Calories (energy): what it does & best food sources

What it is

The calories you need depend on your age, sex, height, weight and level of physical activity. Pay attention to portion sizes, particularly for foods and drinks higher in calories. USDA

How much do adults need?

• US No single number: the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025–2030 express their serving goals for a 2,000-calorie pattern and ask you to adjust to your own needs. Estimated needs by age, sex and activity are in the earlier edition’s calorie table. USDAUSDA

Most energy per portion

Food	Portion	Calories (energy)
Sweet potato	200 g	238 kcal
Wholemeal pasta, boiled	180 g	234 kcal
Salmon	125 g	225 kcal
Walnuts	30 g	216 kcal
Red lentils (dry)	60 g	200 kcal
Sardines in oil, drained	90 g	200 kcal
Trout	125 g	195 kcal
Buckwheat groats (dry)	60 g	193 kcal
Brown rice, boiled	150 g	192 kcal
Herring	125 g	188 kcal
Mackerel	125 g	186 kcal
Lentils, boiled	150 g	179 kcal
Oat flakes (rolled oats)	50 g	174 kcal
Eggs, boiled	120 g (2 eggs)	173 kcal
Tofu	150 g	173 kcal

Per normal portion. Values from BLS 4.0.

Sources

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 — U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025 (Appendix 2: Estimated calorie needs) — U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health & Human Services
• Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) 4.0 — German Nutrient Database — Max Rubner-Institut