Butter: calories, protein, vitamins
USDA FoodData Central data, retrieved October 2026 · state: as eaten
Butter: 717 kcal, 0.9 g protein, 81.1 g fat and 0.1 g carbohydrate per 100 g. A typical portion is 1 heaped teaspoon (10 g): about 72 kcal. Below you will find a table with the share of the daily reference, a comparison with five similar foods and where the numbers come from.
- High in saturated fat · 233%
- High in vitamin A · 86%
- High in sodium · 28%
- Good source of vitamin E · 15%
- Low in carbohydrate
| Nutrition | per 100 g | % daily value | portion (10 g) | % daily value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 717 kcal | 36% | 72 kcal | 4% |
| Protein | 0.85 g | 2% | 0.09 g | 0% |
| Fat | 81.1 g | — | 8.11 g | — |
| Carbohydrate | 0.06 g | — | 0.01 g | — |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0% | 0 g | 0% |
| Sugar(limit) | 0.06 g | 0% | 0.01 g | 0% |
| Saturated fat(limit) | 51.4 g | 233% | 5.14 g | 23% |
| Sodium(limit) | 643 mg | 28% | 64.3 mg | 3% |
| Vitamin A | 684 µg | 86% | 68.4 µg | 9% |
| Vitamin E | 2.32 mg | 15% | 0.23 mg | 2% |
| Vitamin K | 7 µg | 7% | 0.7 µg | 1% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.17 µg | 7% | 0.02 µg | 1% |
Typical portion: 1 heaped teaspoon, 10 g, about 72 kcal. % daily value is for a reference adult (average of men and women); "limit" marks a daily limit, not a target. "High" starts at 20% per 100 g.
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Calories from a photoThese are general estimates generated from published formulas, not a medical prescription. Not reviewed by a doctor or registered dietitian.
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Every number on this page (calorie targets, macro splits and any suggested meal plan) is produced by formulas (Mifflin-St Jeor for basal metabolic rate, standard activity multipliers) or, for AI-generated meal plans, by a language model applying those same formulas. On meal-plan pages the carbohydrate figure for each meal is calculated by difference: total calories minus protein and fat calories, divided by 4. It is not measured or estimated on its own, so read it as an arithmetic balance and not as an independent nutritional analysis of the dish. None of it is individualized medical or nutritional advice, and none of it has been reviewed by a registered dietitian, physician or other licensed healthcare professional.
Ask your doctor or a registered dietitian what is right for you before starting a new diet, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a diagnosed medical condition, take prescription medication, or have a history of disordered eating. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your clinician before raising protein.
Mealyno never recommends a calorie target below your calculated Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), the minimum energy your body needs at complete rest. Even the most aggressive weight-loss setting is clamped at that floor.
Calorie and BMR estimates use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990).
Generated: October 2026
Also searched as: salted butter.
About this food: Butter
The USDA entry is salted butter with about 81.1 g of fat per 100 g, which corresponds to the common 82 percent type. Many shops in Ukraine also sell 72 or 73 percent spread called selyanske, which has more water and fewer calories per spoon, so check the fat percentage on the pack and read these figures as the top of the range. Unsalted butter has similar energy and far less sodium than the salted one used here.
The portion is a heaped teaspoon, about 10 g, which gives 72 kcal. A thin layer on a slice of bread is roughly that much, but a thick spread, a lump melting into porridge or mashed potatoes and a spoonful in the frying pan can be three or four times heavier. Weigh a block once and learn how it looks: a standard 180 g pack is easy to divide into marked slices, and a square of five grams is hard to see.
Butter has almost no protein (0.9 g per 100 g) and no carbohydrate, so it is almost entirely fat. In the kitchen it burns easily above medium heat, because the milk solids brown quickly, so mix it with a little oil for frying. Ghee is butter with the water and solids removed, so its per 100 g figures are higher. Margarine and spreads are separate foods. Keep butter wrapped in its foil, away from strong smells, since it absorbs them.
What it is high and low in
Butter is high in vitamin A (86%) per 100 g (share of the daily reference in brackets). It is a good source of vitamin E (15%).
It is also high in nutrients with a daily limit: saturated fat (233%) and sodium (28%) (share of the daily limit). It is low in carbohydrate (up to 5 g per 100 g). The rule is the same for every food: "high" means at least 20% of the daily reference in 100 g, "good source" means 10-19%. For protein it takes at least 8 g per 100 g and a fifth of the calories from protein.
How it compares with similar foods
We compared butter with the five foods in our table that are closest in composition (Mayonnaise, Coconut oil, Olive oil, Sunflower oil and Pork backfat (salo)), per 100 g.
Rank among the six: Protein (1 = most): 3rd of 6; Calories (1 = fewest): 2nd of 6; Carbohydrate (1 = fewest): 5th of 6. The order is computed from the USDA values, so it moves if the table changes.
| Food | kcal | protein | fat | carbs | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 717 | 0.9 | 81.1 | 0.1 | 0 |
| Mayonnaise | 680 | 1 | 74.9 | 0.6 | 0 |
| Coconut oil | 892 | 0 | 99.1 | 0 | 0 |
| Olive oil | 884 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Sunflower oil | 884 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Pork backfat (salo) | 812 | 2.9 | 88.7 | 0 | 0 |
All values per 100 g.
Where the numbers come from
The values on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (entry 173410: "Butter, salted"). It is the US government's reference database and its data is public domain (CC0). We retrieved it on October 4, 2026 and show it per 100 g of the food in the stated state (as eaten). When USDA reports no value for a vitamin or mineral we write "no data", never zero.
The daily value column compares each amount with a reference adult: the average of the adult male and female values in the US and Canada Dietary Reference Intakes (age 19-30), a 2,000 kcal day and 50 g of protein. Sodium (2300 mg), sugar (90 g of total sugars, the EU reference intake) and saturated fat (22 g, under 10% of calories) are limits, not targets. These are general guides for healthy adults, not medical advice.
The portion weight is a typical size, not a USDA value, so weigh your own portion.
Calorie and nutrient questions
How many calories are in 100 g of butter?
717 kcal per 100 g, with 0.9 g protein, 81.1 g fat and 0.1 g carbohydrate. A typical portion (1 heaped teaspoon, 10 g) has about 72 kcal.
How much protein is in butter?
100 g has 0.9 g of protein, which is 2% of a 50 g daily reference, and a typical portion (10 g) has 0.1 g. Protein supplies 0% of its calories.
Which vitamins and minerals does butter contain?
The most per 100 g, as a share of the daily reference: vitamin A 684 µg (86%); vitamin E 2.32 mg (15%). Every other tracked vitamin or mineral is under 10% or has no USDA value.