Seeds are among the most nutrient-dense foods you can add to your diet, packing healthy fats, plant protein, fiber, and minerals into a tiny package. Yet portion sizes are easy to misjudge, and nutritional profiles differ dramatically between, say, chia and sunflower seeds.
This Seed Nutrition Calculator takes the guesswork out of portion tracking. Select a seed, enter your amount in grams, ounces, or tablespoons, and get calories, protein, carbs, fat, and fiber for your exact serving. Preset portion buttons make comparisons quick, and a step-by-step breakdown shows exactly how the numbers were derived.
It is designed for meal preppers tracking macros, dietitians building patient plans, and home cooks who simply want to understand the real difference between a spoonful of sesame and a handful of pumpkin seeds.
How to Use This Seed Nutrition Calculator
Start by selecting the seed you want from the dropdown. If you have a favorite portion — a tablespoon of chia in your overnight oats, a handful of sunflower seeds at lunch, or a 100 g batch for meal prep — enter the number, choose the matching unit, and press Calculate Nutrition.
- Pick a seed — all eight varieties use standardized per-100 g values drawn from USDA reference data.
- Enter an amount — grams, ounces, or tablespoons all work.
- Use a preset — buttons such as “1 tbsp” and “1 oz” fill in a common portion instantly, which is handy when you are reading a nutrition label or following a recipe.
- Read your results — the tool shows calories, protein, carbs, fat, and fiber for your exact serving, plus a short breakdown showing how the calculation was made.
The preset tablespoon buttons are the quickest way to compare toppings: switch to 1 tbsp, click a few different seeds, and you will immediately see how much more protein hemp seeds provide than poppy seeds at the same volume.
Seed Nutrition Reference Table
Values below are for whole, dry seeds per 100 grams. Data are approximate and can vary slightly by variety, growing region, and processing method. All figures are based on USDA FoodData Central entries for raw or dried seeds.
| Seed (100 g) | Calories | Protein (g) | Carbs (g) | Fat (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chia | 486 | 16.5 | 42.1 | 30.7 | 34.4 |
| Flaxseed | 534 | 18.3 | 28.9 | 42.2 | 27.3 |
| Hemp seeds | 553 | 31.6 | 8.7 | 48.8 | 4.3 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 559 | 30.2 | 10.7 | 49.1 | 6.0 |
| Sesame seeds | 573 | 17.7 | 23.4 | 49.7 | 11.8 |
| Sunflower seeds | 584 | 20.8 | 20.0 | 51.5 | 8.6 |
| Poppy seeds | 525 | 17.9 | 28.6 | 41.6 | 19.5 |
| Watermelon seeds | 557 | 28.3 | 15.3 | 47.4 | 0 |
Want a single-nutrient deep dive? If chia is your staple, compare its total carb count with net carbs using our chia carb calculator. For a full daily macro plan, pair this portion tool with the daily macronutrient calculator to see how each seed fits your calorie and protein targets.
How the Calculation Works
The calculator stores a nutrient profile for each seed as a set of per-100 g reference values. When you enter a portion, the tool first converts it to grams using one of three rules:
- Grams → unchanged
- Ounces → multiply by 28.35
- Tablespoons → multiply by the seed’s approximate tablespoon weight (9–12 g depending on seed density)
Then each nutrient is scaled linearly: nutrient per serving = (reference value ÷ 100) × serving weight in grams. For example, 30 g of pumpkin seeds: calories = (559 ÷ 100) × 30 = 167.7 kcal, protein = (30.2 ÷ 100) × 30 = 9.1 g, and fiber = (6.0 ÷ 100) × 30 = 1.8 g. This linear method is accurate for whole seeds because the macro and calorie density are uniform within a given batch.
Which Seed Fits Your Goals?
Different seeds earn their place in different diets. Use these pairings as a starting point:
High protein: Hemp seeds (31.6 g per 100 g) and pumpkin seeds (30.2 g) lead the list. A 30 g serving of hemp delivers about 9.5 g of plant protein — a substantial boost for a side or topping.
High fiber: Chia (34.4 g) and flax (27.3 g) are fiber champions. Two tablespoons of chia can provide roughly a third of the recommended daily fiber intake for most adults.
Lower net carbs: Hemp seeds (8.7 g total carbs, 4.3 g fiber) and pumpkin seeds (10.7 g total carbs, 6.0 g fiber) are the lowest in digestible carbs — useful on lower-carb eating patterns.
Omega-3s: Chia and flax are especially rich in the plant form of omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
If you are building a full daily plan, use this calculator alongside the daily macronutrient calculator to see how each seed fits your calorie and macro targets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do these values include added salt or oil? No. The table reflects plain, dry seeds. Roasted, salted, or oil-coated seeds can have extra sodium, added fats, and slightly different calorie counts. Check the product label and account for added ingredients if you are tracking strictly.
Why is watermelon seed fiber listed as 0? Dried watermelon seeds are usually consumed as a snack after hulling, and because different sources report very different values, the calculator uses a conservative baseline for whole hulled seeds. For more accurate tracking, choose a whole-food entry from USDA FoodData Central that matches your specific product.
Can I use this data for meal prep? Yes. The results are easy to scale: multiply the per-serving values by the number of servings you are preparing. Just be aware that grinding seeds (flax, chia) can change how your body absorbs certain nutrients, though it does not change the calorie or macro content materially.
Tips for Accurate Tracking
- Weigh seeds in grams whenever possible, because a “handful” can vary by 5–10 g from person to person.
- Store seeds in an airtight container to prevent oxidation; rancid seeds can taste bitter and lose vitamin E activity, though calories stay similar.
- Whole seeds that pass through the digestive tract partially undigested will contribute slightly different absorbable calories than ground seeds, but the USDA values remain a solid planning baseline.
- If you are pairing seeds with yogurt, smoothies, or baked goods, remember to add the other ingredients’ nutrition separately.