Calories in Olive Oil
Olive oil contains 884 kcal per 100ml — pure fat. A 1 Tbsp serving (15ml) is 120 kcal; 1 tsp is 40 kcal. Extra-virgin olive oil is the primary fat in the Mediterranean diet.
Nutrition by portion size
| Portion | kcal | Carbs (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp olive oil (5ml) | 40 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | — |
| 1 Tbsp olive oil (15ml) | 119 | 0 | 0 | 13.5 | — |
| 2 Tbsp olive oil | 239 | 0 | 0 | 27 | — |
| 100ml olive oil | 804 | 0 | 0 | 91 | — |
| 1/4 cup olive oil | 477 | 0 | 0 | 54 | — |
About these numbers
Extra-virgin olive oil is the central food of the Mediterranean diet and one of the most evidence-supported single ingredients in cardiology research. The PREDIMED trial (Estruch 2013/2018 NEJM) randomised 7,447 high-CV-risk adults to Mediterranean diet with EVOO (1 L/week provided) vs control low-fat diet — the EVOO group showed 30% lower major cardiovascular events over 5 years.
The mechanism is attributed to monounsaturated fat (oleic acid, 70% of olive oil fatty acids) plus polyphenols (oleocanthal, oleuropein) that survive in unrefined extra-virgin oil but are removed during refining. The 2020 Guasch-Ferré meta-analysis found each 10g increase in daily olive oil intake was associated with 12% lower CHD risk and 8% lower all-cause mortality.
The caveat: pure calorie density. At 120 kcal per Tbsp, olive oil adds calories quickly. "Drizzling generously" can easily mean 3–4 Tbsp per meal = 360–480 kcal of pure fat. For weight management, measure olive oil deliberately rather than free-pouring.
Use the calculators
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Frequently asked questions
- How many calories are in olive oil?
- 1 Tbsp (15ml) of olive oil contains 119 kcal — pure fat (13.5g). 1 tsp is 40 kcal. 1 cup is 1,910 kcal. Olive oil is one of the most calorie-dense foods on the planet, since fat provides 9 kcal per gram and olive oil is essentially 100% fat.
- Is olive oil good for weight loss?
- Yes when used purposefully (1–2 Tbsp/day), no when free-poured. The Mediterranean diet — built around olive oil — produces equivalent or better weight loss vs low-fat diets at matched calories (DIETFITS 2018 JAMA). The cardiovascular benefit is substantial. The catch is portion: every Tbsp adds 120 kcal, so "a drizzle" needs to mean ~1 Tbsp, not 3. Measure deliberately.
- Extra-virgin or regular olive oil?
- Extra-virgin is meaningfully better for health. The PREDIMED trial specifically used EVOO and its cardiovascular benefits are attributed in part to polyphenols (oleocanthal, oleuropein) that survive in unrefined oil but are removed during refining. Regular ("pure") olive oil has been refined — same fat profile, lower polyphenol content. For finishing dishes and salads, use EVOO. For very high-heat frying (>200°C), regular olive oil or avocado oil is fine.
- Olive oil or butter for cooking?
- Olive oil has substantially better cardiovascular evidence (PREDIMED 2013, Guasch-Ferré 2020). Butter is rich in saturated fat which the 2020 Mensink WHO review noted modestly raises LDL cholesterol. The 2018 Astrup et al. analysis qualified this somewhat (full-fat dairy in food matrix is neutral). For evidence-based daily cooking, olive oil wins. For occasional baking and traditional preparations, butter is fine. Coconut oil is between the two — high saturated fat but neutral in most outcome studies.
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