
Cashew Butter
188 cal / 2 tablespoons
17.6g protein • 27.6g carbs • 49.4g fat
Use sparingly
These have specific uses but aren't your everyday default:
About fats & oils
Measure your cooking oil. A tablespoon is 120 calories. A casual free-pour is often three, and that's the difference between a 350-calorie meal and a 700-calorie one. You can't out-train an eyeballed drizzle.
The 1990s fat phobia is dead in the research: type matters more than total, and swapping saturated fat for refined carbs is a wash or worse. The portion size is the actual lever.
Tips for eating fats & oils
Measure oil with the actual tablespoon
Two glugs from the bottle is typically 3-4 tbsp = 360-480 calories. Use the 1-tbsp measure or a refillable oil mister for one week. Your future free-pours self-calibrate. The single highest-leverage kitchen habit for accurate calorie tracking.
Match oil to heat correctly
Extra-virgin olive oil and butter: low-medium heat (sautéing, finishing). Avocado oil, refined olive, ghee: high heat (searing, stir-frying). When the pan starts smoking, the oil is breaking down. Toss and restart. Smoke point matters less than flavor degradation.
Use a spray bottle for non-stick cooking
A 1-second spray of olive oil is ~5 calories vs. 120 for a poured tablespoon. For eggs, sautéed vegetables, or any non-stick pan where the oil is purely for lubrication and not flavor, the spray wins by 100+ calories per meal.
Always finish salad with fat
Carotenoids and vitamin K in greens, tomatoes, and carrots are fat-soluble. Dry salad literally passes through with the nutrients un-extracted. A 1-2 tbsp olive oil drizzle lifts beta-carotene absorption 5-10x. Skip the fat-free dressing.
Buy olive oil in 500-750mL bottles
Olive oil oxidizes once opened, 6 weeks at room temperature is the real freshness window. A small bottle stays fresh through normal cooking. A bulk 3-liter tin is rancid by month three, and rancid oil tastes flat and slightly bitter.
Skip 'low-fat' versions of cookies and dressings
Manufacturers replace removed fat with sugar or starch. The calorie count barely moves and satiety drops. Full-fat in measured portions almost always beats low-fat with extra sugar. The exception is dairy, where low-fat is a legitimate calorie-cutting tool.
Storage guide
Extra-virgin olive oil: 6 weeks at room temperature once opened, 6-12 months unopened in a cool dark cabinet. Refined oils (avocado, canola): 1-2 years unopened. Butter: 2-3 weeks fridge, 6-9 months frozen. Coconut oil: indefinite at room temperature. Rancid oil smells sharp, 'crayon-like,' or like old paint. Toss and restock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: Apr 24, 2026