Honey: how many calories?

Honey carries 304 calories per 100 grams; a typical portion (20 g) comes to 61 calories. The tables below give the same figure in cups, spoons and slices.

100 g304kcal
  • Protein0.3 g
  • Carbs82.0 g
  • Fat0.0 g
  • Fibre0.2 g
1 portion · 20 g61kcal
  • Protein0.1 g
  • Carbs16.4 g
  • Fat0.0 g
  • Fibre0.0 g

Where do the calories come from?

  • Protein 0%
  • Carbs 100%
  • Fat 0%

These percentages come from calories, not from grams: a gram of protein or carbohydrate counts as 4 calories, a gram of fat as 9. Alcohol is left out of the sum, fibre is counted with the carbohydrate, and the total always lands on one hundred.

What do these numbers mean on the plate?

Honey carries 3.0 calories per gram: 33 grams are enough for 100 calories. This is the band of cheese and desserts — the smaller the portion, the more the eye is fooled, because a small amount looks like few calories.

A typical portion is 20 g. Because tables are written per 100 grams, counting the portion as 100 grams too is a common mistake; for Honey that means overstating the calories by 400%.

In calories, one portion (20 g · 61 kcal) comes to: 20 g Raisins. Raisins page

One portion every day adds up to 22,192 calories a year — roughly a 2.9 kg difference. This is a linear estimate and an upper bound: as weight changes, daily needs change with it. Build your own timeline

For oils the calories per gram are almost constant; the only thing that changes is how full the spoon is. And part of what goes into the pan stays in the food.

Household measure equivalents

MeasureGramCaloriesProtein
Teaspoon (5 ml)7.0 g21 kcal0.0 g
Dessert spoon (10 ml)14 g43 kcal0.0 g
Tablespoon (15 ml)21 g64 kcal0.1 g
Glass (200 ml)282 g857 kcal0.8 g
1 serving20 g61 kcal0.1 g

Cup and spoon equivalents come from the food's bulk density, not from volume: a cup holds 200 millilitres, not 200 grams. Packing and how finely something is chopped move these numbers by 10-20%. Convert your own measure

How much of the daily reference intake?

NutrientDaily reference100 g1 portion · 20 g
Calories2,000 kcal15%3%
Fat70 g0%0%
Carbs260 g32%6%
Protein50 g1%0%
Fibre25 g1%0%

The reference values are the figures EU Regulation 1169/2011 gives for an average adult — the %RI column on labels rests on the same numbers. They are not a personal target; the fibre row is not in the regulation, the 25 grams there is EFSA's adequate intake for adults. Work out your own calorie needs

Where does it sit within its group?

It is number 4 of the 10 foods in the Oils, sauces and sweeteners group by calories per 100 grams. The group averages 490 kcal; Honey is 38% below that average.

Lighter options at the same 20 grams

FoodCaloriesDifferenceProtein
MustardGood swap13 kcal−48 kcal0.9 g
KetchupGood swap20 kcal−41 kcal0.3 g
JamGood swap56 kcal−5 kcal0.1 g

The “good swap” mark only appears when an option lowers the calories without also lowering protein and fibre per 100 calories. Unmarked rows save calories but give up nutrient density. Try it with your own portion

How long does it take to burn one portion (20 g)?

  • Walking — brisk (5.6 km/h)15 min
  • Running — 8 km/h (7:30 min/km)7 min
  • Cycling — 16-19 km/h9 min

The times are for someone weighing 70 kilos and use NET burn: the resting calories that would have been spent anyway over the same period are subtracted. The heavier the person, the shorter the time. Calculate with your own weight

Foods with similar calories

Which claims could its label carry?

EU Regulation 1924/2006 ties every label claim to a numeric threshold. Honey meets 1 of them:

  • Fat-free100 g → 0.0 g fat · threshold: at most 0.5 g

A claim on a label rests on that product's OWN laboratory analysis, whereas the numbers here come from average composition tables. The list is therefore not a permit but an estimate of which side of the threshold a product sits on. For drinks, the calorie and fat thresholds are set per 100 millilitres and are lower. Interpret your own label

Apply these numbers to your own portion

The values are averages taken from standard composition tables; a 10-15% difference between two products with the same name is normal, and the cooking method can double that gap. This page is for information and is not medical advice.