How Many Calories In a Plum? | What One Fruit Adds

One raw plum has about 30 calories, with small changes based on size, variety, and whether you eat it fresh, stewed, or dried.

A plum is one of those fruits that feels light, juicy, and easy to eat without much thought. Still, if you track calories, build snacks around fruit, or compare fresh fruit with dried fruit, the number matters. The good news is simple: a fresh plum is a low-calorie choice.

For most people, the useful number is this: one medium raw plum, around 66 grams, has about 30 calories. That makes plums an easy add-on to breakfast, lunch boxes, yogurt bowls, or a late-day snack when you want something sweet but not heavy.

The catch is size. Not every plum on the shelf is the same. Some are small and tart. Some are round and fleshy. A tiny plum can land closer to 20 calories, while a larger one can push past 40. That gap is why calorie counts for fruit can look inconsistent from one chart to the next.

How Many Calories In a Plum? Fresh Fruit Basics

If you want one practical answer, use 30 calories per plum. That number lines up well with official nutrition data for a standard fresh plum. A single fruit also brings a modest amount of carbs, a little fiber, and natural sugars, all in a compact portion.

Fresh plums are mostly water, which helps explain why the calorie count stays low. You get sweetness and volume without a big energy load. That makes them handy when you want fruit that feels more satisfying than a few berries but still stays light.

Here’s the rough nutrition profile for one medium fresh plum:

  • Calories: about 30
  • Carbohydrates: about 8 grams
  • Fiber: about 1 gram
  • Sugars: about 7 grams
  • Protein: under 1 gram
  • Fat: almost none

That mix makes plums a fruit-first snack, not a protein food and not a fat source. If you want them to hold you longer, pair them with something else such as Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a small handful of nuts.

Why The Number Changes From Plum To Plum

Fruit calories are tied to weight. A heavier plum has more flesh, more natural sugar, and more calories. A smaller plum has less of each. Variety matters too. Dark purple, red, yellow, and black plums can differ a bit in size and sweetness, though the calorie gap is still small in day-to-day eating.

Ripeness can shift taste more than calories. A firmer plum may seem less sweet, while a ripe one tastes richer and juicier. That taste change can make it feel like the calorie count jumped, even when the difference is minor.

If you like numbers that travel well, think in weight:

  • 100 grams of fresh plum: about 46 calories
  • 1 medium plum, about 66 grams: about 30 calories
  • 2 medium plums: about 60 calories

That weight-based rule is handy when you slice plums into cereal, toss them into a fruit salad, or buy mixed sizes in one bag.

Calories By Plum Size And Serving

Below is a simple way to estimate calories without reaching for a food scale every time. These numbers are best used as everyday estimates, not lab-grade math.

Serving Approximate Weight Calories
1 small plum 45-50 g 20-23
1 medium plum 66 g 30
1 large plum 90-95 g 41-44
2 medium plums 132 g 60
3 medium plums 198 g 90
1 cup sliced plum About 165 g 75-76
100 g fresh plum 100 g 46
Half a medium plum 33 g 15

Those numbers match what many people see in real life: one plum is light, two are still modest, and a full bowl stays reasonable. If you’re watching intake closely, the fastest shortcut is counting medium plums at 30 calories each.

What Official Nutrition Sources Say

Official food databases put a medium raw plum at about 30 calories, and they also show the fruit is low in fat and sodium. You can see that in the USDA’s plum nutrition information, which lists a 66-gram plum at 30 calories.

The broader federal fruit tables line up with that same range. The FDA’s raw fruits nutrition chart is useful when you want to compare plum calories with apples, peaches, grapes, and other fresh fruit on one page.

Portion size matters too. In the UK, the NHS lists 2 plums as an adult portion of fruit in its 5 A Day fruit guide. That puts a normal fruit serving in the ballpark of 60 calories, which is still modest for a snack.

Fresh Plum Vs Dried Plum Calories

This is where people get tripped up. Fresh plums and dried plums are not close in calorie density. Once water is removed, the sugars and calories become far more packed into a smaller bite.

A fresh plum is about 30 calories. A prune, which is a dried plum, can carry a similar calorie load in a much smaller piece, and a serving of prunes climbs fast. That does not make prunes a bad food. It just means they belong in a different mental category.

If your goal is volume and freshness, fresh plums win. If your goal is a shelf-stable fruit with a chewy texture and a richer taste, prunes make sense. You just need to count them with more care.

Form Typical Serving Calories
Fresh plum 1 medium fruit About 30
Fresh plum 2 medium fruits About 60
Sliced fresh plum 1 cup About 75
Dried plum, or prune 1 piece About 20-25
Dried plum, or prune 5 pieces About 100-125

Are Plum Calories Good For Weight Loss?

Plums fit well into a calorie-conscious eating pattern because they give you sweetness, water, and a little fiber for a small calorie cost. They’re not magic. They’re just easy to portion and easy to work into meals that do not feel skimpy.

That said, context still matters. A plum on its own is light. A plum baked into a buttery tart is not the same thing. A fresh fruit snack can turn into a dessert calorie count once sugar, syrup, cream, pastry, or granola gets piled on top.

If you want the fruit to feel more filling, try these pairings:

  • One plum with plain Greek yogurt
  • Sliced plum with cottage cheese
  • Plum and a boiled egg
  • Plum with a small portion of almonds

Those pairings add protein or fat, which can make a snack stick around longer than fruit alone.

Easy Ways To Count Plums Without Overthinking It

You do not need a calculator for every plum you eat. A few plain rules will get you close enough for daily tracking.

Use The 30-Calorie Rule

Count one medium plum as 30 calories. This is the cleanest shortcut and works well most of the time.

Adjust For Size

If the plum is tiny, shave the count down toward 20. If it is big and heavy, move the count toward 40 or a bit more.

Watch Prepared Plum Dishes

Poached plums, jam, chutney, pie filling, and dried plums can swing far above the fresh-fruit number. In those cases, the added sugar or reduced water content does the heavy lifting.

What Else You Get Besides Calories

Calories matter, but they are not the whole story. Fresh plums also bring vitamin C and small amounts of other micronutrients. They add color, texture, and sweetness to meals without pushing the energy count too high.

That blend is part of why plums work so well in ordinary eating. You can eat one standing at the sink, slice one over oats, or pack two in a lunch bag and be done with it. No prep drama. No huge calorie trade-off.

If you want the cleanest answer to the question, stick with this: one medium fresh plum has about 30 calories, two medium plums have about 60, and size is the main reason numbers drift.

References & Sources

Mo Maruf

Mo Maruf

Founder

I am a dedicated home cook and appliance enthusiast. I spend hours in my kitchen testing real-world storage methods, reheating techniques, and kitchen gear performance. My goal is to provide you with safe, tested advice to help you run a more efficient kitchen.