Pork carnitas calories come to 366 for 1 cup (135 g) of cooked, shredded meat and 271 per 100 g. Fat supplies 63% of those calories and protein the other 37%, with 0 g of carbs. With no starch in the meat, the size of your scoop sets almost the whole total.
366kcal
1 cup · 135 g, cooked, shredded
37%protein
33 gProtein
0 gCarbs
25 gFat
How to burn off 366 kcal
—Walking, brisk
—Jogging
—Cycling, moderate
—Swimming
Skip the math. BodyPal counts these calories from your steps and workouts automatically.
Nutrition facts
Cooked, shredded · per 135 g
Calories
366 kcal
Protein
33 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
25 g
Saturated fat
8.9 g
Cholesterol
130 mg
Sodium
594 mg
Potassium
404 mg
Iron
2.3 mg
Source: USDA FoodData Central
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Verified nutrition data
Numbers on this page come from USDA FoodData Central, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food composition database, and from manufacturer labels where a branded product is named. Last verified September 2026. How we verify our data →
Pork carnitas: calories, protein and sodium by serving
Percent of daily value uses the FDA reference of 2,000 kcal a day.
Serving
kcal
Protein
Carbs
Fat
Sodium
% DV kcal
1 cup (135 g)
366
33.2 g
0 g
24.7 g
594 mg
18%
3 oz portion (85 g)
230
20.9 g
0 g
15.6 g
374 mg
12%
4 oz portion (113 g)
306
27.8 g
0 g
20.7 g
497 mg
15%
100 g
271
24.6 g
0 g
18.3 g
440 mg
14%
3 × 1 cup (135 g)
1,098
99.5 g
1,782 mg
5 × 1 cup (135 g)
1,829
165.8 g
2,970 mg
A 3 oz scoop is 230 calories, a cup is 366
Carnitas get served by the scoop, so the amount you pile on decides nearly everything. A 3 oz portion (85 g) comes to 230 calories with 20.9 g of protein. Step up to a 4 oz portion (113 g) and you land at 306 calories. A full cup (135 g) reaches 366, which is 18% of the daily value for calories.
Seconds add up quickly because nothing in the meat dilutes it. Two cups (270 g) total 732 calories, three cups reach 1,098, and five cups, a party-tray amount, hit 1,829. Protein climbs right along with them: 66.3 g at two cups and 99.5 g at three.
If you are counting, the 3 oz portion is the most practical anchor. Weigh it once at home and you will know what your usual spoonful looks like. After that, eyeballing a taco or bowl gets far more accurate, and the cup figure stops being a surprise.
Fat brings nearly two thirds of the calories
Carnitas are slow-cooked pork, and the calorie split shows it: 63% from fat, 37% from protein, 0% from carbs. Per 100 g that works out to 18.3 g of fat and 24.6 g of protein, with 0 g of sugars and 0 g of fiber. Every calorie is meat.
The protein side is genuinely strong. One cup delivers 33.2 g, which is 66% of the daily value, and even the 3 oz portion covers 42%. Few savory fillings give you that much protein without a single gram of carbohydrate.
The fat side deserves a look too. There are 6.6 g of saturated fat per 100 g, against a daily value of 20 g, so a generous scoop takes a real bite out of that budget. Cholesterol sits at 96 mg per 100 g, compared with a daily value of 300 mg. If you track either row, the 3 oz portion keeps both in check far better than a full cup.
Sodium is the row to watch
Carnitas carry 440 mg of sodium per 100 g, which is 19% of the daily value. That comes from seasoning and cooking, not the pork itself: plain pork shoulder lists just 67 mg per 100 g. A cup of carnitas brings 594 mg, or 26% of the daily value, before any tortilla, cheese or salsa joins it.
Smaller portions scale down neatly. The 3 oz portion has 374 mg (16%) and the 4 oz portion has 497 mg (22%). Larger servings go the other way: two cups reach 1,188 mg, three cups 1,782 mg, and five cups 2,970 mg, which is past the 2300 mg daily value on its own.
If you watch sodium, treat the meat as the main salt source on the plate and keep the extras plain. Fresh salsa, lime and raw onion add flavor without stacking much more on top.
Build the plate around fiber, not more meat
Carnitas bring protein and fat but 0 g of fiber, so what goes beside them shapes how filling the meal is. Beans, shredded cabbage, peppers, onions and fresh salsa add bulk and fiber for very few extra calories. That lets a 3 oz portion feel like a full meal rather than a snack.
The meat also gives 299 mg of potassium per 100 g, a modest contribution to the 4700 mg daily value. Vegetables and beans on the side push that number higher without touching the fat row.
Store-bought options such as Archer Farms, Marketside and Roli Roti Pork Carnitas make portioning easy if you weigh what you serve. If weighing is a hassle, BodyPal can log your carnitas plate from a photo, so the scoop size still counts.
How does pork carnitas compare?
Here is how pork carnitas stack up against pulled pork, pork shoulder and pork country rib, per 100 g and per usual serving.
Verdict: For the fewest calories per bite pick pulled pork at 168 per 100 g, about 0.6 times carnitas, though its cup still totals 418 calories and brings 18.7 g of carbs plus 666 mg of sodium. For the most protein with the least salt pick pork country rib, with 26.5 g of protein and just 58 mg of sodium per 100 g.
Most popular pork carnitas brands in the United States
Packaged carnitas are sold in their cooking juices and differ in fat trim, so labels run from 129 to 282 calories per 100 g around the 271 shown above. Source: manufacturer labels / USDA FoodData Central.
Pork carnitas FAQs
How many calories are in pork carnitas?
One cup of shredded carnitas (135 g) is about 366 calories, and a 3 oz portion (85 g) is 230 calories.
Are pork carnitas good for weight loss?
A 3 oz portion has 230 calories, 20.9 g protein and 15.6 g fat, so the portion size decides how it fits a daily calorie target.
Pork carnitas vs pulled pork: which has fewer calories?
Carnitas are 271 calories per 100 g and pulled pork 168, so the same 135 g cup is 366 calories against 227.
How much protein is in pork carnitas?
Carnitas have 24.6 g protein per 100 g, which is 33.2 g in a 1 cup serving (135 g) and 20.9 g in a 3 oz portion.
How many calories are in 3 oz of pork carnitas?
A 3 oz portion (85 g) of pork carnitas has 230 calories. It also gives 20.9 g of protein, 15.6 g of fat, 0 g of carbs and 374 mg of sodium, which is 16% of the daily value.
How many calories are in 4 oz of carnitas?
A 4 oz portion (113 g) of carnitas has 306 calories, or 15% of the daily value. It comes with 27.8 g of protein, 20.7 g of fat and 497 mg of sodium.
Are pork carnitas low carb?
Yes. Pork carnitas have 0 g of carbs and 0 g of sugars per 100 g. Their calories split 63% fat and 37% protein, so the carbs in a carnitas meal come from tortillas, rice or beans.
How much sodium is in pork carnitas?
One cup (135 g) of pork carnitas has 594 mg of sodium, 26% of the daily value. Per 100 g it is 440 mg, far above the 67 mg in plain pork shoulder.
How much fat is in pork carnitas?
One cup of pork carnitas has 24.7 g of fat. Per 100 g there are 18.3 g of fat, including 6.6 g of saturated fat, and fat supplies 63% of the calories.
