Watermelon: how many calories?

Watermelon carries 30 calories per 100 grams; a typical portion (200 g) comes to 60 calories. The tables below give the same figure in cups, spoons and slices.

100 g30kcal
  • Protein0.6 g
  • Carbs7.6 g
  • Fat0.2 g
  • Fibre0.4 g
1 portion · 200 g60kcal
  • Protein1.2 g
  • Carbs15.2 g
  • Fat0.4 g
  • Fibre0.8 g

Where do the calories come from?

  • Protein 7%
  • Carbs 88%
  • Fat 5%

The shares are calculated from the calorie value of the macros: protein and carbohydrate are 4 calories per gram, fat is 9. Fibre is counted inside the carbohydrate and there is no alcohol in this list, which is why the three shares always add up to one hundred percent.

What do these numbers mean on the plate?

Watermelon carries 0.3 calories per gram: it takes 333 grams to reach 100 calories. In this band the portion is hard to misjudge by eye, because piling up calories means genuinely filling the plate.

A typical portion is 200 g. Because tables are written per 100 grams, counting the portion as 100 grams too is a common mistake; for Watermelon that means understating the calories by 50%.

In calories, one portion (200 g · 60 kcal) comes to: 176 g Milk — skimmed. Milk — skimmed page

One portion every day adds up to 21,900 calories a year — roughly a 2.8 kg difference. This is a linear estimate and an upper bound: as weight changes, daily needs change with it. Build your own timeline

In fruit and vegetables the calories are diluted by water; the dried form is several times denser at the same weight.

Household measure equivalents

MeasureGramCaloriesProtein
Tablespoon (15 ml)9.4 g3 kcal0.1 g
Small glass (100 ml)63 g19 kcal0.4 g
Glass (200 ml)126 g38 kcal0.8 g
US cup (240 ml)151 g45 kcal0.9 g
Bowl (300 ml)189 g57 kcal1.1 g
1 slice200 g60 kcal1.2 g

A cup measures 200 millilitres, not 200 grams; the grams in the table therefore come from the food's own bulk density rather than from volume. Packing the cup down or chopping more finely shifts the figure by 10-20%. Convert your own measure

How much of the daily reference intake?

NutrientDaily reference100 g1 portion · 200 g
Calories2,000 kcal2%3%
Fat70 g0%1%
Carbs260 g3%6%
Protein50 g1%2%
Fibre25 g2%3%

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 12 foods in the Fruit and vegetables group by calories per 100 grams. The group averages 51 kcal; Watermelon is 41% below that average.

Lighter options at the same 200 grams

FoodCaloriesDifferenceProtein
CucumberGood swap30 kcal−30 kcal1.4 g
TomatoGood swap36 kcal−24 kcal1.8 g
Spinach — boiledGood swap46 kcal−14 kcal6.0 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 (200 g)?

  • Walking — brisk (5.6 km/h)15 min
  • Running — 8 km/h (7:30 min/km)7 min
  • Cycling — 16-19 km/h8 min

These minutes are the NET burn for a 70 kg body: the resting calories that would have been spent sitting on the sofa anyway are already taken out of the total. A heavier body gets the same work done in less 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. Watermelon meets 2 of them:

  • Low energy100 g → 30 kcal · threshold: at most 40 kcal
  • Fat-free100 g → 0.2 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.