Broccoli Macros: Complete Nutrition Facts & Calories

Broccoli might be the most macro-friendly vegetable on the planet. It’s absurdly low in calories, surprisingly high in protein for a vegetable, loaded with fiber, and packed with vitamins and minerals. If you’re counting macros, broccoli is basically a free food you can eat in unlimited quantities.

But “just eat more broccoli” doesn’t help if you don’t know the numbers. This guide breaks down broccoli macros in detail—exact values for different preparations, how cooking methods affect nutrition, and how to make broccoli work harder in your diet.

Broccoli Macros: Quick Reference

Here’s what you need to know at a glance. Broccoli is almost pure nutrition with minimal caloric impact.

Raw Broccoli

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber
100g	34	2.8g	7g	0.4g	2.6g
1 cup chopped (91g)	31	2.5g	6g	0.3g	2.4g
1 cup florets (71g)	24	2g	5g	0.3g	1.8g
1 medium stalk (148g)	50	4.1g	10g	0.6g	3.8g
1 large head (608g)	207	17g	43g	2.4g	15.8g

Steamed Broccoli

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber
100g	35	2.4g	7g	0.4g	3.3g
1 cup (156g)	55	3.7g	11g	0.6g	5.1g

Roasted Broccoli (No Oil)

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Fiber
100g	38	2.5g	8g	0.5g	3g
1 cup	54	3.5g	11g	0.7g	4.2g

The bottom line: No matter how you prepare it, plain broccoli has approximately 30-40 calories per 100g. The variation between raw, steamed, and roasted is negligible.

Why Broccoli Is the Ultimate Diet Food

Let’s put broccoli’s macros in perspective:

Calorie Density Comparison

Food	Calories per 100g	To Eat 500 Calories
Broccoli	34	1.5 kg (3.3 lbs)
Chicken breast	165	303g
Rice (cooked)	130	385g
Bread	265	189g
Peanut butter	588	85g

You would need to eat over 3 pounds of broccoli to consume 500 calories. This makes broccoli invaluable for:

• Volume eating — Fill your plate without filling your calorie budget
• Staying full — Fiber and volume trigger satiety signals
• Hitting fiber goals — Most people don’t get enough fiber

The “Free Food” Concept

Many macro trackers consider broccoli a “free food”—something you don’t need to log because the caloric impact is so small and the benefits so high.

Should you track broccoli?

• Cutting aggressively: Yes, track everything
• Moderate deficit: Optional, but be honest about added fats
• Maintenance/bulking: Usually not necessary

The real danger isn’t the broccoli—it’s the butter, cheese, or oil you might add.

Raw vs. Cooked Broccoli

Cooking changes broccoli’s texture and slightly affects nutrition, but the macro impact is minimal.

Weight Changes During Cooking

Unlike meat or rice, broccoli doesn’t dramatically change weight when cooked:

• Steaming: Retains most water, similar weight
• Roasting: Loses some water, slightly concentrates
• Boiling: Can absorb water, slightly heavier

Nutrient Considerations

Cooking Method	Vitamin C Retention	Macro Impact
Raw	100%	Baseline
Steaming (3-5 min)	80-90%	Minimal
Microwaving	75-85%	Minimal
Roasting	60-70%	Minimal
Boiling	50-60%	Minimal

Key insight: Light steaming preserves the most nutrients while maintaining pleasant texture. Avoid boiling, which leaches vitamins into the water.

Best Tracking Approach

Since the macro difference between raw and cooked is minimal (34 vs 35 calories per 100g), use whichever entry matches how you measured:

• Weighed raw → Log as raw
• Weighed cooked → Log as steamed/cooked

Don’t stress about this—a few calories either way is insignificant.

Broccoli Preparations and Their Macros

Here’s where things get interesting—and where tracking errors happen. Plain broccoli is nearly calorie-free, but preparations can add significant macros.

Plain Steamed (No Additions)

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
1 cup	55	3.7g	11g	0.6g
2 cups	110	7.4g	22g	1.2g

The baseline. Pure broccoli, zero added calories.

Steamed with Butter

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
1 cup + 1 tsp butter	89	3.7g	11g	4.4g
1 cup + 1 tbsp butter	157	3.7g	11g	12g

The butter trap: A tablespoon of butter nearly triples the calories. This is often how “healthy” restaurant vegetables become calorie bombs.

Roasted with Olive Oil

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
1 cup + 1 tsp oil	94	3.5g	11g	5.2g
1 cup + 1 tbsp oil	174	3.5g	11g	14.6g

Macro-friendly roasting: Use cooking spray instead of oil. You’ll get similar crispiness with minimal added fat.

Broccoli with Cheese Sauce

Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
1 cup + 2 tbsp cheese sauce	155	6g	14g	9g
1 cup + 1/4 cup cheese sauce	205	8g	16g	13g

Restaurant broccoli with cheese can easily exceed 200 calories per cup.

Broccoli Stir-Fry

Typical Restaurant Serving	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat
Broccoli beef (1.5 cups)	300-400	20g	15g	20g
Garlic broccoli (1 cup)	150-200	4g	12g	12g

Why so high? Restaurants use liberal amounts of oil in stir-fries. Home-cooked versions with controlled oil can cut calories by 50%.

Frozen Broccoli (Prepared Per Package)

Type	Calories per Cup	Notes
Plain frozen	55	Same as fresh
With cheese sauce	90-120	Added dairy, sodium
With butter sauce	70-90	Added butter, sodium
Steamable bags	55	Usually plain

Recommendation: Buy plain frozen broccoli and add your own seasonings. Sauced versions cost more and add hidden calories.

Broccoli and Different Diets

Keto/Low-Carb

Broccoli is one of the best keto vegetables:

Net carbs per cup: 4g (6g total - 2g fiber)

You can eat generous portions:

Amount	Net Carbs
1 cup	4g
2 cups	8g
3 cups	12g

On a 20g net carb limit, you could eat 5 cups of broccoli and still have room for other foods.

Keto broccoli ideas:

• Roasted with parmesan
• Mashed broccoli (like cauliflower mash)
• Broccoli cheese soup
• Broccoli with hollandaise

Weight Loss/Cutting

Broccoli is your secret weapon during a cut:

Volume-maximizing strategy:

• Fill half your plate with broccoli
• Eat it first to trigger satiety
• Only 50-60 calories for a large portion

1,500 calorie day example:

Meal	Broccoli	Calories from Broccoli
Lunch	1.5 cups	83
Dinner	2 cups	110
Total	3.5 cups	193

You’ve eaten nearly a pound of food for under 200 calories, plus 9g fiber.

High-Protein Diet

Broccoli has more protein than most vegetables:

Protein per calorie comparison:

Vegetable	Protein per 100 cal
Broccoli	8.2g
Spinach	12g
Asparagus	11g
Carrots	2.3g
Corn	3g

While you won’t hit protein goals with broccoli alone, it contributes meaningfully:

• 3.5 cups broccoli = 13g protein
• That’s equivalent to adding almost 2 oz of chicken breast

Bulking/Muscle Gain

Even when bulking, broccoli serves important purposes:

• Micronutrients — Vitamin C, K, folate, potassium
• Fiber — Digestive health during high-calorie eating
• Volume — Balances calorie-dense meals

Bulking tip: Don’t skip vegetables just because you need calories. Add broccoli to high-calorie meals for balance and satiety.

Broccoli vs. Similar Vegetables

How does broccoli compare to other popular vegetables?

Per 100g Raw

Vegetable	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fiber	Vitamin C
Broccoli	34	2.8g	7g	2.6g	89mg
Cauliflower	25	2g	5g	2g	48mg
Brussels sprouts	43	3.4g	9g	3.8g	85mg
Asparagus	20	2.2g	4g	2.1g	5.6mg
Green beans	31	1.8g	7g	2.7g	12mg
Spinach	23	2.9g	3.6g	2.2g	28mg
Kale	49	4.3g	9g	3.6g	120mg

Broccoli advantages:

• Highest vitamin C after kale
• Good protein for a vegetable
• Mild flavor most people enjoy
• Extremely versatile in cooking

When to choose alternatives:

• Cauliflower — Lower carb, better for mashing
• Kale — Higher protein, more vitamin C
• Spinach — Lower everything, disappears when cooked

Meal Ideas with Broccoli

High-Volume, Low-Calorie Meals

Broccoli rice bowl:

Ingredient	Calories
2 cups riced broccoli	70
4 oz chicken breast	187
1 tbsp soy sauce	10
Total	267

Broccoli “fried rice”:

Ingredient	Calories
1.5 cups riced broccoli	52
2 eggs, scrambled	140
1/4 cup peas	30
1 tsp sesame oil	40
Total	262

Protein-Paired Meals

Lemon garlic broccoli + salmon:

Ingredient	Calories	Protein
1.5 cups steamed broccoli	83	5.5g
6 oz salmon	367	40g
1 tsp olive oil	40	0g
Lemon, garlic	5	0g
Total	495	45.5g

Broccoli beef stir-fry (homemade):

Ingredient	Calories	Protein
2 cups broccoli	68	5.6g
5 oz sirloin	225	35g
1 tbsp oyster sauce	20	0.5g
1 tsp oil	40	0g
Garlic, ginger	10	0g
Total	363	41g

Soup and Purees

Broccoli soup (low-calorie):

Ingredient	Calories
3 cups broccoli	102
1 cup chicken broth	15
1/4 cup onion	15
Garlic, herbs	5
Total (2 servings)	~70 each

Cream of broccoli (moderate):

Ingredient	Calories
3 cups broccoli	102
1/2 cup half-and-half	160
1 cup chicken broth	15
1/4 cup cheddar	110
Total (2 servings)	~195 each

Meal Prep with Broccoli

Batch Cooking Methods

Blanched broccoli (best for meal prep):

1. Boil water with salt
2. Add broccoli florets, cook 2 minutes
3. Transfer to ice bath immediately
4. Drain and store

Storage: 4-5 days refrigerated, 3 months frozen

Why blanching works best:

• Preserves bright green color
• Stops enzyme activity
• Maintains texture when reheated
• Reheats better than steamed

Meal Prep Portions

Pre-portioned servings:

• 1 cup portions for side dishes (~55 cal)
• 2 cup portions for high-volume meals (~110 cal)

Weekly prep:

• Buy 2-3 lbs broccoli crowns or 2-3 bags frozen
• Prep Sunday, use through Thursday
• Freeze extra if needed

Quick Reheating Tips

Method	Time	Best For
Microwave	1-2 min	Speed
Pan sauté	3-4 min	Adding flavor
Oven	10-15 min	Roasted texture
Air fryer	5-7 min	Crispy edges

Common Tracking Mistakes

Mistake #1: Not Tracking Added Fats

Plain broccoli: 55 calories per cup Broccoli at restaurant: 150-200 calories per cup

Fix: Always log added butter, oil, or sauces separately.

Mistake #2: Overestimating Restaurant Portions

That “side of broccoli” at a restaurant might only be 1/2 cup—much smaller than it looks on a plate.

Fix: Learn to estimate visually. 1 cup of broccoli florets is about the size of a baseball.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Frozen Sauced Varieties

“Broccoli with cheese sauce” isn’t the same as plain broccoli + cheese you add yourself.

Fix: Check nutrition labels on frozen varieties. Plain frozen is usually best.

Mistake #4: Being Too Precise

Broccoli has so few calories that obsessing over exact amounts is counterproductive.

Fix: Estimate within reason. If you’re eating steamed broccoli as a side, ±50 calories won’t affect your progress.

Beyond Macros: Broccoli’s Nutritional Power

Per 1 cup steamed (156g):

Nutrient	Amount	% Daily Value
Vitamin C	101mg	112%
Vitamin K	116mcg	97%
Folate	94mcg	24%
Vitamin A	567 IU	11%
Potassium	457mg	10%
Fiber	5.1g	18%

Notable compounds:

• Sulforaphane — Studied for potential cancer-fighting properties
• Kaempferol — Anti-inflammatory flavonoid
• Quercetin — Antioxidant linked to heart health

The Bottom Line

Broccoli is the ultimate macro-friendly vegetable:

• 34 calories per 100g — Essentially a free food
• 2.8g protein — High for a vegetable
• 2.6g fiber — Keeps you full
• Zero fat — Pure nutrition

Key tracking rules:

1. Plain broccoli barely needs tracking
2. Always log added fats (butter, oil, cheese)
3. Use it to add volume and satiety to any meal
4. Don’t overthink the raw vs. cooked difference

Whether you’re cutting aggressively or just trying to eat healthier, broccoli should be a staple. Fill your plate, hit your fiber goals, and enjoy the volume without the calorie guilt.

Related guides:

• How to Hit Your Macros
• Macro-Friendly Meals
• Chicken Breast Macros