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Pork tamale

Per 100 g (3.5 oz), pork tamale provides 7.4 g of protein, 2.4 g of fiber, and 174 kcal, a moderate energy density.

USDA description: Pork tamale, restaurant

  • May worsen nausea

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Moderate energy density: 174 kcal/100 g0
Protein: 4.2 g/100 kcal+1
Fiber: 1.4 g/100 kcal0
Solid food with 66.0 g of water, under 700

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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Last updated
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Sources
10 primary
Data
USDA FDC 168067

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Nutrition facts

Calories
244 kcal per serving
174 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
10.3 g per serving
7.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
22.1 g per serving
15.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
0.6 g per serving
0.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
3.4 g per serving
2.4 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
12.7 g per serving
9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
3.8 g per serving
2.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
92.4 g per serving
66 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central: Restaurant, Latino, tamale, pork (FDC ID 168067), accessed September 23, 2026.

A typical 140 g (5 oz) serving provides about 244 kcal, 10.3 g of protein, and 3.4 g of fiber.

The typical serving (140 g (5 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 Dictionary of Americanisms, which records the word from Mexico to northwestern Argentina, defines the tamal (tamale) as a food made of corn dough seasoned with meats and other ingredients depending on the region, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and cooked in water, steamed or baked. FAO explains that it is made with the same lime-cooked corn dough as tortillas, most often with chicken or pork, and UNESCO lists tamales, together with tortillas, among the everyday foods of traditional Mexican cuisine that are part of Day of the Dead offerings. This page uses the restaurant pork tamale analyzed by USDA, with 174 kcal, 7.35 g of protein and 9.04 g of fat per 100 g; since each recipe uses different amounts of dough, fat and filling, homemade ones can vary a lot.

A 140 g (4.9 oz) tamale, close to the 142 g piece USDA weighs, provides 244 kcal, 10.3 g of protein and 12.7 g of fat, and half a tamale, 70 g (2.5 oz), comes to 122 kcal and 5.1 g of protein. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests eating protein-rich foods first and avoiding fatty foods in the first few days of treatment, and in this tamale fat supplies almost half the calories, so in those days and after a dose increase half a tamale usually sits better than a whole one. To add protein without more dough or fat, it can come with an egg, shredded chicken or beans, and it pays to go slowly: in the Wegovy trials nausea affected 43.9% of patients, against 16.1% on placebo.

What the evidence says

According to USDA it has 2.69 g of saturated fat and 473 mg of sodium per 100 g, about 3.8 g and 662 mg per tamale, a third of the 2,000 mg of sodium a day the WHO recommends not exceeding. With USDA's figures, protein supplies about 17% of its energy, above the 12% the EU requires for a "source of protein" claim, but with 2.4 g of fiber per 100 g it does not reach the 3 g for "source of fibre" (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). The NIDDK, part of the US National Institutes of Health, notes that high-fat foods can increase bloating in some people. If you make a batch, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, eat them within 3 to 4 days or freeze them, and reheat them to 165 °F (74 °C).

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

May worsen nausea
It is a fatty or fried food. Fatty meals are digested more slowly and often make nausea and heaviness worse, especially in the weeks when your body is adjusting to a GLP-1 medication. This is an editorial judgment, not a ban.

Frequently asked questions about pork tamale

How much protein is in a 140 g (5 oz) serving of pork tamale?

100 g (3.5 oz) of pork tamale has 7.4 g of protein. A typical 140 g (5 oz) serving has about 10.3 g of protein. That is 4.2 g of protein per 100 kcal.

How many calories does a 140 g (5 oz) serving of pork tamale have?

100 g (3.5 oz) of pork tamale has 174 kcal. A typical 140 g (5 oz) serving has about 244 kcal. That is a moderate energy density.

Does pork tamale have fiber?

100 g (3.5 oz) of pork tamale has 2.4 g of fiber. A typical 140 g (5 oz) serving has about 3.4 g of fiber.

Is pork tamale filling?

Not very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 2 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 0 (moderate energy density: 174 kcal/100 g) + 1 (protein: 4.2 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 1.4 g/100 kcal) + 0 (solid food with 66.0 g of water, under 70) = 2. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

How does pork tamale sit with nausea from a GLP-1 medication?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about pork tamale on a GLP-1 medication. “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 counts as a normal serving of pork tamale?

We use 140 g (5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 244 kcal, 10.3 g of protein, and 3.4 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: Restaurant, Latino, tamale, pork (FDC ID 168067).accessed .
  2. InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "tamal" (in Spanish).accessed .
  3. InstitutionFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).Maize in human nutrition (FAO, 1992), chapter 4: post-harvest technology, processing.accessed .
  4. 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 .
  5. 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 .
  6. Drug labelEuropean Medicines Agency.Wegovy (semaglutide): EU Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.8 (undesirable effects), current version.accessed .
  7. InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .
  8. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
  9. InstitutionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH).Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Gas in the Digestive Tract.accessed .
  10. RegulatorU.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS).Leftovers and Food Safety.accessed .