Apple Calories: How Many in One Apple and Why It Varies

A medium apple has about 95 calories, but the exact number depends on its size, whether you eat the skin and whether it is fresh, dried or juiced. Apples are mostly water and natural carbohydrate, with some fibre and very little fat or protein. This guide explains how many calories different apples contain, why the number varies and how apples fit into a balanced diet.

How many calories are in one apple?

According to USDA FoodData Central, a raw apple with its skin has about 52 calories per 100 g. That means the calories in one apple depend mainly on its weight:

• •Extra-small apple (about 101 g): around 53 calories
• •Small apple (about 149 g): around 77 calories
• •Medium apple (about 182 g): around 95 calories
• •Large apple (about 223 g): around 116 calories

Apples sold in Indian markets vary a lot in size, so a kitchen scale gives the most accurate figure. If you do not weigh it, a fist-sized apple is roughly a medium one.

Where the calories come from

Almost all of an apple's calories come from carbohydrate, mainly natural sugars. A raw apple has about 13.8 g of carbohydrate and 2.4 g of fibre per 100 g, so a medium apple provides roughly 25 g of carbohydrate and over 4 g of fibre. It contains almost no fat or protein. Its high water content is one reason an apple feels filling for relatively few calories.

Why the calorie count varies

• •Size and weight: this is the biggest factor. A large apple can have more than twice the calories of a very small one.
• •Variety: red, green and other varieties differ slightly in sweetness, but the differences in calories are small compared with size.
• •Peel: peeling an apple lowers its calories only slightly. It mainly removes some of the fibre, so the unpeeled apple is usually more filling.
• •Form: the same apple changes once it is juiced, dried, stewed or baked into a dessert.

Whole apple, juice and dried apple

A whole apple has to be chewed, contains fibre and takes time to eat, which helps you feel full. Apple juice removes most of the fibre and is easy to drink quickly, so it is less filling for the same calories. Dried apple has had most of its water removed, which concentrates the calories into a small handful, and some dried apple and apple chips also contain added sugar or oil. Apple pies, halwa and sweetened stewed apple get most of their calories from the added sugar, ghee or pastry rather than from the fruit.

For everyday eating, a whole washed apple is usually the best choice. Keep juice to an occasional small glass and use dried apple in smaller portions than fresh fruit.

Apples and weight management

Apples are low in energy for their size, so they can make a useful snack when you are trying to manage your weight. A fibre-rich apple may keep you fuller than a biscuit or packaged snack with similar calories. However, no single food causes weight loss on its own. What matters is your overall diet, portion sizes and activity across the week.

Apples and blood sugar

People with diabetes can usually include apples. Whole fruit is a better choice than juice, and the portion should fit your individual meal plan. Pairing apple slices with a protein or fat, such as a few nuts, peanut butter or curd, can make the snack more satisfying. Check your glucose readings if you are unsure how apples affect you, and follow your care team's advice.

Easy ways to eat apples

• •Slice an apple and eat it with a spoonful of peanut butter or a few almonds.
• •Add chopped apple to oats, curd or a fruit chaat.
• •Grate apple into a salad with cabbage, carrot and a squeeze of lemon.
• •Bake or stew apple with cinnamon instead of adding sugar.

Wash apples under running water before eating and keep cut apple covered and refrigerated. For more on what apples contain beyond calories, see our guide to apple benefits.

Editorial sources

• •USDA FoodData Central: Apples, raw, with skin
• •FDA: Selecting and Serving Produce Safely