Nutrition facts · Herbs and spices
Calories in Cilantro
Cilantro has 23 calories per 100 g, and a 1/4 cup (4 g) of fresh leaves has about 1 calorie. Most of its small calorie count comes from carbohydrates, with 3.7 g per 100 g, much of which is fiber (2.8 g), plus a little protein and very little fat.
Calories come from: Carbs 53% · Fat 16% · Protein 31%
Common servings
| Serving | Weight | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per 100 g | 100 g | 23 kcal | 2.1 g | 3.7 g | 0.5 g |
| 1/4 cup | 4 g | 1 kcal | 0.1 g | 0.1 g | 0 g |
| 9 sprigs | 20 g | 5 kcal | 0.4 g | 0.7 g | 0.1 g |
Full nutrition (Per 100 g)
| Calories | 23 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.7 g |
| of which sugars | 0.9 g |
| Fiber | 2.8 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g |
| of which saturated | 0 g |
| Sodium | 46 mg |
What changes the calories
- Because cilantro is so light, the amount you actually use is usually a few grams, so its calories in a dish are tiny compared to the other ingredients.
- Packed versus loosely filled cups can hold quite different weights of leaves, which changes the calories in a 'cup' measure.
- Cilantro blended into sauces like chutney or pesto-style dressings often comes with oil, nuts or cheese, which add far more calories than the herb itself.
- Including tender stems along with the leaves adds weight but doesn't meaningfully change the calories per gram.
Tips for logging it accurately
- For garnishes, logging a 1/4 cup or a few sprigs is accurate enough; weigh it only if you use large amounts, such as in salads or sauces.
- Log cilantro-based sauces and salsas by their full ingredients, especially any oil, avocado or cheese, since those carry most of the calories.
- In BerryFit, you can snap a photo of your meal and then adjust the cilantro portion if it's a large part of the dish.
Log Cilantro in seconds
Snap a photo of your meal or search for Cilantro in BerryFit to track calories and macros against your own daily target.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a handful of cilantro?
A handful is roughly similar to 9 sprigs (20 g), which has about 5 calories. Even generous handfuls add very few calories.
Does cilantro have any protein?
Yes, but only a little: 2.1 g per 100 g, or 0.1 g in a 1/4 cup. It's not a meaningful protein source in typical portions.
Is cilantro lower in calories than parsley?
Yes. Cilantro has 23 calories per 100 g, while parsley has 36 calories per 100 g, though both are very low in the amounts people usually eat.
Do I need to log cilantro at all?
For a sprinkle on top of a dish, the calories are close to zero, so many people skip it. If you use it in large amounts or in sauces with oil, logging it keeps your totals more accurate.
Similar foods
Calories in common foodsValues per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central (Coriander (cilantro) leaves, raw, FDC ID 169997); servings use USDA portion weights. Real foods vary by variety, ripeness and preparation.
The text on this page was written with the help of AI (Anthropic's Claude) and checked against the numbers in a separate review. The numbers themselves come only from USDA.
