Kidney is one of the most nutrient-dense cuts of organ meat, but its calorie count depends on which animal it comes from, how it is prepared, and how large your portion is. While a 100 g serving of raw beef kidney supplies roughly 99 kcal, the same weight of braised beef kidney provides about 157 kcal because cooking removes water and concentrates the remaining solids. This can make calorie tracking confusing when recipes list weights before or after cooking.
This calculator makes it easy. Choose between beef, pork, or lamb kidney, select raw or cooked/braised, and enter your portion weight. It instantly returns estimated calories, protein, total fat, and carbohydrates for that amount, plus the per-100 g reference baseline. Quick portion buttons for 50 g, 100 g, and 150 g save time when weighing common serving sizes.
Whether you are following a low-carb diet, planning a high-protein meal, or simply curious about offal nutrition, the estimates here give you a practical starting point. Values are adapted from USDA food composition data, so they reflect typical whole kidneys rather than exact single-animal samples.
🥩 Kidney Calories Per 100g
Estimate calories and macros for beef, pork, or lamb kidney based on your serving size.
Reference Values Behind the Calculator
This calculator uses typical nutrient values for whole animal kidneys taken from USDA FoodData Central reference data. The numbers below are per 100 g, which is the standard serving size for comparing foods. Use the table as a quick reference or to check the calculator logic.
| Kidney type | Preparation | Energy (kcal) | Protein (g) | Total fat (g) | Carbohydrate (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | Raw | 99 | 17.4 | 3.1 | 0.3 |
| Beef | Cooked / braised | 157 | 27.3 | 4.7 | 0.3 |
| Pork | Raw | 100 | 16.6 | 4.0 | 0.3 |
| Pork | Cooked / braised | 151 | 25.4 | 5.1 | 0.3 |
| Lamb | Raw | 97 | 15.7 | 3.6 | 0.3 |
| Lamb | Cooked / braised | 137 | 25.5 | 3.6 | 0.3 |
All values are estimates. A specific kidney can differ based on the animal age, diet, breed, fat trimming, and exact cooking method. If a recipe uses a different preparation, such as pan-frying in butter or stewing with added oil, the final calorie count will include that cooking fat too.
How to Use This Calculator
Start by selecting the animal type that matches the kidney you are cooking. Many grocery stores label kidneys simply as beef kidneys, pork kidneys, or lamb kidneys, so this is usually straightforward. Next, choose the preparation state: raw if you are weighing the kidney before cooking, or cooked/braised if you are weighing it after cooking.
- Enter the portion weight in grams. A typical single serving of cooked kidney is 100 to 150 g, while a smaller side portion might be 50 g.
- Use the quick portion buttons to fill in common weights quickly.
- Leave the macronutrient breakdown checkbox enabled if you want protein, fat, and carbohydrate estimates for the same serving.
- Press Calculate and read the result card. The main number is the estimated calorie content for the exact weight you entered.
If your recipe lists a weight that is neither fully raw nor fully braised, choose the option closest to what you are measuring. For example, a kidney that has been lightly seared but still pink inside is closer to raw than to a long-braised product.
Worked Example: A 120 g Braised Beef Kidney Serving
Example: You prepare braised beef kidney and weigh out 120 g after cooking. Per 100 g of braised beef kidney, the calculator uses 157 kcal, 27.3 g protein, 4.7 g fat, and 0.3 g carbohydrate.
Because your portion is 120 g, multiply each per-100 g value by 1.2:
Calories: 157 × 1.2 = 188.4 kcal
Protein: 27.3 × 1.2 = 32.8 g
Total fat: 4.7 × 1.2 = 5.6 g
Carbohydrate: 0.3 × 1.2 = 0.4 g
This shows that one modest serving of braised kidney is relatively low in calories but high in protein, making it a practical option for high-protein, low-carb meal plans.
Why Raw and Cooked Weights Differ
The calorie difference between raw and cooked kidney is not because cooking adds calories. It happens because moisture is lost during cooking, so the same physical weight of cooked meat contains more concentrated protein, fat, and other solids. A 100 g raw portion might shrink to about 60 to 70 g after braising, but if you weigh out 100 g of the cooked product, you are eating more actual tissue than you started with.
This is why the calculator asks you to choose the preparation state. If you track calories using the wrong column, you can easily overestimate or underestimate your intake by 30% or more. The same principle applies to most animal-based foods, including steaks, chicken, and fish.
Always weigh your food in the same state you select in the calculator. Weighing raw kidney but selecting the cooked values would overestimate calories for that portion, while selecting raw values for a cooked portion would underestimate them.
Tips for Consistent Tracking
- Use a kitchen scale: Gram weights are far more accurate than volume or piece counts. Kidney shape and size vary between animals.
- Trim visible fat before cooking: Fat deposits around the kidney can raise the calorie count. Trimming them first makes your portion closer to the lean reference values.
- Account for cooking fat: If you pan-fry kidney in butter, oil, or bacon fat, the final calorie count will be higher than the values shown here. Add the cooking fat separately.
- Be careful with breaded kidney: Coating adds carbohydrate and calories. This calculator covers plain kidney only.
- Use the same reference consistently: Pick one preparation state and stick with it when logging the same recipe each week.
For meal prep, weigh the whole raw kidney before cooking, then weigh the cooked total after cooking. You can calculate the per-gram cooked value for your specific batch by dividing total cooked calories by total cooked weight in grams. This gives you a custom value that is more accurate than a generic database entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is kidney low in calories?
Compared with many muscle meats, plain kidney is relatively low in calories, especially when raw. A 100 g serving of raw beef kidney provides about 99 kcal, while the same weight of braised beef kidney provides about 157 kcal. Most of the calorie difference comes from water loss during cooking, not from added fat.
Can I use this calculator for kidney beans?
No. This tool is for animal kidneys, which are organ meats. Kidney beans are legumes with completely different calorie and macronutrient values. If you are tracking plant-based protein, use a bean- or legume-specific nutrition source instead.
Does this calculator show cholesterol?
No, it focuses on energy, protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Kidney is naturally high in cholesterol, with values typically around 350 to 400 mg per 100 g depending on the animal and cooking method. If you are monitoring cholesterol for medical reasons, talk to a doctor or dietitian about appropriate portion sizes.
Which preparation is best for a low-calorie meal?
Braised or simmered kidney without added fat keeps the calorie count close to the plain prepared values. Raw kidney is even lower per 100 g, but most people do not eat it raw. Avoid heavy batters, creamy sauces, and large amounts of cooking oil if your main goal is calorie control.