How many calories are in a hamburger?
USDA numbers for a plain single-patty fast-food hamburger per sandwich and per 100 g, with protein, fat and sodium.
A plain single-patty fast-food hamburger is 297 calories per 100 g, and the regular-size sandwich weighs about 78 g, which puts it at about 232 calories. That is smaller than most people expect because the USDA entry is the basic value-menu burger: bun, patty, ketchup, pickle, onion. Double patties, cheese, bacon, special sauce and larger buns each add to the base, so the burger you order is often two or three times this weight.
Calories in hamburger per 100 g
According to USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy entry “Fast foods, hamburger; single, regular patty; plain”), 100 g of hamburger contains 297 calories (1,243 kJ), 17 g of protein, 32 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat.
| Nutrient (per 100 g) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 297 |
| Energy (kilojoules) | 1,243 kJ |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32 g |
| Fiber | 1.7 g |
| Sugars | 4.9 g |
| Total fat | 12 g |
| Saturated fat | 4.5 g |
| Sodium | 331 mg |
| Cholesterol | 33 mg |
| Potassium | 197 mg |
| Calcium | 62 mg |
| Iron | 3.1 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
Calories per serving
Per-100 g numbers are only useful once you know your portion. Typical servings of hamburger:
| Serving | Calories | kJ | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sandwich (78 g) | 232 | 969 | 13 g | 25 g | 9.4 g |
Macro breakdown
Calories split into about 42% carbohydrate (mostly the bun), 36% fat and a solid 22% protein, with 16.5 g of protein per 100 g. Sodium is 331 mg per 100 g, about 258 mg per sandwich, and saturated fat is 4.5 g per 100 g; a cheeseburger of the same style adds to both.
How hamburger compares with similar foods
| Food (per 100 g) | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken nuggets | 307 | 16 g | 15 g | 20 g |
| Cheeseburger | 308 | 17 g | 28 g | 15 g |
| French fries | 312 | 3.4 g | 41 g | 15 g |
| Fish sticks | 277 | 11 g | 22 g | 16 g |
| Breakfast burrito | 277 | 11 g | 23 g | 16 g |
Is hamburger good for weight loss?
A plain hamburger is one of the more reasonable fast-food choices, at about 232 calories with 12.9 g of protein in a 78 g sandwich. The protein helps it feel like a meal rather than a snack, especially compared with sweet or fried sides of similar calories. The order around it is where the trouble starts: a medium fries (about 365 calories) and a 12 oz cola (about 155) add about 520 calories, more than double the burger itself. If you want to stay in a deficit, order the burger with water and skip or share the fries. A second plain burger (about 464 calories for the pair) is often better for fullness than one burger plus fries.
How to log hamburger in Cal.AI
Use Scan Food on the burger, then Fix Results to add cheese or a second patty if the app picked the plain version, or search "hamburger" and set the weight: a regular single-patty sandwich is about 78 g. Many chains have named items in Library, so searching by menu name is often faster. The common mistake is logging a quarter-pound burger as a regular 78 g hamburger.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a plain hamburger?
A regular single-patty plain fast-food hamburger weighs about 78 g and has about 232 calories, with 12.9 g of protein, 24.6 g of carbohydrate and 9.4 g of fat, based on 297 calories per 100 g in USDA data. Larger burgers scale with weight, so a 156 g double is roughly 464 calories before cheese.
How many calories does cheese add to a hamburger?
Comparing the two USDA entries, a plain cheeseburger is 91 g and about 280 calories, while a plain hamburger is 78 g and about 232 calories. That is a difference of about 48 calories, and the cheeseburger also has 469 mg of sodium per sandwich versus 258 mg for the hamburger. Saturated fat goes from 3.5 g to 5.9 g.
Is a hamburger a good source of protein?
Yes for its size. A 78 g plain hamburger provides about 12.9 g of protein, and protein makes up about 22% of the calories. Per 100 g it is 16.5 g of protein, which is more than most fast-food sides offer. If protein is your goal, the patty is doing the work; the bun supplies most of the carbohydrate.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Fast foods, hamburger; single, regular patty; plain” (FDC ID 170693). FoodData Central
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