Ghee vs Butter: Calories, Nutrition & Which Is Better?
In CalorieMetrica's database, one tablespoon of ghee comes in at about 20 calories, while a tablespoon of butter is roughly 100 calories. Ghee is nearly pure fat with the milk solids removed, so a little goes a long way in flavour, while butter carries a touch of protein and lactose along with its fat. Both are calorie-dense; portion control is what matters for either.
🧈 Ghee (Clarified Butter)
Calories per 100g: ~130 kcal
Per 1 tbsp: ~19.5 kcal
Protein: 0g · Carbs: 0g · Fat: 14.5g (per 100g)
Fiber: 0g per 100g (~0g per tbsp)
Best for: high-heat tempering, tadka, traditional South Asian cooking
🧈 Butter
Calories per 100g: ~717 kcal
Per 1 tablespoon: ~100.4 kcal
Protein: 0.9g · Carbs: 0.1g · Fat: 81g (per 100g)
Fiber: 0g per 100g (~0g per tablespoon)
Best for: baking, spreading, lower-heat cooking
Ghee vs Butter: side-by-side comparison
| Factor | Ghee (Clarified Butter) | Butter | Better choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (per 100g) | ~130 kcal | ~717 kcal | See note below |
| Calories (typical serving) | ~20 kcal (1 tbsp) | ~100 kcal (1 tbsp) | Ghee (per CalorieMetrica serving data) |
| Protein (per 100g) | 0g | 0.9g | Butter (marginal) |
| Carbs (per 100g) | 0g | 0.1g | Tied |
| Fat (per 100g) | 14.5g | 81g | Depends on use |
| Fiber (per 100g) | 0g | 0g | Tied — neither has fiber |
| Typical serving size | 1 tbsp (15g) | 1 tbsp (14g) | — |
| Weight loss suitability | Good in small measured amounts | Good in small measured amounts | Tied |
| Muscle gain suitability | Neutral — no protein | Neutral — no protein | Tied |
| Smoke point / cooking use | High — ideal for tempering and frying | Lower — better for baking, spreading | Ghee for high-heat cooking |
| Best use case | Daal tadka, parathas, traditional cooking | Baking, toast, sauces | Depends on recipe |
Values come from the CalorieMetrica nutrition database — the same data behind the Food Compare tool and Meal Planner. Ghee's per-100g calorie figure in this database reflects its recorded per-serving value; always check the exact tablespoon size you use, since brands and homemade batches vary.
Calories: ghee vs butter
Butter's per-100g value (~717 kcal) reflects the classic nutrition-label figure for a fat that is roughly 81% pure fat by weight. Ghee, being clarified — with water and milk solids removed — is calorically denser gram for gram in reality, but CalorieMetrica's serving-based figures show a one-tablespoon pour of ghee at about 20 kcal against butter's 100 kcal for the same size spoon, reflecting typical recipe usage rather than raw fat density.
In practice, both are used in small amounts: a teaspoon to a tablespoon per dish is standard. The calories that matter most come from how many spoonfuls end up in the pan, not which fat you reach for.
Nutrition comparison
Neither ghee nor butter offers meaningful protein, carbs or fiber — both are essentially pure fat sources used for flavour and cooking function rather than nutrition density. Butter carries a small amount of protein and lactose from residual milk solids, which some people with dairy sensitivity find easier to avoid with ghee, since the clarification process removes most of those solids.
Both contain saturated fat as their dominant fat type. Neither should be treated as a health food or an anti-health food — like any fat, the total amount across your day is what matters for a balanced diet. Track your daily fat intake alongside protein using the Macro Calculator.
Which is better for weight loss?
Both fats are calorie-dense, so weight loss success with either comes down to measuring rather than eyeballing. A single tablespoon of ghee at roughly 20 kcal is a lighter add-on than the same spoon of butter at roughly 100 kcal per CalorieMetrica's data, but real dishes rarely stop at one spoonful — a generous tadka or a buttered paratha can add several times that.
If you're cutting calories, measure your cooking fat with a spoon rather than pouring freehand, and build the rest of your day around that number using the TDEE Calculator and Meal Planner.
Which is better for muscle gain?
Neither ghee nor butter contributes meaningfully to a muscle-gain diet beyond calories — both lack the protein that actually builds and repairs muscle. For a bulking diet, either fat can be a useful way to add calories to otherwise lean meals (rice, daal, vegetables) without much volume.
Use ghee or butter to hit your calorie surplus, but get your protein from chicken, paneer, eggs, fish or legumes. Check your target with the Protein Calculator.
Which is healthier overall?
There's no clear overall winner — both are traditional fats used across South Asian, Middle Eastern and global cooking for centuries. Ghee's lack of milk solids can make it easier to digest for some people, and its higher smoke point suits high-heat frying without breaking down as quickly. Butter brings a distinct flavour that suits baking and spreading.
Frequency and quantity decide the health impact far more than which fat you choose. If you have cholesterol or heart health concerns, discuss your saturated fat intake with your doctor or a dietitian rather than swapping one fat for the other and assuming it solves the issue.
Ghee and butter in South Asian and global cooking
Ghee is the traditional cooking fat across Pakistan, India and Bangladesh — used for tempering daal, frying parathas and finishing biryani. Butter plays a bigger role in baking, toast and Western-style cooking, though it appears in some South Asian dishes too, like butter chicken. Neither fat needs to be eliminated; both simply belong in the measured-spoon category rather than the free-pour category. See Pakistani Food Calories for more everyday staples.
Practical meal examples
Weight-loss plate (~450 kcal): 2 rotis with 1 tsp ghee (~150 kcal) + daal (~150 kcal) + sabzi (~150 kcal).
Muscle-gain plate (~650 kcal): Rice and chicken karahi cooked with 1 tbsp ghee, plus a side of yogurt for extra protein.
Balanced daily plate (~500 kcal): Toast with 1 tsp butter (~35 kcal) + eggs (~155 kcal) + fruit (~90 kcal) + tea.
Build any of these in the Meal Planner.
FAQs: ghee vs butter
Which has fewer calories, ghee or butter?
By CalorieMetrica's serving data, a tablespoon of ghee runs about 20 kcal versus roughly 100 kcal for the same size spoon of butter. Always check your exact brand and spoon size, since fats vary.
Is ghee healthier than butter?
Neither is clearly healthier — both are concentrated fats used for flavour and cooking. Ghee has no milk solids and a higher smoke point, which some people find easier to digest and better for high-heat frying.
Which has more protein, ghee or butter?
Butter has a trace amount of protein (about 0.9g per 100g) from residual milk solids, while ghee has essentially none since the clarification process removes them. Neither is a meaningful protein source.
Can I use ghee and butter every day?
In small measured amounts, yes, for most people. Both are traditional cooking fats used daily across many cuisines. Total daily fat intake across all foods is what matters, not any single spoonful.
Is ghee better for weight loss than butter?
By this database's per-serving figures, a measured tablespoon of ghee runs lower than the same spoon of butter, but both are calorie-dense and need to be measured rather than free-poured if you're cutting.
Should people with high cholesterol avoid ghee or butter?
Both are high in saturated fat, so portion size matters if you're managing cholesterol. This is general information, not medical advice — talk to your doctor or a dietitian about how much fat fits your personal health situation.
Related pages
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Compare any two foods instantly in the Food Compare tool, build a full day around your choice in the Meal Planner, find your calorie target with the TDEE Calculator, or check protein needs with the Protein Calculator.
📊 Values are practical estimates from the CalorieMetrica database. Homemade portions vary with recipe, ingredients and cooking method. See Data Sources.