How this calculator works
Leafy greens are mostly water, so a large bowl of them is a small number of calories. What changes the total is what is poured and scattered on top: oil based dressing, nuts, seeds, cheese and avocado are dense in energy, and a couple of tablespoons can weigh more than the greens. The calculator multiplies the weight of each ingredient by its energy density and adds the parts, then divides by the number of servings. The group figures are averages: a vinaigrette and a creamy dressing differ a lot, and a hard cheese is denser than a soft one, so use the custom amounts and read the label when you need a precise figure. A tablespoon is taken as 15 g, which is close for a pourable dressing.
Formula
calories = sum of (weight in grams x kcal per 100 g / 100). calories per serving = total / servings. calories per 100 g = total / total weight x 100. The energy densities used are 35 kcal per 100 g for kale, 17 for romaine, 23 for spinach, 20 for spring mix and 14 for iceberg, 35 for other vegetables, 600 for nuts and seeds, 350 for cheese or egg, 60 for fruit, 200 for other toppings, and 450 for dressing at 15 g per tablespoon.
Worked example
A bowl with 100 g of kale, 100 g of other vegetables, 20 g of nuts, 30 g of cheese, 50 g of fruit, 30 g of other toppings and 2 tablespoons of dressing has 100 x 0.35 = 35 kcal from kale, 35 from vegetables, 20 x 6 = 120 from nuts, 30 x 3.5 = 105 from cheese, 50 x 0.6 = 30 from fruit, 30 x 2 = 60 from other toppings and 30 x 4.5 = 135 from dressing. The total is 520 kcal for 360 g of salad, or 144 kcal per 100 g.
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Frequently asked questions
Why is the dressing such a large share?
Oil is about 9 kcal per gram, and a tablespoon of vinaigrette weighs around 15 g. Two tablespoons is close to 135 kcal, more than the greens, the vegetables and the fruit together in a typical bowl. Serving the dressing on the side or measuring it with a spoon rather than pouring is the simplest way to cut the total.
Are salad calories always this high?
No. A bowl of greens with lemon juice and a little vinegar can be under 100 kcal. The 520 kcal in the example comes from nuts, cheese, fruit, other toppings and dressing on top of the vegetables; drop those and the same volume of salad is a fraction of the energy.
Is a salad a full meal?
It can be, but a green salad is low in protein and energy on its own. Adding a measured portion of chicken, fish, beans, egg or tofu turns it into a meal. Canada's Food Guide suggests filling half the plate with vegetables and fruit and including a protein food at each meal.
How accurate are the group averages?
They are close enough to compare dressings, toppings and portion sizes. For a medical or sports nutrition plan, use the label values or a food database for each ingredient, because the same food can differ by a third or more between brands and preparations.