How Many Calories in Pickles? Nutrition Facts & Macros

1 pickle spear (65 g) has approximately 8 calories. Per 100 g, dill pickles have just 12 calories — making them one of the LOWEST calorie foods available. A single thin slice (7 g) is under 1 calorie. Pickles are essentially a free food for calorie counting. Nearly all the weight is water (94.34 g per 100 g). You could eat an entire jar and barely register on your daily calorie count.

YES — pickles are a perfect keto snack! Only 1.41 g net carbs per 100 g (2.41 g carbs minus 1.0 g fiber). A whole pickle spear has roughly 1 g net carbs. The high sodium (809 mg per 100 g) is actually beneficial on keto — electrolyte depletion is common during the keto transition. Pickle juice is even used as a keto electrolyte drink. AVOID sweet pickles — they contain approximately 18 g sugar per 100 g and are NOT keto-friendly.

Naturally fermented (lacto-fermented) pickles contain live probiotics that support gut health. They're very low calorie (12 kcal per 100 g), fat-free, and cholesterol-free. However, the sodium is high (809 mg per 100 g, about 23% DV per spear) — watch your total intake if you're limiting salt. Most store-bought pickles are vinegar-preserved and do NOT contain probiotics. For probiotic benefits, choose naturally fermented varieties stored in the refrigerated section.

Dill pickles contain 809 mg sodium per 100 g. That's 526 mg per spear (65 g) — roughly 23% of the daily value. This is high, but actually useful on keto where electrolyte depletion is common. If you're watching sodium, you can rinse pickles before eating to reduce salt. For low-sodium diets, look for reduced-sodium pickle varieties. Pickle juice contains even more concentrated sodium — popular among athletes for cramp prevention.

Only NATURALLY FERMENTED (lacto-fermented) pickles contain live probiotics. These are sometimes called sour pickles. Most store-bought pickles are vinegar-preserved and do NOT contain probiotics — the vinegar kills beneficial bacteria. To get probiotic pickles, look for labels saying 'naturally fermented' or 'lacto-fermented', stored in the refrigerated section (not on regular shelves). Fermented pickles also have a tangier, more complex flavor.

Dill pickles: 12 kcal per 100 g, 1.07 g sugar — keto-friendly, essentially zero calorie. Sweet pickles (bread-and-butter): approximately 91 kcal per 100 g, about 18 g sugar — NOT keto-friendly. Sweet pickles are made with added sugar and are basically candy cucumbers. For calorie counting or keto, always choose dill. The calorie difference is dramatic — sweet pickles have nearly 8 times more calories than dill pickles.