Cranberry Sauce vs Cranberries: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Cranberry sauce has 158 calories and 0.8 g of protein, while cranberries have 46 calories and 0.5 g of protein. Therefore, cranberries are lower in calories and slightly higher in fiber.

Cranberry sauce and cranberries are popular foods, often used in various dishes. This comparison highlights their nutritional differences per 100 grams, focusing on calories, protein, and carbohydrates.

What Is the Difference Between Cranberry Sauce and Cranberries?

Cranberry sauce is a sweetened condiment made from cooked cranberries, often served with meats and in desserts. It typically contains added sugars and other ingredients for flavor. Cranberries are small, tart berries known for their health benefits and are often consumed fresh or dried. They are low in calories and high in fiber.

Cranberry Sauce vs Cranberries: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional content of cranberry sauce and cranberries.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Cranberry sauce	Cranberries (raw)
Calories	158 kcal	46 kcal
Protein	0.8 g	0.5 g
Carbs	40.4 g	12.0 g
Sugar	31.3 g	4.3 g
Fat	0.1 g	0.1 g
Fiber	1.2 g	3.6 g
Sodium	5 mg	2 mg

Which Is Better, Cranberry Sauce or Cranberries?

For weight loss: Cranberries are lower in calories, with 46 calories compared to 158 calories in cranberry sauce.

For muscle and protein: Cranberry sauce has more protein at 0.8 g compared to 0.5 g in cranberries.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Cranberries have lower carbohydrates at 12.0 g and sugar at 4.3 g compared to cranberry sauce's 40.4 g of carbs and 31.3 g of sugar.

How to Track Cranberry sauce and Cranberries Accurately

Portion sizes and macronutrient content can be easy to misjudge, especially with sweetened products. 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, not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for dietary recommendations. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Cranberry sauce has 0.8 g of protein, while cranberries have 0.5 g of protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Cranberries have 46 calories, while cranberry sauce has 158 calories.

What is the sugar content in cranberry sauce?

Cranberry sauce contains 31.3 g of sugar per 100 g.

How much fiber is in cranberries?

Cranberries contain 3.6 g of fiber per 100 g.

What are the carbohydrate levels in cranberry sauce?

Cranberry sauce has 40.4 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.

What is the sodium content in cranberries?

Cranberries contain 2 mg of sodium per 100 g.

Key Takeaways

• Cranberry sauce has 158 calories per 100 g.
• Cranberries have 46 calories per 100 g.
• Cranberry sauce contains 0.8 g of protein.
• Cranberries contain 0.5 g of protein.
• Cranberry sauce has 31.3 g of sugar.
• Cranberries have 4.3 g of sugar.