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Ultra-processed foods and sweets

Dulce de leche

Dulce de leche packs 315 kcal into 100 g (3.5 oz), so a typical 20 g (0.7 oz) serving already adds up to about 63 kcal.

USDA description: Dulce de leche

  • High energy density

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
High energy density: 315 kcal/100 g−1
Protein: 2.2 g/100 kcal0
Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal0
Solid food with 28.7 g of water, under 700
Sum0
Raised to the minimum of 11

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.

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Sources
10 primary
Data
USDA FDC 173461

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Nutrition facts

Calories
63 kcal per serving
315 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
1.4 g per serving
6.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
11.1 g per serving
55.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
9.9 g per serving
49.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
1.5 g per serving
7.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
0.9 g per serving
4.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
5.7 g per serving
28.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Dulce de Leche (FDC ID 173461), accessed September 23, 2026.

A typical 20 g (0.7 oz) serving provides about 63 kcal, 1.4 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.

The typical serving (20 g (0.7 oz)) is a common amount used for the math, not a recommendation. Ounces and cups are rounded US equivalents; the values come from the database entry cited in the sources.

What it is and how to eat it

The DLE, the Spanish-language dictionary, defines dulce de leche as a sweet made from sweetened milk, usually flavored with vanilla and cooked slowly for a long time, and calls it arequipe in Colombia and Venezuela and manjar blanco in El Salvador, Panama and Peru; the Diccionario de americanismos also records manjar in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama and Chile. Cajeta, which the DLE places in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, is an extremely thick goat's milk dulce de leche, so its values may differ. This page covers dulce de leche according to USDA, with 315 kcal, 49.7 g of sugars, 7.35 g of fat and 6.84 g of protein per 100 g.

One tablespoon, 19 g according to USDA, provides 60 kcal, 1.4 g of fat and 9.4 g of sugars, with 1.3 g of protein. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy lists enjoying portion-controlled treats among the habits to encourage, and serving a tablespoon instead of eating it from the jar is the simplest way to control the portion. On plain yogurt or fresh cheese, or with fruit, it adds flavor to a protein base, which the same advisory suggests eating first.

What the evidence says

Almost half its weight is sugars, 49.7 g per 100 g: lactose from milk does not count as a free sugar for WHO, but added sugar does, within a limit of 10% of daily energy, about 50 g on a 2,000 kcal diet, and ideally 5%. With 251 mg of calcium per 100 g it exceeds the 240 mg the EU requires for the claim "high in calcium", but a 19 g tablespoon provides 48 mg, 6% of the 800 mg reference value (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EU) No 1169/2011).

The sources for this section are listed under "Sources" at the end of the page.

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

High energy density
It has more than 300 kcal per 100 g: a lot of energy in a small volume, so it is less filling per calorie. That does not make it a bad food; when your appetite is very low, a small serving can help you meet your needs.

Frequently asked questions about dulce de leche

How many grams of protein are in a tablespoon of dulce de leche?

A tablespoon of dulce de leche, our reference serving of 20 g (0.7 oz), has about 1.4 g of protein. 100 g (3.5 oz) of dulce de leche has 6.8 g of protein. That is 2.2 g of protein per 100 kcal.

How many kcal are in a tablespoon of dulce de leche?

A tablespoon of dulce de leche, our reference serving of 20 g (0.7 oz), has about 63 kcal. 100 g (3.5 oz) of dulce de leche has 315 kcal. That is a high energy density.

Does dulce de leche keep you full?

Barely filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 1 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) − 1 (high energy density: 315 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 2.2 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 0 (solid food with 28.7 g of water, under 70) = 0; raised to the minimum of 1. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

How does dulce de leche fit into eating on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about dulce de leche on a GLP-1 medication. “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. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.

What is a typical serving of dulce de leche?

We use 20 g (0.7 oz) as a typical serving, roughly a tablespoon of dulce de leche. That amount provides about 63 kcal, 1.4 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

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Sources

Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.

  1. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Dulce de Leche (FDC ID 173461).accessed .
  2. 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): "dulce (dulce de leche)" (in Spanish).accessed .
  3. 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): "arequipe" (in Spanish).accessed .
  4. 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): "manjar (manjar blanco)" (in Spanish).accessed .
  5. 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): "cajeta" (in Spanish).accessed .
  6. InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "manjar" (in Spanish).accessed .
  7. 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 .
  8. InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Healthy diet (fact sheet, section on free sugars).accessed .
  9. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
  10. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .