Ultra-processed foods and sweets
Pork rinds (chicharrón)
Pork rinds (chicharrón) packs 544 kcal into 100 g (3.5 oz), so a typical 15 g (0.5 oz) serving already adds up to about 82 kcal.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 1 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Very high energy density: 544 kcal/100 g | −2 |
| Protein: 11.3 g/100 kcal | +2 |
| Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Solid food with 1.8 g of water, under 70 | 0 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 10 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 167961
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 82 kcal per serving
- 544 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 9.2 g per serving
- 61.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 4.7 g per serving
- 31.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 1.7 g per serving
- 11.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 0.3 g per serving
- 1.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Snacks, pork skins, plain (FDC ID 167961), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 15 g (0.5 oz) serving provides about 82 kcal, 9.2 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The DLE, the Spanish-language dictionary, defines chicharrón, in the Americas, as the skin of a young pig, air-dried and fried, and gives corteza as a synonym, which is also, par excellence, fried pork skin; the Diccionario de americanismos records that meaning in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru. The same dictionary also uses chicharrón, in Costa Rica, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, for pork with bits of fatback fried in its own fat, and in Mexico for a snack made with flour and vegetable fat, two different foods. This page covers plain bagged pork rinds according to USDA, with 544 kcal, 61.3 g of protein, 31.3 g of fat and 1,820 mg of sodium per 100 g.
A 15 g (0.5 oz) serving provides 82 kcal, 4.7 g of fat, no sugars and 9.2 g of protein, and one ounce, 28.35 g according to USDA, already adds up to 154 kcal and 8.9 g of fat. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests avoiding fatty or high-fiber foods in the first days of treatment and notes that foods high in protein or fat can further slow gastric emptying, and pork rinds are both, so in those days, and after a dose increase, they are a poor fit. For something crunchy, air-popped popcorn has 4.54 g of fat per 100 g, and a few pieces of chicharrón on a soup or salad give the flavor with a smaller amount.
What the evidence says
Protein provides 45% of its energy, so it meets the 20% minimum the EU requires for the claim "high protein" (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006), although that criterion ignores quality: with USDA's figures, its protein carries 1.9 mg of tryptophan, an essential amino acid, per gram, compared with 12.7 mg for lean pork loin (my calculation). It has 1,820 mg of sodium per 100 g, so 15 g provides 273 mg, 14% of the 2,000 mg a day that WHO recommends not exceeding. With USDA's figures and Mexico's NOM-051, I calculate that a bag with added salt would carry the seals "EXCESO CALORÍAS" (excess calories), because it exceeds 275 kcal per 100 g, "EXCESO GRASAS SATURADAS" (excess saturated fat), because it provides 19% of energy, above 10%, and "EXCESO SODIO" (excess sodium), because it exceeds 1 mg of sodium per kcal.
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about pork rinds (chicharrón)
How many grams of protein are in a 15 g (0.5 oz) serving of pork rinds (chicharrón)?
100 g (3.5 oz) of pork rinds (chicharrón) has 61.3 g of protein. A typical 15 g (0.5 oz) serving has about 9.2 g of protein. That is 11.3 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why it carries our “High in protein” tag.
How many kcal are in a 15 g (0.5 oz) serving of pork rinds (chicharrón)?
100 g (3.5 oz) of pork rinds (chicharrón) has 544 kcal. A typical 15 g (0.5 oz) serving has about 82 kcal. That is a very high energy density.
Does pork rinds (chicharrón) keep you full?
Barely filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 1 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) − 2 (very high energy density: 544 kcal/100 g) + 2 (protein: 11.3 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 0 (solid food with 1.8 g of water, under 70) = 1. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about pork rinds (chicharrón) if I take Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound and feel nauseous?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about pork rinds (chicharrón) on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. “High energy density”: a lot of energy in a small volume; when your appetite is very low, a small serving can help you meet your needs. “May worsen nausea”: a fatty or fried food; fatty meals are digested more slowly and can make nausea and heaviness worse. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What is a typical serving of pork rinds (chicharrón)?
We use 15 g (0.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 82 kcal, 9.2 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Snacks, pork skins, plain (FDC ID 167961).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Pork, fresh, loin, whole, separable lean only, raw (FDC ID 168230).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Snacks, popcorn, air-popped (FDC ID 167959).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "chicharrón" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "corteza" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "chicharrón" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .
- RegulatorDiario Oficial de la Federación (Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Health, Mexico).Modificación a la Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010 (Mexico's labeling standard for prepackaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages), Diario Oficial de la Federación, March 27, 2020; section 4.5.3, Table 6 and second transitory article (in Spanish).accessed .