Highest calorie foods in Australia: kJ per 100 g compared
The most energy-dense foods in Australia, in kJ and Calories per 100 g, which to limit and which to keep, plus what CGM data shows about them and glucose.
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In short
- Cooking oils are the most energy-dense foods, with olive and canola oil at about 3,695 kJ per 100 g, followed by macadamias and butter at about 3,070 kJ.
- Discretionary foods to limit include butter, milk chocolate, potato crisps, chocolate biscuits and salami, and one discretionary serve is about 600 kJ.
- Calorie-dense is not the same as a glucose spike: in Vively members, crisps raised glucose a typical 1.6 mmol/L against 2.1 mmol/L for porridge.
From Vively member data
2.1 mmol/L
Typical rise after porridge
in 458 members, the highest rise in the table
1.6 mmol/L
Typical rise after crisps
in 1,086 members, despite 2,140 kJ per 100 g
1,381
Members who logged pizza alone
with a typical rise of 1.6 mmol/L
The highest calorie foods are oils and fats: olive, canola and coconut oil have about 3,700 kJ (880 Calories) per 100 g, and butter about 3,070 kJ. Next come nuts, seeds, chocolate, potato crisps and biscuits at 2,000 to 3,100 kJ. Some of these foods are nutritious and some are best kept occasional.
Every kilojoule figure in this post comes from the Australian Food Composition Database (AFCD), so these are Australian foods measured in Australian units. Kilojoules come first because that is what our labels use. To convert, divide kJ by 4.2 to get Calories.
| Food | kJ (Cal) | Food group |
|---|---|---|
| Olive or canola oil | 3,695 (883) | Oils, small amounts daily |
| Macadamias, raw | 3,086 (738) | Nuts and seeds |
| Butter | 3,069 (734) | Discretionary |
| Walnuts, raw | 2,904 (694) | Nuts and seeds |
| Peanut butter, no added sugar or salt | 2,628 (628) | Nuts and seeds |
| Almonds, raw | 2,386 (570) | Nuts and seeds |
| Milk chocolate | 2,179 (521) | Discretionary |
| Potato crisps, plain | 2,140 (511) | Discretionary |
| Chocolate-coated cream biscuits | 2,080 (497) | Discretionary |
| Salami | 1,858 (444) | Discretionary |
| Bacon, cooked | 1,747 (418) | Discretionary |
| Cheddar cheese | 1,686 (403) | Dairy |
| Croissant | 1,505 (360) | Discretionary |
| Hot chips, takeaway | 997 (238) | Discretionary |
| Avocado | 653 (156) | Vegetables |
| Apple (for comparison) | 242 (58) | Fruit |
What is the most calorie-dense food?
Cooking oil is the most calorie-dense food in an Australian kitchen. Olive, canola and coconut oil are almost pure fat, so they carry about 3,700 kJ per 100 g. One tablespoon (20 ml) of olive oil is about 680 kJ.
Fat drives energy density because each gram carries 37 kJ, against 17 kJ for a gram of protein or carbohydrate. That is the conversion the Food Standards Code uses for every Australian label. Water and fibre pull energy density down, which is why an apple has 242 kJ per 100 g and a croissant has 1,505.
After oils come butter, nuts and seeds, then the foods most people mean when they search for high-calorie food: chocolate, crisps, biscuits, processed meats and pastry.
Which high-calorie foods should you limit?
Limit the discretionary ones. The Australian Dietary Guidelines describe discretionary foods as optional foods that sit outside the five food groups and are high in saturated fat, added sugar, salt or alcohol, and low in fibre. They include:
- biscuits, cakes, pastries and desserts
- processed meats and sausages, such as salami, bacon and cabanossi
- ice cream and confectionery, including chocolate and lollies
- savoury pies, fried takeaway and salty snacks like crisps
- butter, cream and high-fat spreads
- soft drinks, cordials, energy drinks and alcohol
One discretionary serve is about 600 kJ. The guidelines give examples: 1 tablespoon (20 g) of butter, 2 scoops (75 g) of regular ice cream, 12 hot chips (60 g) or one 375 ml can of soft drink. A 170 g bag of crisps is about six serves.
Butter shows how quickly the numbers add up. It is 82 g of fat per 100 g, and 57 g of that is saturated. Processed meats bring salt as well: salami has around 1,500 mg of sodium per 100 g.
“By increasing the shelf life, you increase profits: but it is a disaster for our health and for our waist lines.”
Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively Medical Director
Diets heavy in these foods tend to push up LDL cholesterol and triglycerides over time. You can see where yours sit with an LDL cholesterol test and a triglycerides test.
High-calorie foods worth keeping
Some of the most energy-dense foods belong in a healthy diet. Nuts, seeds and peanut butter sit in the same food group as meat, fish and eggs in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and the guidelines allow small amounts of unsaturated oils such as olive and canola oil each day. Avocado and cheese also earn their place.
These foods bring protein, fibre, unsaturated fats, calcium or vitamin E along with the kilojoules. Portion is what matters:
- Nuts: a 30 g handful is roughly 720 kJ.
- Olive oil: measure it. A free pour into a pan is often 2 or 3 tablespoons.
- Peanut butter: 1 level tablespoon (20 g) is about 525 kJ.
- Cheese: 40 g of cheddar, about two slices, is roughly 670 kJ.
“It is common to equate fullness with enough, but as we work towards optimising our metabolic health and immunity, we need to ask ourselves, did I just consume enough calories or did I consume enough nutrition?”
Dr Michelle Woolhouse, Vively Medical Director
Calorie-dense is not the same as a glucose spike
Energy density and blood sugar are separate questions. Our members' continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data shows that some of the most energy-dense discretionary foods raise glucose less than plain everyday carbs.
| Food | kJ per 100 g | Typical rise (members) |
|---|---|---|
| Porridge (oats and water) | 374 | 2.1 mmol/L (458) |
| Croissant | 1,505 | 1.9 mmol/L (264) |
| White bread | 1,050 | 1.8 mmol/L (151) |
| Meat pie | 952 | 1.8 mmol/L (313) |
| Hot chips | 997 | 1.8 mmol/L (349) |
| Sausage roll | 1,190 | 1.7 mmol/L (318) |
| Pizza | 1,194 | 1.6 mmol/L (1,381) |
| Potato crisps | 2,140 | 1.6 mmol/L (1,086) |
| Chocolate-coated cream biscuit | 2,080 | 1.4 mmol/L (309) |
| Ice cream | 806 | 1.4 mmol/L (1,842) |
Porridge has a quarter of the kilojoules of a croissant per 100 g, yet it raised glucose more in our members. Crisps and chocolate biscuits carry more than 2,000 kJ per 100 g and produced smaller rises than white bread.
Fat slows how fast the stomach empties, so fatty foods often give a slower, flatter glucose curve. That does not make them a better choice. A flat glucose line tells you nothing about saturated fat, salt or the kilojoules you have eaten, and a high-fibre bowl of porridge is still the better breakfast for most people. Glucose is one useful signal among several, and our glucose spikes guide explains how to read it.
How to spot high-kilojoule foods on a label
Use the per 100 g column on the nutrition information panel. It lets you compare foods fairly, whatever the serve size on the pack.
- Energy per 100 g: the higher it is, the more energy-dense the food. Compare similar products side by side.
- Fat per 100 g: the biggest driver of kilojoules. Check how much is saturated.
- Serves per pack: a share bag of crisps or a block of chocolate is several discretionary serves.
Labels also show a percentage daily intake. It is based on an average adult intake of 8,700 kJ a day, which Better Health Channel notes is an average, not a personal target. Your needs depend on your size, age and how active you are.
How Vively can help
Food choices show up in your blood long before they show up as a diagnosis. The Baseline Health Check measures 70+ markers from one blood draw at one of 3,700+ partner collection centres, including LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, liver enzymes, HbA1c and fasting insulin. Results come back in the app against optimal ranges, a practitioner explains them, and your membership includes a targeted re-test after 3 months so you can see whether changes to your diet are working.
The Baseline Health Check measures 70+ markers, including cholesterol, triglycerides, liver enzymes, HbA1c and fasting insulin, read against optimal ranges, with a practitioner to explain your results.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most calorie-dense food?
Cooking oil. Olive, canola and coconut oil are almost pure fat and carry about 3,700 kJ (880 Calories) per 100 g, according to the Australian Food Composition Database. Macadamias (3,086 kJ) and butter (3,069 kJ) come next, then walnuts at 2,904 kJ. Fat has 37 kJ per gram, more than twice protein or carbohydrate.
What unhealthy food has the most calories?
Butter, at about 3,070 kJ per 100 g, tops the discretionary foods. Next come milk chocolate (2,179 kJ), plain potato crisps (2,140 kJ), chocolate-coated cream biscuits (2,080 kJ) and salami (1,858 kJ). They are high in saturated fat, added sugar or salt and low in fibre, which is why the Australian Dietary Guidelines class them as discretionary.
Which high-calorie foods are healthy?
Nuts, seeds, peanut butter without added sugar or salt, olive oil, avocado and cheese. They are energy-dense but bring protein, fibre, unsaturated fats or calcium. The Australian Dietary Guidelines include nuts and seeds in the meat and alternatives group. Keep portions measured: a 30 g handful of nuts is about 720 kJ.
How many kilojoules should I eat a day?
It depends on your age, size, sex and activity. Australian labels use 8,700 kJ a day as an average adult reference for the percentage daily intake, but that is not a personal target. A dietitian can estimate your needs, and your weight trend over a few weeks tells you whether intake matches what you use.
Do high-calorie foods spike blood sugar?
Not always. In Vively CGM members, crisps and chocolate biscuits raised glucose less than porridge or white bread, because fat slows digestion. A smaller rise does not make them a healthier choice. They still bring a lot of kilojoules, saturated fat or salt, which affect cholesterol, liver fat and weight over time.
Sources
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Australian Food Composition Database, Release 3 (nutrient profiles).
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Discretionary food and drink choices, Australian Dietary Guidelines.
- National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Dietary Guidelines: serve sizes.
- Better Health Channel (Victorian Department of Health). Kilojoules.
The Baseline Health Check is a blood test covering 70+ markers at one of 3,700+ collection centres. Your dietitian goes through your results with you and builds your plan. $99 a month, no minimum term.
