Calories in sweets and snacks
Sweets and snacks are energy-dense by design: sugar, fat and very little water. Most land between 300 and 600 kcal per 100 g. The interesting differences are in what provides the energy, with sugar and syrups almost pure carbohydrate, chocolate and cookies a mix of sugar and fat, and plain air-popped popcorn a whole grain with real fibre.
Typical traits of sweets and snacks
- Low water, high energy. With little or no water to dilute them, sweets pack a lot of kilojoules into small portions.
- Sugar and fat dominate. Honey, syrups and sugar are almost pure carbohydrate; chocolate, cookies, donuts and chips add substantial fat.
- Quick energy. Simple sugars are absorbed fast, which is useful during long exercise and less so at a desk.
- Not all snacks are equal. Air-popped popcorn and dark chocolate bring fibre; many others bring little beyond energy.
- Portion labels matter. A single cookie or a teaspoon of sugar is small, but bag- and tub-sized portions add up quickly.
Where the energy comes from
Averaged across the 12 sweets and snacks below, most of the energy comes from carbohydrate. The bar shows the average share contributed by each macronutrient (4 kcal per gram for protein and carbohydrate, 9 for fat, 7 for alcohol).
Top 5 rankings
The highest and lowest sweets and snacks for the figures people compare most. Every name links to the full nutrition breakdown.
Lowest in calories
per 100 g
- Ice cream207 kcal
- Maple syrup260 kcal
- Honey304 kcal
- Brown sugar380 kcal
- Popcorn387 kcal
Highest in calories
per 100 g
- Dark chocolate598 kcal
- Nutella539 kcal
- Chocolate chip cookie492 kcal
- Tortilla chips472 kcal
- Oreo471 kcal
Most fibre
per 100 g
- Popcorn14.5 g
- Dark chocolate10.9 g
- Tortilla chips5.4 g
- Donut2.1 g
- Chocolate chip cookie2 g
Calorie table: all 12 sweets and snacks
Energy in kcal and kJ with protein, carbohydrate, fat and fibre. Lowest: Ice cream at 207 kcal; highest: Dark chocolate at 598 kcal per 100 g.
| Food | kcal | kJ | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g | Fibre g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown sugar Packed | 380 | 1,590 | 0.1 | 98.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Chocolate chip cookie Commercially prepared | 492 | 2,059 | 5.1 | 65.4 | 24.7 | 2 |
| Dark chocolate 70–85% cacao solids | 598 | 2,502 | 7.8 | 45.9 | 42.6 | 10.9 |
| Donut Glazed, yeast-leavened | 421 | 1,761 | 6.1 | 47.9 | 22.7 | 2.1 |
| Honey Pure honey | 304 | 1,272 | 0.3 | 82.4 | 0 | 0.2 |
| Ice cream Vanilla | 207 | 866 | 3.5 | 23.6 | 11 | 0.7 |
| Maple syrup Pure | 260 | 1,088 | 0 | 67 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Nutella brand Hazelnut spread with cocoa (EU label) | 539 | 2,255 | 6.3 | 57.5 | 30.9 | 0 |
| Oreo brand Original chocolate sandwich cookies (US label) | 471 | 1,971 | 2.9 | 73.5 | 20.6 | 0 |
| Popcorn Air-popped, plain | 387 | 1,619 | 12.9 | 77.8 | 4.5 | 14.5 |
| Sugar White, granulated | 387 | 1,619 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Tortilla chips Plain, white corn, salted | 472 | 1,975 | 7.1 | 67.8 | 20.7 | 5.4 |
Other food categories
- Fruit · 87 kcal avg
- Vegetables · 44 kcal avg
- Beans, lentils & soy · 135 kcal avg
- Grains, bread & pasta · 256 kcal avg
- Nuts & seeds · 601 kcal avg
- Dairy, eggs & alternatives · 200 kcal avg
- Meat & poultry · 237 kcal avg
- Fish & seafood · 137 kcal avg
- Oils, sauces & condiments · 276 kcal avg
- Drinks · 28 kcal avg
- Alcoholic drinks · 148 kcal avg
To compare categories side by side, see the energy density chart on the food index. To convert any figure between units, use the kilojoule and calorie converter.
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy and FNDDS); branded products from the manufacturer's label. Values are averages; individual samples vary.