Olive Oil Nutrition Facts: Calories, Fat Breakdown & What's Actually Inside

April 02, 2026By Erica Booth

One tablespoon of olive oil contains 119 calories, 13.5 grams of fat, zero carbs, zero protein, and zero cholesterol. But those numbers only tell half the story. The other half, the polyphenols, the oleocanthal, the hydroxytyrosol, doesn't appear on any nutrition label. And it's the part that makes olive oil different from every other fat in your kitchen.

This is the complete nutrition reference: calories by every serving size, the full fat breakdown with what each type actually does, the vitamins, the hidden compounds that drive the health benefits, how extra virgin compares to refined, and how olive oil stacks up against every other cooking fat.

Olive Oil Nutrition Facts: Per Tablespoon (USDA)

Per 1 tablespoon (14g) of extra virgin olive oil, according to USDA data:

Calories: 119
Total Fat: 13.5g
Saturated Fat: 1.9g (14%)
Monounsaturated Fat: 9.8g (73%)
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g (10%)
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 0mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0g
Protein: 0g
Vitamin E: 1.9mg (13% Daily Value)
Vitamin K: 8.1mcg (7% Daily Value)

Olive oil is 100% fat. There are no carbs, no protein, no sugar, and no cholesterol. Every calorie comes from fat, but the type of fat is what makes olive oil the most health-studied oil on the planet.

Calories by Serving Size

The most-searched question about olive oil is "how many calories?" Here's every common measurement:

1 teaspoon (4.5g): 40 calories
1 tablespoon (14g): 119 calories
1.5 tablespoons (21g): 179 calories - the FDA heart health claim dose
2 tablespoons (28g): 239 calories
1/4 cup (54g): 477 calories
1/3 cup (72g): 636 calories
1/2 cup (108g): 955 calories
1 cup (216g): 1,910 calories

For context: the standard daily drinking dose (1 tablespoon) is 119 calories or about the same as a medium banana or a small handful of almonds. The FDA's qualified health claim dose (1.5 tablespoons) is 179 calories. These calories are calorie-dense but nutritionally dense. They come packaged with monounsaturated fats, vitamins, and polyphenols that most other calorie sources don't provide.

The important framing: olive oil should replace other fats in your diet, not add on top. Swap out butter on toast, creamy dressing on salad, or vegetable oil in cooking, and the calorie math works. For the complete dosage guide, see How Much Olive Oil Per Day.

The Fat Breakdown: What Each Type Does

All 13.5 grams of fat per tablespoon are not created equal. The ratio of fat types is what makes olive oil nutritionally unique.

Monounsaturated Fat: 9.8g (73%)

The dominant fat in olive oil is oleic acid, an omega-9 monounsaturated fatty acid. This is olive oil's signature compound and the reason it's different from other cooking oils.

What oleic acid does: it lowers LDL ("bad") cholesterol while raising HDL ("good") cholesterol. It improves insulin sensitivity. It triggers OEA, your body's natural satiety signal. And it's the basis for the FDA's qualified health claim: consuming 1.5 tablespoons of oils high in oleic acid daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Of all common cooking oils, olive oil has the highest monounsaturated fat percentage. See Olive Oil and Heart Health and Olive Oil and Cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g (10%)

Mostly linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) with a very small amount of alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid or about 0.1g per tablespoon). These are essential fatty acids your body can't produce on its own.

The omega-3 question answered directly: Does olive oil have omega-3? Technically yes but a tiny amount. One tablespoon provides roughly 0.1g of alpha-linolenic acid, which is less than 10% of the recommended daily intake. Olive oil is primarily an omega-9 source (oleic acid), not an omega-3 source. For meaningful omega-3 intake, eat fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel), flaxseed, chia seeds, or walnuts. Olive oil's health benefits come from oleic acid and polyphenols, not from omega-3.

Saturated Fat: 1.9g (14%)

Primarily palmitic acid. Present but relatively low compared to other cooking fats. For comparison: butter is 51% saturated, coconut oil is 82% saturated, even canola oil is 7% saturated. Olive oil's 14% saturated fat content means about 2 grams per tablespoon which is well within healthy limits when consumed as part of a balanced diet. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to less than 13 grams per day on a 2,000-calorie diet. One tablespoon of olive oil contributes only 2 grams toward that limit.

Trans Fat: 0g

None. Olive oil contains zero trans fat. This matters when comparing to processed oils and margarines, some of which contain trace amounts of trans fat from processing. Olive oil is mechanically extracted meaning no chemical processing, no hydrogenation, no trans fat creation.

Vitamins in Olive Oil

Vitamin E (1.9mg per tablespoon — 13% DV): A fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes from oxidative damage. One tablespoon of olive oil provides a meaningful dose. Vitamin E works synergistically with olive oil's polyphenols. They enhance each other's antioxidant activity. This is one reason whole olive oil outperforms isolated supplements.

Vitamin K (8.1mcg per tablespoon — 7% DV): Essential for blood clotting and bone health. Vitamin K activates proteins that regulate calcium deposition. Directing calcium to bones rather than arteries. If you take blood-thinning medication (warfarin), be aware that vitamin K can interact with your medication. Maintain consistent olive oil intake rather than varying wildly.

Beyond the Label: The Nutrition That Isn't Listed

Standard USDA nutrition facts capture calories, fat, vitamins, and minerals. They don't capture the compounds that make extra virgin olive oil the most health-studied fat on the planet. These "hidden" nutrients are the biggest nutritional difference between olive oil and every other cooking fat and between extra virgin and refined olive oil.

Polyphenols (200–800+ mg/kg in quality EVOO): A family of 20+ plant compounds responsible for olive oil's anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardioprotective effects. The European Food Safety Authority approved a specific health claim for olive oil polyphenols. One of the very few such claims ever granted for a food. The EFSA threshold: 250 mg/kg minimum. Refined olive oil typically contains less than 50 mg/kg. This single number - polyphenol content - is the most important nutritional difference between olive oils that no standard label shows.

Oleocanthal: The compound that gives quality EVOO its peppery throat burn. Works through the same anti-inflammatory pathway as ibuprofen (Beauchamp, 2005, Nature). Only present in fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil. Degrades with time and heat exposure. Not listed on any nutrition label, but one of the most pharmacologically active compounds in any food.

Hydroxytyrosol: One of the most potent natural antioxidants ever measured, with an ORAC value around 40,000 µmol TE/g which far exceeds green tea, vitamin C, or CoQ10. Protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation (the process that creates arterial plaque), supports brain health, and provides cellular protection throughout the body.

Oleuropein: The bitter compound in olive oil with documented cardioprotective and anti-cancer properties. Your body converts oleuropein into hydroxytyrosol, creating a sustained-release antioxidant effect.

This is why the grade of olive oil you choose matters as much as whether you consume it at all. Same calories. Same fat. Vastly different health value. For the full polyphenol guide, see Polyphenols in Olive Oil.

EVOO vs Other Grades: Same Calories, Different Nutrition

Every grade of olive oil contains 119 calories and 13.5g of fat per tablespoon. The macros are identical. But the micronutrient and polyphenol content is not even close.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO): 200–800+ mg/kg polyphenols. Full oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol, and oleuropein. Maximum vitamin E. The only grade with documented health benefits beyond basic fat nutrition. Flynn's 2023 review in Nutrients found that ONLY EVOO, not refined olive oil, produced cardiovascular improvements.

Virgin Olive Oil: 100–300 mg/kg polyphenols. Moderate health benefit. Slightly more processed than EVOO but retains most beneficial compounds. Less common in US markets.

Refined Olive Oil ("Pure," "Light," "Classic"): Less than 50 mg/kg polyphenols. Processed with heat and chemicals that strip out nearly all bioactive compounds. Same calories, same fat ratio but nutritionally closer to any neutral vegetable oil than to EVOO. The Flynn 2023 review showed no cardiovascular benefit from refined olive oil compared to other plant oils.

The takeaway: if you're consuming olive oil for health (whether cooking or drinking it), extra virgin is the only grade that delivers what the research promises. For the full grade comparison, see Virgin vs Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Olive Oil vs Other Cooking Fats: Nutrition Comparison

Per 1 tablespoon - how olive oil compares to the cooking fats it most commonly replaces:

Olive oil vs butter: Similar calories (119 vs 102). But butter is 51% saturated fat, olive oil is 14%. Butter has 31mg cholesterol per tablespoon, olive oil has zero. Butter has zero polyphenols. Olive oil wins on every health metric except calories (where butter is slightly lower due to water content). See Olive Oil vs Butter.

Olive oil vs coconut oil: Nearly identical calories (119 vs 121). But coconut oil is 82% saturated fat which is the highest of any common cooking fat. Olive oil's 14% saturated fat is dramatically lower. Coconut oil has zero polyphenols. See Coconut Oil vs Olive Oil.

Olive oil vs avocado oil: Nearly identical calories (119 vs 124) and similar MUFA content. Both are healthy options. Olive oil has significantly higher polyphenol content. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point. For cooking at very high heat, avocado oil wins. For everything else, especially raw consumption, olive oil's polyphenol advantage makes it the healthier choice. See Avocado Oil vs Olive Oil.

Olive oil vs canola oil: Nearly identical calories. Canola has slightly more omega-3 and slightly less saturated fat. But canola is highly processed (refined, bleached, deodorized) and has essentially zero polyphenols. The processing difference is why olive oil, especially EVOO, produces health outcomes in studies that canola doesn't replicate.

Olive oil vs vegetable oil (soybean): Similar calories. Vegetable oil is higher in omega-6 polyunsaturated fat and lower in monounsaturated fat. Zero polyphenols. Highly processed. The omega-6:omega-3 ratio in vegetable oil is unfavorable for inflammation. Olive oil's MUFA-dominant profile is associated with reduced inflammation. See the full Olive Oil Comparisons Guide.

The pattern is clear across every comparison: all cooking fats have similar calories per tablespoon (~120). What differentiates olive oil is the fat type (73% MUFA), the absence of trans fat, the low saturated fat ratio, and, most importantly, the polyphenols that no other common cooking oil contains.

Getting the Most Nutrition From Your Olive Oil

Choose extra virgin. The polyphenol gap between EVOO and refined is 10-40x. Same calories, vastly different health value. See Best Olive Oil to Drink Daily.

Check the harvest date. Polyphenols degrade approximately 40% within the first year after harvest. A bottle pressed 18 months ago has lost significant nutritional value. Fresher is always better. See Does Olive Oil Go Bad?

Store it properly. Light, heat, and air all accelerate polyphenol degradation. Dark bottle, cool location, tightly sealed. See How to Store Olive Oil.

Use it raw when possible. Cooking doesn't destroy all polyphenols, but some compounds (especially oleocanthal) are heat-sensitive. Drizzling EVOO on finished dishes or taking it as a daily shot delivers maximum polyphenol nutrition. See Is Drinking Olive Oil Good for You?

Replace, don't add. 119 calories per tablespoon is real. Swap out other fats rather than piling olive oil on top of your existing diet. The research that produced the strongest results (PREDIMED, Harvard) involved olive oil replacing other dietary fats. See Olive Oil for Weight Loss.

FAQ

How many calories in a tablespoon of olive oil?

119 calories. This is consistent across all grades (extra virgin, virgin, refined) and all brands. The calorie content comes from the fat — 13.5 grams per tablespoon.

How many calories in a teaspoon of olive oil?

Approximately 40 calories. A teaspoon is about one-third of a tablespoon (4.5g vs 14g).

Does olive oil have carbs?

No. Zero grams of carbohydrates. Olive oil is 100% fat. This makes it keto-friendly, paleo-friendly, and compatible with essentially every dietary pattern.

Does olive oil have protein?

No. Zero grams of protein. The trace amounts that exist in whole olives are removed during pressing.

Does olive oil have omega-3?

A very small amount. Equating to roughly 0.1g of alpha-linolenic acid per tablespoon. This is not a nutritionally significant source. Olive oil's health benefits come from oleic acid (omega-9) and polyphenols, not from omega-3. For omega-3, eat fatty fish, flaxseed, or walnuts.

Does olive oil have cholesterol?

Zero. Cholesterol is found in animal products. Olive oil is a plant product and contains no cholesterol. In fact, olive oil helps lower LDL cholesterol through its monounsaturated fat content. See Olive Oil and Cholesterol.

Is extra virgin olive oil more nutritious than regular?

Same calories and same fat breakdown. But EVOO contains 10-40x more polyphenols than refined olive oil — the compounds responsible for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardioprotective effects. A 2023 review found that refined olive oil showed no cardiovascular benefit; only EVOO did. Same macros, vastly different health value.

Is olive oil keto-friendly?

Yes. Zero carbs, 14g of healthy fat per tablespoon. Olive oil is one of the most keto-compatible foods available. It provides fat for energy, supports ketosis, and delivers polyphenols that most keto fat sources (butter, coconut oil) lack. See How Much Olive Oil to Drink Per Day.

119 Calories. Maximum Nutrition.

Every cooking fat gives you roughly 120 calories per tablespoon. That number is table stakes. What makes olive oil different is everything that comes WITH those calories: 73% monounsaturated fat, vitamins E and K, and, in extra virgin, a payload of 20+ polyphenols that no other common cooking fat contains.

Now you know what's inside. Every Hoji packet delivers 119 calories of lab-tested, polyphenol-verified extra virgin olive oil. The most nutritionally transparent olive oil you can buy.