One cup chopped raw broccoli has about 31 calories; 100 g raw broccoli has about 34 calories.
Broccoli keeps calorie counts low while packing bite, crunch, and color. If you want a fast answer for meal tracking, think in two handy anchors: a cup of raw chopped broccoli lands near the low thirties, and a 100 gram serving sits in the mid-thirties. Cook it and water drops, so calories per cup creep up, while calories per 100 grams stay close. The sections below give clear numbers, serving cues, and cooking tips that make planning simple.
How Many Calories Are In Broccoli: Per 100 G And Per Cup
Here are dependable numbers you can use every day. The figures align with USDA-based nutrition facts for raw broccoli and common cooked measures. Steaming or boiling without oil keeps calories tied to the vegetable itself.
| Form | Common Serving | Calories (kcal) |
|---|---|---|
| Raw, chopped | 1 cup (≈91 g) | 31 |
| Raw | 100 g | 34 |
| Raw | 1 medium stalk (≈151 g) | 51 |
| Raw | 1 spear (~5", ≈31 g) | 11 |
| Raw, chopped | 1/2 cup (≈44 g) | 15 |
| Raw | 1 bunch (≈608 g) | 207 |
| Cooked, boiled/drained | 1 cup, chopped (≈156 g) | 55 |
| Cooked, boiled/drained | 100 g | 35 |
| Steamed | 1 cup, chopped (no oil) | ~55 |
Why does the cup measure change so much from raw to cooked? Heat shrinks the volume as water steams off, so a cooked cup packs in more broccoli by weight. Per 100 grams, raw and cooked sit in a tight band near the mid-thirties. That is why many meal plans track broccoli by weight when accuracy matters.
Weighing Versus Measuring Cups
Cups are handy when you lack a scale, yet weights give tighter control. Raw florets are airy and irregular, so a loosely filled cup can weigh far less than a tightly packed cup. Cooked cups swing the other way because the same cup now holds more grams. If you log calories with an app, weigh the portion when possible and match to a per-100-g entry.
What Adds Calories Fast
Oil is the big mover. A single tablespoon adds 120 kcal, which can double the energy in a small pan of florets. Butter, cheese sauce, mayo, and creamy dressings stack up in a similar way. Roasting with a light spray keeps flavor high without loading the tray; tossing florets in a full glug of oil does the opposite. Season with lemon, garlic, chili flakes, or a dusting of Parmesan if you want a lift with only a small bump.
Portion Size Made Simple
For a quick visual, two small spears count as a portion of greens under the NHS 5-A-Day portion sizes guide. Another practical cue: a heaped handful of cooked florets lands close to half a cup. If you keep your kitchen scale handy, stick with the 100 g benchmark to mirror labels and most nutrition databases.
Macros And Fiber
Broccoli brings modest carbs, a touch of protein, almost no fat, and meaningful fiber. Per 100 g raw you get around 6.6 g carbohydrate, 2.8 g protein, 0.4 g fat, and 2.6 g fiber. Cooked, the water loss shifts those numbers a hair per cup, but per 100 g the picture stays consistent: about 7.2 g carbohydrate, 2.4 g protein, 0.4 g fat, and 3.3 g fiber. The fiber helps with fullness and pairs well with lean proteins and whole grains.
Vitamins And Minerals At A Glance
Broccoli stands out for vitamin C and vitamin K, with helpful amounts of folate and potassium. Raw florets supply around 81–89 mg vitamin C per cup or per 100 g, while cooked broccoli still delivers a strong hit. You also pick up carotenoids and small amounts of iron and calcium. If you track vitamin K intake, steaming or boiling keeps levels high; sauces based on yogurt or citrus add flavor without much change to those micronutrients.
Cooking Methods And Calorie Tips
Steaming: Keeps color bright and structure crisp. No added oil means the calorie line mirrors the vegetable. A squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt round it out.
Boiling: Works for big batches. Drain well to avoid a watery plate. Add olive oil by the teaspoon, not the tablespoon, if you want sheen.
Roasting: High heat brings char and sweetness. Use a light spray or measure one teaspoon of oil per serving. Space florets so they brown, not steam.
Stir-frying: Measure the oil and use a hot pan. Toss with garlic and ginger, then finish with a splash of soy and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil for aroma.
Sauces And Toppings That Add Up
Here is a quick tally for common add-ons per serving: one tablespoon olive oil ~120 kcal; one tablespoon butter 102 kcal; two tablespoons grated Parmesan 42 kcal; two tablespoons ranch 120 kcal; a creamy cheese sauce can run 50–80 kcal per quarter cup. Swap in lemon zest, yogurt-herb dips, or a miso-tahini drizzle to keep flavor lively with fewer add-ons.
Calorie Math: From Market To Plate
Use this snapshot to compare raw and cooked values side by side. The cooked numbers assume boiling and draining without added fat. They come from the same sources listed earlier to keep the math consistent across measures.
| Nutrient | Raw (per 100 g) | Cooked, Boiled/Drained (per 100 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 34 kcal | 35 kcal |
| Protein | 2.8 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 6.6 g | 7.2 g |
| Fiber | 2.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Sugars | 1.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Total fat | 0.37 g | 0.41 g |
| Vitamin C | ~89 mg | ~65 mg |
| Potassium | ~316 mg | ~293 mg |
| Calcium | 47 mg | 40 mg |
| Folate | ~63 µg | ~108 µg |
Broccoli Calories In Popular Dishes
Building a bowl or a plate? These quick patterns land right around the numbers you see above. A cup of cooked broccoli next to 100 g grilled chicken and a half cup of brown rice makes a tidy weeknight plate near 430–470 kcal, depending on sauce. A simple pasta toss with two cups steamed broccoli, garlic, chili, and a measured tablespoon of olive oil lands close to 500 kcal for a filling bowl. In both cases, the vegetable adds bulk and bite for minimal energy cost.
Broccoli Rice And Mash
Pulse raw florets and peeled stems in a processor until they look like fine crumbs. Sauté in a teaspoon of oil with garlic and a splash of stock for a quick, low-calorie side that stands in for rice. For a mash, steam stems until fork-tender, then blend with Greek yogurt, chives, and black pepper. Both ideas keep calories gentle while lifting texture.
Label Reading Cheat Sheet
Bagged florets and steam-in-bag cuts list calories per 100 g or per cup. Match your entry to the weight shown on the front of the pack. If the label lists “servings per container: 3.5,” multiply the calories by that number if you plan to eat the lot. Watch for add-ins: broccoli slaw kits may include dressing and crispy toppings; frozen medleys sometimes carry butter sauces. Those extras change the numbers far more than the vegetable itself.
Smart Prep For Meal Plans
Batch to suit your week. Keep raw florets washed and ready for salads and snack boxes. Steam a tray, chill it fast, and store for quick sides. Roast a sheet pan when you need char and deeper flavor. Label containers with weight or cup measures so logging stays painless.
Buying, Storage, And Prep
Pick tight, deep-green heads with firm stems. Skip limp stalks and yellow florets. At home, keep heads dry, unwashed, and loosely wrapped in the fridge. Rinse just before cooking so moisture does not speed wilting. Peel the tough outer layer of thick stems with a knife or peeler; the core turns tender and sweet once steamed or sautéed. Cut florets to similar size so they cook evenly. If you like meal-prep packs, trim and weigh portions in advance, then label them by weight to match your tracker. Frozen florets work well; steam in the bag for quick, tidy weeknight sides too.
Broccoli Calorie Myths And Facts
Does Broccoli Lose Calories When Cooked?
No. The vegetable keeps the same energy per gram. What changes is water and volume. A cooked cup weighs more than a raw cup, so the cooked cup shows a larger calorie number even though the per-gram value barely moves.
What About Broccoli Stems Versus Florets?
They are close. Stems carry a touch more fiber and a mild, sweet bite when peeled. Florets bring a softer texture and hold sauces. Mix both for balance and the calorie count stays steady.
Do Different Varieties Change The Math?
Not by much. Purple sprouting broccoli and standard green heads line up within a few calories per 100 g when cooked the same way. If you switch to Chinese broccoli, check a database entry, weigh your serving, and you will still hover near the mid-thirties per 100 g.
If you roast, preheat well, dry the florets, and flip once. That routine gives color with minimal oil and steady calories, and rotate the pan.
Quick Takeaways
- Raw chopped broccoli: about 31 kcal per cup; 34 kcal per 100 g.
- Cooked, boiled or steamed without fat: about 55 kcal per cup; 35 kcal per 100 g.
- Oil, butter, and creamy sauces raise totals fast; measure small amounts.
- Two small spears count as one green veg portion under NHS guidance.
Use the tables above when you shop, prep, and log. Weighing a portion gives the tightest control, while cup measures still work well during busy evenings. Broccoli slots into bowls, trays, soups, stir-fries, and snack plates with ease, keeping calories friendly and the plate full.