Brains: Nutrition Facts
Generic food Meat
Brains contains 150 kcal per 100 g. A typical serving of 1 oz yields (20 g) provides about 30 kcal.
Roughly 64% of its calories come from fat, with 32% from protein and 4% from carbohydrates (estimated with general energy factors).
That is less energy than the typical item in liver and organ meats on FoodFactly, where the median is 174 kcal per 100 g across 13 foods.
100 g provides 417% of the Daily Value for Vitamin B12, 89% of the Daily Value for choline and 39% of the Daily Value for selenium.
The data comes from the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS), which calculates values from recipes of the ingredients.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories C | 150 kcal | |
| Total fat C | 10.4 g | 13% |
| Saturated fat C | 2.4 g | 12% |
| Cholesterol C | 3,080 mg | 1,027% |
| Sodium C | 414 mg | 18% |
| Total carbohydrates C | 1.5 g | 0.5% |
| Dietary fiber C | 0 g | 0% |
| Total sugars C | 0 g | |
| Protein C | 11.6 g | 23% |
| Vitamin A C | 6 µg | 0.7% |
| Vitamin C C | 10.4 mg | 12% |
| Vitamin D C | 0 µg | 0% |
| Vitamin E C | 1.7 mg | 11% |
| Vitamin K C | 0.1 µg | 0.1% |
| Thiamin (B1) C | 0.068 mg | 6% |
| Riboflavin (B2) C | 0.22 mg | 17% |
| Niacin (B3) C | 3.6 mg | 22% |
| Vitamin B6 C | 0.14 mg | 8% |
| Folate (B9) C | 5 µg | 1% |
| Vitamin B12 C | 10 µg | 417% |
| Choline C | 487 mg | 89% |
| Calcium C | 9 mg | 0.7% |
| Iron C | 2.3 mg | 13% |
| Magnesium C | 12 mg | 3% |
| Phosphorus C | 332 mg | 27% |
| Potassium C | 242 mg | 5% |
| Zinc C | 1.1 mg | 10% |
| Copper C | 0.23 mg | 25% |
| Selenium C | 21.6 µg | 39% |
% DV: percent of the FDA Daily Value for adults (reference amounts). Letters show how each value was obtained: M measured, C calculated, L label, Z assumed zero, I imputed. Vitamins and minerals not listed were not reported by the source.
Nutritional breakdown
- Protein 32%
- Carbohydrates 4%
- Fat 64%
Approximate share of calories, using general energy factors (4 kcal/g protein and carbohydrate, 9 kcal/g fat, 7 kcal/g alcohol).
Vitamins and minerals, % Daily Value per 100 g
Nutritional insights
- Protein11.6 gin the lowest quarter of liver and organ meats (median 21 g)
- Fat10.4 gabove the median for liver and organ meats (median 8.7 g)
- Saturated fat2.4 gbelow the median for liver and organ meats (median 2.5 g)
- Sodium414 mgabove the median for liver and organ meats (median 386 mg)
- Protein per 100 kcal7.7 gprotein density, useful for comparing foods with different calorie levels
- Water74.3 gwater per 100 g, which largely explains differences between raw, cooked and dried forms
Full nutrient profile
Fats and cholesterol (2)
| Monounsaturated fat C | 1.9 g |
|---|---|
| Polyunsaturated fat C | 1.6 g |
Individual fatty acids (19)
| EPA (omega-3, 20:5 n-3) C | 0 g |
|---|---|
| DHA (omega-3, 22:6 n-3) C | 0.85 g |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6, 18:2) C | 0.039 g |
| SFA 4:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 6:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 8:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 10:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 12:0 C | 0 g |
| SFA 14:0 C | 0.029 g |
| SFA 16:0 C | 0.97 g |
| SFA 18:0 C | 1.3 g |
| MUFA 18:1 C | 1.7 g |
| PUFA 18:3 C | 0 g |
| PUFA 20:4 C | 0.35 g |
| MUFA 16:1 C | 0.023 g |
| PUFA 18:4 C | 0 g |
| MUFA 20:1 C | 0.19 g |
| MUFA 22:1 C | 0 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) C | 0.38 g |
Carotenoids (6)
| Beta-carotene C | 69 µg |
|---|---|
| Lycopene C | 0 µg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin C | 0 µg |
| Retinol C | 0 µg |
| Carotene, alpha C | 0 µg |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta C | 0 µg |
Other components (8)
| Water C | 74.3 g |
|---|---|
| Alcohol C | 0 g |
| Caffeine C | 0 mg |
| Theobromine C | 0 mg |
| Folic acid C | 0 µg |
| Folate, food C | 5 µg |
| Vitamin E, added C | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12, added C | 0 µg |
Foods with a similar nutritional profile
| Food | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pork, cured, feet, pickled | 140 | 11.6 g | 0.01 g | 10 g |
| Pork, pig's feet, pickled | 140 | 11.6 g | 0.01 g | 10 g |
| Frankfurter, beef, low fat | 140 | 12 g | 1.6 g | 9.5 g |
| Headcheese, pork | 157 | 13.8 g | 0 g | 10.9 g |
| Head cheese | 157 | 13.8 g | 0 g | 10.9 g |
| Pork, cured, ham and water product, slice, bone-in, separable lean and fat, unheated | 149 | 13.7 g | 2.7 g | 9.3 g |
| Pork, cured, ham -- water added, rump, bone-in, separable lean and fat, unheated | 172 | 14 g | 0.8 g | 12.5 g |
| Pork, cured, ham -- water added, slice, bone-in, separable lean and fat, unheated | 164 | 15.7 g | 1.1 g | 10.8 g |
Per 100 g. Calories in kcal. n/a: not reported by the source.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in brains?
100 g of brains has 150 kcal. 1 oz yields (20 g): about 30 kcal. 1 cup (140 g): about 210 kcal.
Is brains high in protein?
Brains contains 11.6 g of protein per 100 g (23% of the 50 g Daily Value), or 2.3 g in 1 oz yields (20 g). About 32% of its calories come from protein. Compared with other liver and organ meats, that is in the lowest quarter (median 21 g).
How many carbs are in brains?
Brains has 1.5 g of total carbohydrates per 100 g, including 0 g of fiber and 0 g of sugars.
How much fat is in brains?
Brains contains 10.4 g of fat per 100 g, of which 2.4 g is saturated (12% of the Daily Value).
What vitamins and minerals does brains contain?
Per 100 g, the most notable amounts relative to the Daily Value are Vitamin B12 (417% DV), choline (89% DV), selenium (39% DV), phosphorus (27% DV) and copper (25% DV). The full list is in the vitamins and minerals table above.
How much sodium is in brains?
100 g contains 414 mg of sodium, 18% of the 2,300 mg Daily Value.
Where does this nutrition data come from?
From USDA FoodData Central: FNDDS (Survey), record dated October 31, 2024. FoodFactly last checked it on November 6, 2026. Each value above shows whether it was measured, calculated or taken from a label.
Source of the nutrition information
- USDA FoodData Central: FNDDS (Survey), record 2706159. License: CC0 1.0 (U.S. public domain). Source record dated October 31, 2024. Imported November 6, 2026.
Last updated: . Data quality score: 100/100 (how it is calculated).
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Individual needs differ; see our disclaimer.