Calories in Cucumber: Per Cucumber, Cup and 100 g
How many calories are in a cucumber – whole, per cup, per slice and per 100 g – plus carbs, water, vitamin K, pickles, tzatziki and cucumber salads.
Cucumbers are crunchy, fresh and found in almost every salad. They’re also one of the foods people eat when they want to lose weight. But how many calories does a cucumber really have?
The short answer: a large cucumber with the peel (301 g) has about 45 calories, and a cup of cucumber slices has about 16 calories. 100 g has only 15 calories. Cucumbers are 95% water, so they fill you up for almost nothing. The calories come from what you add: dressings, dips and sour cream.
Calories in cucumber by portion
Values are for raw cucumber, from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA FoodData Central):
| Portion | Weight | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 1 slice | 7 g | 1 kcal |
| 1 stick (4 inches) | 9 g | 1 kcal |
| 1 cup slices, with peel | 104 g | 16 kcal |
| 1 cup slices, peeled | 119 g | 12 kcal |
| 1 small cucumber, peeled | 158 g | 16 kcal |
| 1 medium cucumber, peeled | 201 g | 20 kcal |
| 1 large cucumber, with peel | 301 g | 45 kcal |
| 100 g, with peel | 100 g | 15 kcal |
Tip: you’d need to eat about 15 cups of cucumber slices to get the calories of one chocolate bar. That’s why cucumber is a great snack when you’re hungry between meals.
Cucumber nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Per 100 g, with peel | Per large cucumber (301 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 15 kcal | 45 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 3.6 g | 10.9 g |
| – of which sugars | 1.7 g | 5.0 g |
| Fiber | 0.5 g | 1.5 g |
| Protein | 0.7 g | 2.0 g |
| Fat | 0.1 g | 0.3 g |
| Water | 95 g | 287 g |
| Vitamin K | 16 µg | 49 µg |
| Potassium | 147 mg | 442 mg |
| Vitamin C | 2.8 mg | 8.4 mg |
Cucumbers are mostly water – a large one has almost as much water as a glass (about 290 ml). They have little fiber and few vitamins, but the peel gives you vitamin K, which helps your blood clot and keeps bones strong. A large cucumber gives you about 40% of the vitamin K you need in a day.
Calories in cucumber dishes
| Food | Portion | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Dill pickle | 1 medium (65 g) | about 8 kcal |
| Cucumber salad with vinegar and a little oil | 1 cup | about 50–70 kcal |
| Cucumber salad with sour cream | 1 cup | about 100–130 kcal |
| Greek salad (cucumber, tomato, feta, olive oil) | 1 bowl (250 g) | about 250–300 kcal |
| Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber, olive oil) | 2 tbsp (30 g) | about 30 kcal |
| Cucumber slices + hummus | 1 cup + 2 tbsp | about 85 kcal |
| Cucumber water | 1 glass | about 0 kcal |
Pickles have almost no calories, but they have a lot of salt: one medium dill pickle can have over 500 mg of sodium. Sour cream and oil turn a cucumber salad from a 16-calorie side into a 100-calorie one. That’s still not much – just measure the oil and sour cream if you count calories.
Is cucumber good for weight loss?
Yes. Cucumber is one of the lowest-calorie foods you can eat. Because it’s mostly water, it adds volume to your plate without adding calories. A big bowl of cucumber salad helps you feel full before the main course.
What matters is how you eat it:
- Plain or with vinegar, lemon and herbs: almost no calories.
- With hummus, tzatziki or yogurt: a filling snack for 50–100 calories.
- With creamy dressing, mayonnaise or lots of oil: the dressing can have 10 times more calories than the cucumber.
Remember that you lose weight only when you eat fewer calories than you burn. Read more about the calorie deficit and find your number with our calorie calculator. For more ideas, see our list of low calorie foods.
Cucumber on keto and for blood sugar
A cup of cucumber slices has only about 3 g of net carbs, so cucumber fits easily into a keto diet. It has very little sugar and a very low glycemic load, so it barely raises blood sugar.
How to eat more cucumber
- Snack on cucumber sticks with hummus or tzatziki instead of chips.
- Add slices to sandwiches and wraps for crunch without calories.
- Make a quick salad with cucumber, tomato, onion, vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Keep the peel on for more fiber and vitamin K – just wash it well.
- Measure the dressing – that’s where the calories are.
Count the calories in your cucumber salad without guesswork. With NutriSmart, you snap a photo of what you eat, and the app counts your calories, protein, carbs and fat and shows how much you have left for the day.Get the app free
You can also read how many calories are in a tomato and in watermelon, or see our list of low calorie snacks.
The bottom line
A large cucumber with the peel has about 45 calories, a cup of slices about 16 and 100 g only 15. Cucumbers are 95% water, very low in carbs and a good source of vitamin K when you eat the peel. They’re great for weight loss and keto – just watch the dressings, dips and sour cream you add.
FAQ
How many calories are in a whole cucumber?
A large cucumber (about 8 inches long, 301 g) with the peel has about 45 calories. A medium peeled cucumber (201 g) has about 20 calories.
How many calories are in a cup of cucumber slices?
About 16 calories. A cup of sliced cucumber with the peel weighs about 104 g. A cup of peeled slices (119 g) has about 12 calories.
How many calories are in 100 g of cucumber?
About 15 calories with the peel and 10 calories without it. 100 g of cucumber has 3.6 g of carbs, 1.7 g of sugar, 0.7 g of protein and 95 g of water.
Is cucumber good for weight loss?
Yes. It's about 95% water, so you can eat a big bowl for very few calories. It adds crunch and volume to salads and sandwiches. Watch creamy dressings and dips – they add far more calories than the cucumber.
Can you eat cucumber on keto?
Yes. A cup of cucumber slices has only about 4 g of carbs and less than 1 g of fiber, so about 3 g of net carbs. It's one of the easiest vegetables to fit into a keto diet.
Should you peel a cucumber?
You don't have to. The peel adds fiber and most of the vitamin K. Wash the cucumber well. Peel it if the skin is thick, bitter or waxed.
