Calories in Onion

Per 1 medium, 110 g

44calories

About 2% of a 2,000 calorie day. Your own number is probably not 2,000 — the calculator works out what it should be.

Onion has 44 calories per 1 medium, 110 g. That is about 2% of a 2,000-calorie day. The same serving provides 1.2 g of protein, 10.3 g of carbohydrate, 0.1 g of fat and 1.9 g of fibre. Per 100 g, that works out at 40 calories and 1.1 g of protein. Against the thresholds EU food labelling uses, it qualifies as fat free and low energy. Softening onions in stock rather than oil saves around 100 calories a pan.

Calories and macros

Per 1 medium, 110 gServingPer 100 g% of daily intake
Calories44 kcal40 kcal2%
Protein1.2 g1.1 g2%
Carbohydrate10.3 g9.4 g4%
Fat0.1 g0.1 g0%
Fibre1.9 g1.7 g6%

Daily intake percentages use the EU reference intakes an average adult label is based on: 2,000 kcal, 50 g protein, 260 g carbohydrate, 70 g fat, 30 g fibre.

What this is good for

Fat freeUnder 0.5 g of fat per 100 g.
Low energyUnder 40 calories per 100 g — a lot of food for very little.

These are the nutrition claims this food would qualify for under EU labelling rules — thresholds, not opinions.

Worth knowing

Softening onions in stock rather than oil saves around 100 calories a pan.
Fruit and vegetables are the cheapest way to make a plate bigger without making it heavier — fill half of it here first.
Frozen counts. It is picked ripe, costs less and keeps, and the nutrient difference is small enough to ignore.

Figures are for a typical example and will vary by brand, ripeness and how it was cooked. For a target of your own, run the calorie calculator or take the short quiz. To log this without doing the arithmetic, Joules is free.

Figures last reviewed 29 August 2026.

Common questions about an onion

How many calories are in an onion?

Onion has 44 calories per 1 medium, 110 g, which is about 2% of a 2,000-calorie day.

How many calories are in 100 g of onion?

100 g of onion contains 40 calories.

How much protein is in an onion?

One serving of 1 medium, 110 g provides 1.2 g of protein — 1.1 g per 100 g, or 2% of the 50 g daily reference intake.

How many carbs are in an onion?

One serving of 1 medium, 110 g contains 10.3 g of carbohydrate, of which 1.9 g is fibre.

What is an onion a good source of?

Measured against EU food labelling thresholds, onion qualifies as fat free and low energy. Under 0.5 g of fat per 100 g. Under 40 calories per 100 g — a lot of food for very little.

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