Pork backfat (salo): vitamins, minerals, % daily value
USDA FoodData Central data, retrieved October 2026 · state: raw
Pork backfat (salo): 812 kcal, 2.9 g protein, 88.7 g fat and 0 g carbohydrate per 100 g. A typical portion is 1 slice (20 g): about 162 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 · 146%
- High in vitamin D · 21%
- Good source of selenium · 15%
- Low in carbohydrate
| Nutrition | per 100 g | % daily value | portion (20 g) | % daily value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 812 kcal | 41% | 162 kcal | 8% |
| Protein | 2.92 g | 6% | 0.58 g | 1% |
| Fat | 88.7 g | — | 17.7 g | — |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | — | 0 g | — |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0% | 0 g | 0% |
| Sugar(limit) | 0 g | 0% | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated fat(limit) | 32.2 g | 146% | 6.44 g | 29% |
| Sodium(limit) | 11 mg | 0% | 2.2 mg | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 3.1 µg | 21% | 0.62 µg | 4% |
| Selenium | 8 µg | 15% | 1.6 µg | 3% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.18 µg | 8% | 0.04 µg | 2% |
| Vitamin B1 (thiamine) | 0.08 mg | 7% | 0.02 mg | 1% |
| Vitamin B3 (niacin) | 0.99 mg | 7% | 0.2 mg | 1% |
| Phosphorus | 38 mg | 5% | 7.6 mg | 1% |
Typical portion: 1 slice, 20 g, about 162 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.
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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: salo, pork fat, pork lard fat.
About this food: Pork backfat (salo)
Salo is almost pure fat: 88.7 g of fat per 100 g, with only 2.9 g of protein and no carbohydrate, which puts it at 812 kcal. A typical thin slice of 20 g comes to about 162 kcal, and that is the figure worth logging, since few people eat a hundred grams at one sitting.
The data here describes fresh, unsalted backfat. Salted salo, whether dry-cured or from a jar with garlic, has almost the same calories, because salt adds no energy, but it holds far more sodium. A piece with meat streaks, the kind sold as 'with a vein', differs a little: the meat adds some protein and lowers the fat per gram.
Weigh slices instead of counting them, because a hand-cut slice can easily be twice the typical one. Salo is usually eaten on rye bread with garlic and pickled cucumber, and the bread has its own entry. When salo is rendered into cracklings and lard, the fat drains away, but whatever stays in the dish still counts. Keep it wrapped in parchment in the fridge or freezer, since it picks up the smell of other food.
What it is high and low in
Pork backfat (salo) is high in vitamin D (21%) per 100 g (share of the daily reference in brackets). It is a good source of selenium (15%).
It is also high in nutrients with a daily limit: saturated fat (146%) (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 pork backfat (salo) with the five foods in our table that are closest in composition (Raw ground beef 80/20, Cooked bacon, Raw ground pork, Raw pork loin and Cooked lamb), per 100 g.
Rank among the six: Protein (1 = most): 6th of 6; Calories (1 = fewest): 6th of 6; Carbohydrate (1 = fewest): 1st of 6. The order is computed from the USDA values, so it moves if the table changes.
| Food | kcal | protein | fat | carbs | fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pork backfat (salo) | 812 | 2.9 | 88.7 | 0 | 0 |
| Raw ground beef 80/20 | 254 | 17.2 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooked bacon | 548 | 35.7 | 43.3 | 1.4 | 0 |
| Raw ground pork | 218 | 18 | 16 | 0.4 | 0 |
| Raw pork loin | 198 | 19.7 | 12.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Cooked lamb | 294 | 24.5 | 20.9 | 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 167811: "Pork, fresh, backfat, raw"). 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 (raw). When USDA reports no value for a vitamin or mineral we write "no data", never zero.
About how the food maps to the USDA entry: This is fresh, unsalted backfat. Salted salo has nearly the same calories but far more sodium.
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 pork backfat (salo)?
812 kcal per 100 g, with 2.9 g protein, 88.7 g fat and 0 g carbohydrate. A typical portion (1 slice, 20 g) has about 162 kcal.
How much protein is in pork backfat (salo)?
100 g has 2.9 g of protein, which is 6% of a 50 g daily reference, and a typical portion (20 g) has 0.6 g. Protein supplies 1% of its calories.
Which vitamins and minerals does pork backfat (salo) contain?
The most per 100 g, as a share of the daily reference: vitamin D 3.1 µg (21%); selenium 8 µg (15%). Every other tracked vitamin or mineral is under 10% or has no USDA value.