Prepared foods
Pozole (hominy soup)
Per 100 g (3.5 oz), pozole (hominy soup) provides 3.4 g of protein, 0.9 g of fiber, and 43 kcal, a very low energy density.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Very low energy density: 43 kcal/100 g | +2 |
| Protein: 7.9 g/100 kcal | +1 |
| Fiber: 2.1 g/100 kcal | +1 |
| Soup or stew, not a drink, with 90.0 g of water | +1 |
| Sum | 6 |
| Capped at 5 | 5 |
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
- 8 primary and 1 supporting
- Data
- USDA FDC 2707129
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 108 kcal per serving
- 43 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 8.5 g per serving
- 3.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 11.5 g per serving
- 4.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 2.5 g per serving
- 1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 2.3 g per serving
- 0.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 3.1 g per serving
- 1.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0.7 g per serving
- 0.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 225 g per serving
- 90 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central (FNDDS 2021-2023): Soup, pozole (FDC ID 2707129), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 250 g (9 oz) serving provides about 108 kcal, 8.5 g of protein, and 2.3 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The Dictionary of Americanisms defines pozole, in Mexico, as a brothy stew of cacahuacintle corn and, usually, pork, seasoned with oregano, onion, chili, lime, lettuce and radish. According to a 2013 study in Revista Fitotecnia Mexicana, the corn is nixtamalized, that is, cooked with lime (calcium hydroxide), and then boiled until the kernel opens like a flower. This page uses USDA's pozole, a light version that is 50% water, 25% vegetables, 15% canned hominy and 10% chicken, with 43 kcal and 3.38 g of protein per 100 g; with pork, more meat or tostadas on the side the calories go up considerably.
A 250 g (8.8 oz) bowl, slightly more than the 245 g cup USDA uses for this soup, provides 108 kcal, 8.5 g of protein and about 225 g of water, as long as you eat the meat and not just the broth and corn. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests eating protein-rich foods first, and in pozole that is the meat, so if you eat little it helps to start with it and leave the corn and tostadas for later. The same advisory suggests avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, so in those days chicken or lean-meat pozole, without the fat that floats on top and with the tostadas on the side, usually sits better.
What the evidence says
UNESCO, which in 2010 inscribed traditional Mexican cuisine on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, describes nixtamalization as a process that increases the nutritional value of corn. FAO explains that the niacin in corn is bound and the body cannot use it, that pellagra, the disease caused by niacin deficiency, has been common in populations that eat a lot of corn, and that lime treatment has been reported to destroy the pellagra-promoting effect of corn. With 90 g of water per 100 g, a 250 g bowl provides about 225 g, a little over a tenth of the 2.0 liters of total water a day EFSA sets as the adequate intake for adult women (2.5 liters for men), a reference that counts drinks and food. It has 248 mg of sodium per 100 g according to USDA, about 620 mg per bowl, almost a third of the 2,000 mg a day the WHO recommends not exceeding.
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 pozole (hominy soup)
How much protein is in a 250 g (9 oz) serving of pozole (hominy soup)?
100 g (3.5 oz) of pozole (hominy soup) has 3.4 g of protein. A typical 250 g (9 oz) serving has about 8.5 g of protein. That is 7.9 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many calories does a 250 g (9 oz) serving of pozole (hominy soup) have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of pozole (hominy soup) has 43 kcal. A typical 250 g (9 oz) serving has about 108 kcal. That is a very low energy density.
Does pozole (hominy soup) have fiber?
100 g (3.5 oz) of pozole (hominy soup) has 0.9 g of fiber. A typical 250 g (9 oz) serving has about 2.3 g of fiber.
Is pozole (hominy soup) filling?
Yes, very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. It is based on: our rule adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about pozole (hominy soup) on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about pozole (hominy soup) on a GLP-1 medication. “Low energy density”: plenty of volume for few calories; make sure it does not push protein foods off your plate. “Hydrating”: a lot of water, which contributes to hydration when you eat and drink less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of pozole (hominy soup)?
We use 250 g (9 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 108 kcal, 8.5 g of protein, and 2.3 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
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 (FNDDS 2021-2023): Soup, pozole (FDC ID 2707129).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "pozole" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Other sourceRevista Fitotecnia Mexicana (Sociedad Mexicana de Fitogenética).Vázquez Carrillo MG, Santiago Ramos D. Características fisicoquímicas y calidad del pozole del maíz Cacahuacintle procesado mediante tres métodos. Rev Fitotec Mex. 2013;36(Supl 3-A):357-366.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 .
- InstitutionUNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.Traditional Mexican cuisine - ancestral, ongoing community culture, the Michoacán paradigm (inscribed in 2010 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity).accessed .
- InstitutionFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Maize in human nutrition (FAO, 1992), chapter 2: chemical composition and nutritional value of maize.accessed .
- InstitutionFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Maize in human nutrition (FAO, 1992), chapter 5: physical and chemical changes in maize during processing (lime-treated maize, part II).accessed .
- RegulatorEFSA Journal.EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for water. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(3):1459. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1459.accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .