Nuts and Seeds Highest in Calories

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Nuts and Seeds Highest in Calories

For those looking to gain weight and eat more calories, nuts and seeds can be a great option. In addition to being high in protein and fiber, nuts and seeds can add a real boost to your overall caloric intake.

A one-ounce portion of nuts (about a handful) provides between 128-204 calories. Assuming a daily goal of 2000 calories (DV) this is between 6-10% DV for a handful of nuts. Nuts and seeds high in calories include macadamia nuts, pecans, dried coconut, Brazil nuts, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds.

Even though peanuts are technically legumes, they are included in this list since they are commonly consumed as nuts.

Below are 12 nuts and seeds highest in calories. For more, see the list of high calorie nut and seed butters, and the complete ranking of all nuts and seeds high in calories.

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Nut and Seed Butter with the Most Calories

FoodServingCalories
1. Sunflower Seed Butter 1 tblsp 5% DV
(99)
2. Almond Butter 1 tblsp 5% DV
(98)
3. Peanut Butter 1 tblsp 5% DV
(94)
4. Cashew Butter 1 tblsp 5% DV
(94)
5. Sesame Butter (Tahini) 1 tblsp 4% DV
(86)

About the Data

Data for the curated food lists comes from the USDA Food Data Central Repository.

You can check our data against the USDA by clicking the (Source) link at the bottom of each food listing.

Note: When checking data please be sure the serving sizes are the same. In the rare case you find any difference, please contact us and we will fix it right away.

About Nutrient Targets

Setting targets can provide a guide to healthy eating.

Some of the most popular targets include:
  • Daily Value (%DV) - The daily value (%DV) is a general guideline for consumption that will prevent deficiency of a particular nutrient in most people. The %DV refers to the percentage of an amount that\'s found in a single serving of a food. It also accounts for absorption factors. It is set by the U.S. FDA.
  • Recommended Dietary Allowance (%RDA) - The RDA sets an average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97.5%) healthy individuals. It\'s more specific than the daily value, and varies by age and gender. The RDA is set by the US National Institutes of Health.
  • Reference Dietary Intake (%RDI) -The reference dietary intake is similar to the recommended daily allowance, but is specific to age and gender. The RDI for amino acids is set by the U.N. World Health Organization.
  • Adequate Intake (%AI) - This value is primarily used in reference to omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The Adequate Intake is set by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Because there is less evidence to determine the ideal targets for consumption of these nutrients, the specific amount is considered to be less reliable. Using the term Adequate Intake, rather than one of the other terms, helps to emphasize that the ideal intake of that particular nutrient has not yet been scientifically determined.

See the Guide to Recommended Daily Intakes for more information.

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Use the ranking tool links below to select foods and create your own food list to share or print.


View more nutrients with the nutrient ranking tool, or see ratios with the nutrient ratio tool.

Data Sources and References

  1. U.S. Agricultural Research Service Food Data Central
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