Balsamic Vinegar vs Olive Oil: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Balsamic vinegar has 88 calories and 0.5 g of protein, while olive oil has 884 calories and 0 g of protein. Balsamic vinegar is lower in calories and higher in protein.

Balsamic vinegar and olive oil are popular culinary ingredients, each with distinct nutritional profiles. Understanding their differences can help you make informed dietary choices.

What Is the Difference Between Balsamic Vinegar and Olive Oil?

Balsamic vinegar is a dark, sweet vinegar made from grape must, often used in salad dressings and marinades. Olive oil is a fat obtained from pressing olives, commonly used for cooking and as a dressing due to its flavor and health benefits.

Balsamic Vinegar vs Olive Oil: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional values of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Balsamic vinegar	Olive oil
Calories	88 kcal	884 kcal
Protein	0.5 g	0 g
Carbs	17.0 g	0 g
Sugar	14.9 g	0 g
Fat	0 g	100 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Sodium	23 mg	2 mg

Which Is Better, Balsamic Vinegar or Olive Oil?

For weight loss: Balsamic vinegar has 88 calories per 100 g, significantly lower than olive oil's 884 calories, making it a better choice for weight loss.

For muscle and protein: Balsamic vinegar contains 0.5 g of protein, while olive oil has no protein, making balsamic vinegar the better option for protein intake.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Balsamic vinegar has 17.0 g of carbs and 14.9 g of sugar, while olive oil has 0 g of carbs and sugar, making olive oil the better choice for low-carb diets.

How to Track Balsamic vinegar and Olive oil Accurately

It's easy to misjudge portion sizes and macros, especially with calorie-dense ingredients like olive oil. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers provided are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Balsamic vinegar has 0.5 g of protein, while olive oil has 0 g of protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Balsamic vinegar has 88 calories, whereas olive oil has 884 calories.

What is the sugar content in balsamic vinegar?

Balsamic vinegar contains 14.9 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much fat is in olive oil?

Olive oil contains 100 g of fat per 100 g.

What is the sodium content in balsamic vinegar?

Balsamic vinegar has 23 mg of sodium per 100 g.

What are the carbs in olive oil?

Olive oil contains 0 g of carbs per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Balsamic vinegar: 88 calories per 100 g.
• Olive oil: 884 calories per 100 g.
• Balsamic vinegar: 0.5 g of protein.
• Olive oil: 0 g of protein.
• Balsamic vinegar: 17.0 g of carbs.
• Olive oil: 0 g of carbs.