Lobster is a lean, protein-rich shellfish that fits naturally into low-carb, keto, and high-protein meal plans. This nutrition calculator converts your serving size — grams, ounces, pounds, or cups — into a full profile for cooked or raw lobster meat, including calories, protein, fat, cholesterol, sodium, and potassium.
Whether you are tracking macros in a fitness app, planning a restaurant meal, or comparing a plain boiled tail with a butter-dipped feast, this tool gives you a fast estimate. You can also add tablespoons of drawn butter so the totals reflect what is actually on your plate. The numbers are based on USDA food-composition data for northern lobster, and the step-by-step breakdown shows how each value is calculated.
Use the preset buttons for common servings such as one cup of meat or a large tail, then adjust the amount to match your portion. A lobster dinner can range from a modest salad topping to a full platter, and this tool handles every size.
🦞 Lobster Nutrition Calculator
Estimate calories, protein, fat, and more for your lobster serving.
Each tablespoon adds about 102 kcal, 11.5 g fat, and 31 mg cholesterol.
📊 Nutrition breakdown
Quick Start
Choose the amount of lobster meat you plan to eat, select grams, ounces, pounds, or cups, and indicate whether the meat is cooked or raw. The calculator converts your serving to grams and applies per-100-gram nutrient figures. If you are dipping the meat in butter, enter the number of tablespoons and the final totals will include the extra calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
How the Calculation Works
This calculator uses USDA food-composition values for northern lobster. For cooked meat, the approximate amounts per 100 g are: 89 kcal, 19 g protein, 0.86 g fat, 0 g carbohydrate, 146 mg cholesterol, 296 mg sodium, and 230 mg potassium. Raw meat is close, with slightly more potassium and about 90 kcal per 100 g.
To scale the values, the calculator divides your serving weight in grams by 100 and multiplies every nutrient by that factor. For example, 250 g of cooked meat is 2.5 times the per-100-g values. Butter is added separately using typical values for one tablespoon of unsalted butter.
Worked Examples
Example 1: 1 cup of cooked meat (145 g).
Scale = 145 ÷ 100 = 1.45.
Calories ≈ 89 × 1.45 = 129 kcal.
Protein ≈ 19 × 1.45 = 27.6 g. Fat ≈ 0.86 × 1.45 = 1.2 g.
Sodium ≈ 296 × 1.45 = 429 mg. Cholesterol ≈ 146 × 1.45 = 212 mg.
Example 2: Large tail (170 g) with 1 tbsp butter.
Cooked tail alone: ≈ 151 kcal, 32.3 g protein, 1.5 g fat.
With butter: ≈ 253 kcal, 13.0 g fat, and 243 mg cholesterol.
Reference Values for Common Servings
| Serving | Meat weight | Calories | Protein | Fat | Sodium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz cooked meat | 85 g | ≈ 76 | 16.2 g | 0.7 g | 252 mg |
| 1 cup cooked meat | 145 g | ≈ 129 | 27.6 g | 1.2 g | 429 mg |
| Large tail | 170 g | ≈ 151 | 32.3 g | 1.5 g | 503 mg |
| 1 lb whole lobster | ~130 g meat | ≈ 116 | 24.7 g | 1.1 g | 385 mg |
Best Practices for Tracking
- Weigh the cooked meat after removing the shell; the shell adds bulk but no nutrition.
- Log sauces separately. Butter, mayonnaise, and breading can add more calories than the lobster itself.
- Use the raw option only when weighing raw shelled meat before cooking. Cooking removes water and changes the weight.
- For restaurant dishes, ask whether butter is already included in the preparation.
Factors That Affect Accuracy
USDA values are averages. A hard-shell lobster may carry slightly more meat and a different fat profile than a soft-shell lobster. Seasonality and diet also matter. If you need precise numbers for a medical diet, check the nutrition panel on the specific product or consult a registered dietitian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lobster high in cholesterol? It contains more cholesterol than some other lean proteins, roughly 146 mg per 100 g of cooked meat. Modern dietary guidelines no longer single out dietary cholesterol as strongly as older ones did, but people with heart conditions should seek personalized advice.
Does lobster fit a keto or low-carb diet? Yes. Lobster meat contains almost no carbohydrate, so the main concerns are butter, cocktail sauce, and breading.
Why does the calculator ask about butter? A tablespoon of butter roughly doubles the calorie count of a small lobster serving and significantly raises fat and cholesterol. Including it makes the estimate much closer to what you actually eat.
Additional Resources
You can explore detailed composition data in the USDA FoodData Central database. For safe selection and handling of fresh and frozen seafood, see the FDA seafood safety guidance.