Prepared foods
Tamales calories and nutrition
One tamale (140 g) has 244 calories, with 10 g of protein, 22 g of carbs and 13 g of fat. That is 174 calories per 100 g.
Prepared tamale, filling not specified. Data: USDA FoodData Central, “Tamale, NFS”. The survey reference leaves the filling unspecified. The item weight is a reference, not a promise for every size; beef, pork, chicken and sweet recipes differ.
Serving size
1 tamale · 140 g
244 calories
- Protein
- 10 g17% of calories · 21% DV
- Carbs
- 22 g36% of calories · 8% DV
- Fat
- 13 g47% of calories · 16% DV
- Fiber
- 3.4 g
- Sugars
- 0.6 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.8 g
- Sodium
- 662 mg
Tamales nutrition facts
The stated USDA serving (140 g) has 244 calories, 10 g protein, 22 g carbs and 13 g fat. Prepared tamale, filling not specified. Sources ↓
Calories in tamales by serving
| Serving | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tamale140 g | 244 | 10 g | 22 g | 13 g |
| 1 cup170 g | 296 | 13 g | 27 g | 15 g |
| 100 g100 g | 174 | 7.4 g | 16 g | 9.0 g |
Serving weights are USDA’s household measures for this food.
Tamales nutrition facts
Per 100 g, 174 calories: 17% from protein, 36% from carbs and 47% from fat.
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving1 tamale · 140 g | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 174 | 244 | – |
| Total fat | 9.0 g | 13 g | 16% |
| Saturated fat | 2.7 g | 3.8 g | 19% |
| Cholesterol | 20 mg | 28 mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 473 mg | 662 mg | 29% |
| Total carbohydrate | 16 g | 22 g | 8% |
| Dietary fiber | 2.4 g | 3.4 g | 12% |
| Total sugars | 0.5 g | 0.6 g | – |
| Protein | 7.4 g | 10 g | 21% |
| Vitamin D | 0.3 µg | 0.4 µg | 2% |
| Calcium | 75 mg | 105 mg | 8% |
| Iron | 0.9 mg | 1.2 mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 152 mg | 213 mg | 5% |
| Vitamin A | 12 µg | 17 µg | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 16 mg | 23 mg | 26% |
% Daily Value is per serving (1 tamale), using the FDA’s Daily Values. Calorie shares use 4 calories per gram of protein and carbs and 9 per gram of fat.
How long to walk it off
Walking at 3 mph, a 150-lb adult burns about 3.2 calories a minute on top of what they would burn at rest. So one tamale (244 calories) takes about 77 minutes of walking, roughly 8,700 steps.
Compare calories by serving
One tamale has 244 calories, 135 fewer calories than one whole cheese quesadilla (379 calories). The portions weigh 140 g and 120 g, respectively.
Related foods to explore
Tamales questions
How much protein is in one tamale?
One tamale (140 g) has 10 g of protein, 21% of the 50 g Daily Value. That is 7.4 g per 100 g.
How many calories are in a cup of tamales?
A cup of tamales (170 g) has 296 calories: 15 g fat, 27 g carbs (4.1 g of it fiber) and 13 g protein.
Count it without looking it up.
Snap a photo of your meal and KaloCam estimates the calories and macros of everything on the plate. You can check and edit each item, and your day adds up on one screen.
See how KaloCam works →Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Survey (FNDDS 2021–2023): Tamale, NFS (FDC ID 2708570, Survey (FNDDS), published 2024-10-31).
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
- Walking time: the method of our walking calorie calculator (2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities; CADENCE-Adults for steps).
Prepared by the KaloCam team · Updated