Calories in peanut butter

Smooth style, with salt. 588 kcal (2,460 kJ) per 100 g. Choose a portion below and every figure on the page updates.

Peanut butter is one of the most calorie-dense foods in a typical kitchen at 588 kcal per 100 g. The practical number is per tablespoon: about 16 g and 94 kcal, and it is very easy to serve two or three tablespoons without noticing.

Where the energy comes from

Share of total energy contributed by each macronutrient, using the standard 4/4/9 kcal per gram factors:

Things worth knowing

• A heaped tablespoon can weigh 20 to 24 g rather than the nominal 16 g, so eyeballed portions routinely underestimate by 30 to 50 percent.
• Reduced-fat peanut butter saves far less than expected, typically about 550 kcal per 100 g, because the removed fat is usually replaced with maltodextrin or sugar.
• Natural peanut butter made from 100 percent peanuts has essentially the same calories as the commercial version but far less sodium and no added sugar.
• Roughly half the fat is monounsaturated; peanut butter also supplies useful niacin, vitamin E, and magnesium.

Converting these figures

One 1 tbsp of peanut butter is 94 kcal, which is 394 kJ. To convert any other figure, divide kilojoules by 4.184 for calories, or use the converter on the home page.

It takes 41 g of peanut butter to reach 1,000 kJ (239 kcal). See how that compares with other foods on the 1000 kJ to calories page.