How many kilojoules and calories are in Vegemite?
AUSNUT 2023 figures for yeast spread per teaspoon, single-serve packet and tablespoon, with the sodium in each and how to log it.
Vegemite is concentrated, so per 100 g it looks substantial at 683 kJ, but a thin spread weighs very little: a teaspoon (6 g) is about 41 kJ (10 Cal). The AUSNUT 2023 entry is listed as 'Spread, yeast, vegemite', a generic database food rather than the manufacturer's own figures, so check the jar's label if you want brand-exact numbers. The common mistake runs both ways: people either skip it as if it had no energy, or log the per-100 g figure as if it were a serve.
Kilojoules and calories in Vegemite per 100 g
According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand's AUSNUT 2023 database (food “Spread, yeast, vegemite”), 100 g of Vegemite contains 683 kJ (163 Cal), 24 g of protein, 11 g of carbohydrate and 0.9 g of fat.
| Nutrient (per 100 g) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 683 kJ |
| Calories | 163 Cal |
| Protein | 24 g |
| Carbohydrate (available) | 11 g |
| Dietary fibre | 6.5 g |
| Sugars | 1.6 g |
| Added sugars | 0 g |
| Total fat | 0.9 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.1 g |
| Sodium | 3000 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Potassium | 2122 mg |
| Calcium | 68 mg |
| Iron | 4 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
Kilojoules per serve
Per-100 g numbers are only useful once you know your serve. Typical serves of Vegemite, with kilojoules first as on Australian labels:
| Serve | kJ | Cal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (6 g) | 41 | 10 | 1.5 g | 0.7 g | 0.1 g |
| 1 single-serve packet (5 g) | 34 | 8 | 1.2 g | 0.5 g | 0 g |
| 1 tablespoon (24 g) | 164 | 39 | 5.9 g | 2.6 g | 0.2 g |
A teaspoon (6 g) is about 41 kJ, or 0.5% of the 8,700 kJ average adult daily energy intake used as the reference on Australian kilojoule menu boards.
Macro breakdown
By energy, Vegemite is about 29% carbohydrate, 65% protein and 5% fat (using 17 kJ per gram of protein and carbohydrate and 37 kJ per gram of fat).
Protein supplies most of Vegemite's energy, but the amounts are small, about 1.5 g in a teaspoon, so it flavours a meal rather than adding protein to it. The standout figure is sodium at 3,000 mg per 100 g, and AUSNUT also lists 2,122 mg of potassium and 4 mg of iron per 100 g.
How Vegemite compares with similar foods
| Food (per 100 g) | kJ | Cal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bircher muesli | 618 | 148 | 4.3 g | 20 g | 4.8 g |
| Porridge made with milk | 587 | 140 | 5.9 g | 18 g | 4.6 g |
| Crumpet (toasted) | 930 | 222 | 7.1 g | 43 g | 1.2 g |
| Acai bowl | 342 | 82 | 1.5 g | 9.5 g | 3.6 g |
| Banana bread | 1,228 | 294 | 5.7 g | 43 g | 11 g |
Is Vegemite good for weight loss?
Per 100 g Vegemite looks moderately energy dense at 683 kJ, but nobody eats it by the 100 g, and a thin scrape adds very little to a meal. On a round toasted crumpet (42 g, 391 kJ), a teaspoon adds about 41 kJ, around a tenth of the crumpet's own energy. The spread underneath usually matters more, because butter and margarine are mostly fat, so try Vegemite on its own or over a light scrape. A tablespoon (24 g) is still only 164 kJ (39 Cal), but it carries 720 mg of sodium, so a thin layer keeps both numbers low.
How to log Vegemite in Cal.AI
Cal.AI counts in calories, so a 41 kJ teaspoon is 10 Cal; divide kJ by 4.184 to convert. Log it as its own item next to the toast or crumpet, and use Fix Results to set the weight: 6 g for a teaspoon, 5 g for a single-serve packet or 24 g for a tablespoon. The common mistake is logging the Vegemite and forgetting the butter under it, so add the spread as a separate item too.
Frequently asked questions
How many kilojoules are in a teaspoon of Vegemite?
A teaspoon of Vegemite (6 g) has about 41 kJ (10 Cal) in AUSNUT 2023, with about 1.5 g of protein, 0.7 g of carbohydrate and almost no fat. A single-serve packet (5 g) is about 34 kJ (8 Cal), and a tablespoon (24 g) is about 164 kJ (39 Cal). The toast and butter underneath are logged separately.
How much sodium is in Vegemite?
AUSNUT 2023 lists 3,000 mg of sodium per 100 g of yeast spread, so a teaspoon (6 g) has about 180 mg, a single-serve packet (5 g) about 150 mg and a tablespoon (24 g) about 720 mg. Because the kilojoules are so low, sodium is the number that climbs with a thicker spread, so a thin scrape keeps it down. Check the jar's label for brand figures.
Does Vegemite have sugar or fat?
Very little of either. AUSNUT 2023 lists 1.6 g of sugar per 100 g, none of it added, and 0.9 g of fat, so a teaspoon has about 0.1 g of each. Most of the energy comes from protein, 24.4 g per 100 g, and there is 6.5 g of fibre per 100 g. In a 6 g teaspoon, all of these amounts are small.
Sources
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand. AUSNUT 2023 food nutrient database: “Spread, yeast, vegemite” (food ID 31102001), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Calories and per-serve amounts calculated by Cal.AI (1 Cal = 4.184 kJ). FSANZ AUSNUT 2023
- NSW Food Authority. Fast Choices program: nutritional information menu labelling. NSW Food Authority
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