Calorie Density

Calories per unit of food volume or weight—higher density means more calories in less food.

Definition

Calorie density describes how many calories a food contains relative to its weight or volume. Foods high in water and fiber tend to be less calorie-dense, while foods high in fat or sugar tend to be more calorie-dense.

Example

Vegetables are typically low calorie-density; pastries are typically high calorie-density.

See also