How many calories are in a shot of espresso?
USDA numbers for restaurant espresso per shot and per 100 g, plus how to log lattes and cappuccinos built on it.
Espresso is a concentrated brew, and it is slightly higher per gram than drip coffee at 9 calories per 100 g, but a shot is only about 29.6 g, which puts a single at about 3 calories and a double at about 5. In other words, the espresso in any drink is negligible for tracking, whether it is one shot or three. Where people go wrong is assuming a 16 oz latte is "just coffee"; nearly all of its calories come from the milk, the syrup and whatever is on top.
Calories in espresso per 100 g
According to USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy entry “Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared”), 100 g of espresso contains 9 calories (38 kJ), 0.1 g of protein, 1.7 g of carbohydrates and 0.2 g of fat.
| Nutrient (per 100 g) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 9 |
| Energy (kilojoules) | 38 kJ |
| Protein | 0.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1.7 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Total fat | 0.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g |
| Sodium | 14 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 115 mg |
| Calcium | 2 mg |
| Iron | 0.1 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.2 mg |
Calories per serving
Per-100 g numbers are only useful once you know your portion. Typical servings of espresso:
| Serving | Calories | kJ | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 fl oz (30 g) | 3 | 11 | 0 g | 0.5 g | 0.1 g |
Macro breakdown
By energy, espresso is about 76% carbohydrate, 5% protein and 18% fat (using 4 kcal per gram of protein and carbohydrate and 9 kcal per gram of fat).
About 76% of the few calories come from carbohydrate, with 1.7 g per 100 g and 0 g of sugar, but the total is so small that the split does not matter in practice; a shot has about 0.5 g of carbohydrate. Espresso does carry 115 mg of potassium per 100 g, more than the 49 mg in drip coffee, and 14 mg of sodium, but again at shot size these are tiny amounts.
How espresso compares with similar foods
| Food (per 100 g) | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black coffee | 1 | 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Green tea | 1 | 0.2 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Light beer | 29 | 0.2 g | 1.6 g | 0 g |
| Root beer | 41 | 0 g | 11 g | 0 g |
| Cola | 42 | 0 g | 10 g | 0.2 g |
Is espresso good for weight loss?
A straight espresso or an americano is as close to free as a drink gets, at about 3 calories per shot, and both can be a satisfying replacement for a sweet afternoon drink. If you are trying to cut intake, ordering espresso-based drinks with less milk, or a smaller size, is one of the easiest swaps because the espresso flavor stays the same. A macchiato with a splash of milk sits near the bottom of the range; a large flavored latte with whipped cream sits near the top, often with more calories than a snack. Sugar packets and syrups add calories that have nothing to do with the coffee. Count the milk and sweeteners, and the espresso itself can be ignored.
How to log espresso in Cal.AI
Search "espresso" in Cal.AI and set the portion to 29.6 g (1 fl oz) per shot, or use the plus control for a double, and save it for one-tap reuse if it is your daily order. For milk drinks, use Scan Food on the cup and then Fix Results to set the milk type and size; the espresso contributes about 3 calories per shot regardless. The common mistake is logging a latte as espresso and missing the milk entirely, which is where nearly all of the calories are.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a single shot of espresso?
A 1 fl oz shot of restaurant espresso weighs about 29.6 g and has about 3 calories, based on 9 calories per 100 g in USDA data. It contains about 0.5 g of carbohydrate, 0 g of sugar and essentially no fat or protein. A double shot comes to about 5 calories, still far below anything you need to worry about.
Does espresso have more calories than regular coffee?
Per 100 g, yes: espresso is 9 calories while brewed coffee is 1 calorie. But a serving of espresso is tiny, so a 29.6 g shot is about 3 calories while a 237 g cup of brewed coffee is about 2 calories. In practice both are effectively zero, and milk or sugar is what separates one coffee drink from another.
Why does my latte have so many calories if espresso has almost none?
Because a latte is mostly milk. The one or two shots of espresso contribute about 3 to 5 calories, and everything else comes from the milk, any syrup and any whipped topping. When you log a latte, choose the milk and size carefully in Fix Results; changing the milk type or cup size shifts the number far more than adding a shot.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Beverages, coffee, brewed, espresso, restaurant-prepared” (FDC ID 171891). FoodData Central
Related articles
- How many calories are in 2% milk?
- How many kilojoules and calories are in a sausage roll?
- How many calories are in egg whites?
- How many calories are in chickpeas?
- How to track calories when eating out
