Calories in Olive Oil: Per Tablespoon

One tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil delivers 119 calories — all from fat, with zero protein and zero carbohydrate (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 748608).

That single number trips up a lot of careful eaters. Olive oil pours smoothly and looks like a small drizzle, but at 9 calories per gram it is the most energy-dense macronutrient category. Knowing the exact figure — and where it comes from — makes it easier to track honestly.

Calories and macros by portion

Portion	Weight	Calories	Total Fat	Saturated Fat	Carbs	Protein
1 teaspoon	4.5 g	40 kcal	4.5 g	0.6 g	0 g	0 g
1 tablespoon	13.5 g	119 kcal	13.5 g	1.9 g	0 g	0 g
2 tablespoons	27 g	239 kcal	27 g	3.7 g	0 g	0 g
1 oz (30 g)	30 g	265 kcal	30 g	4.1 g	0 g	0 g
100 g	100 g	884 kcal	100 g	13.8 g	0 g	0 g

Source: USDA FoodData Central, extra-virgin olive oil (FDC ID 748608).

What those macros mean

Olive oil is pure fat — roughly 73% monounsaturated (primarily oleic acid, 18:1), 11% polyunsaturated, and 14% saturated. The high monounsaturated fraction is associated with favorable LDL and HDL patterns in observational research (Schwingshackl and Hoffmann, Lipids in Health and Disease, 2014). There are also small amounts of polyphenols such as oleocanthal in extra-virgin grades, though the contribution to daily antioxidant intake depends on the specific oil and how it is stored.

Because it is 100% fat and 0% everything else, it does not contribute to fiber, vitamin, or mineral targets. The calories are entirely real — they do not carry fiber to slow absorption or protein to trigger satiety hormones.

Does it fit your goals?

Weight loss. Olive oil is not a diet food, but it is not a diet enemy either. The Mediterranean diet, which uses olive oil liberally, consistently shows better long-term adherence than low-fat approaches. The practical rule: measure rather than pour freely. Two tablespoons in a salad dressing is 239 calories that many people do not log. One teaspoon sautéed into vegetables is 40 calories. The difference is not in the oil — it is in the portion. If you are tracking a calorie deficit, use the TDEE calculator to confirm your daily target, then account for every tablespoon.

Blood sugar. Olive oil has no carbohydrates and a glycemic index of zero, so it does not drive a glucose spike. Research suggests that drizzling olive oil on a high-carb meal can modestly blunt the post-meal glucose rise by slowing gastric emptying (Gentilcore et al., Diabetes Care, 2006). For a deeper look at how meal composition interacts with blood sugar, see our guide on glycemic load explained.

Macros. If you are following a fat-adjusted macro plan — keto, Mediterranean, or a higher-fat deficit — plug your numbers into the macro calculator to see how much room oil portions take within your daily fat budget.

Practical tracking tips

A kitchen scale removes the guesswork entirely: one tablespoon of olive oil weighs 13–14 g depending on how full the spoon is, so the error between a “level” and a “generous” pour is roughly 10–20 calories. Over multiple meals per day that gap compounds quickly.

If you are cooking rather than dressing, note that olive oil absorbed into food during sautéing does not evaporate — all the calories stay in the pan and transfer to the food.

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