Categories: Food 301Vegetarian Topics

A List of Highest Calorie Vegetarian Fats

For long-distance backpackers, the significance of consuming high-calorie vegetarian fats cannot be overstated. When traversing mountainous terrain, you can burn up to 5,000 calories daily. Since fat provides the highest calorie content by weight, hikers should increase their fat intake to compensate for these lost calories. However, it’s not just about energy. Fats also play crucial roles in insulating your body, supporting immunity and brain health, and aiding in the absorption of vitamins from the food you eat. They even help carry fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K.

It’s important to recognize that not all fats are created equal. Some fats are essential, meaning your body cannot produce them and must obtain them through diet. These essential fats include omega-6 fatty acid (linoleic acid) and omega-3 fatty acid (linolenic acid), which are found in high concentrations in nuts, seeds, and fish. Understanding the importance of these essential fats will help you make informed nutritional choices and ensure that your body’s needs are met while on the trail.

When planning meals for a long-distance hiking trip, consider boosting the calorie content of your trail meals by incorporating fats from oils, nuts, and seeds. Focus primarily on healthier plant-based fats (monounsaturated), like olive oil and polyunsaturated (found in walnuts, sunflower oil). While tropical oils (such as palm oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter) are plant-based, they tend to be high in saturated fat. There is ongoing debate about whether saturated fats from plants affect the heart the same way as those found in animal products. We recommend using all saturated fat in moderation and avoid trans fats entirely. Here is a list of fats to increase your daily calorie requirements.

High-Fat Foods Sorted by Total Calories

Nutrient List
	Amounts per 1 ounce (28g)					Amounts per 100 grams
	Amount per 1 ounce	Fat	Protein	Carbs	Total Cal (kcal) per ounce	Total Cal (kcal) per 100 grams	Total kilojoules (kJ) per 100 grams
Food Product		(g)	(g)	(g)	Total Cal (kcal) per ounce	Total Cal (kcal) per 100 grams	Total kilojoules (kJ) per 100 grams
Oils (Olive, Avocado,Canola)	2 TB	28	0	0	250	883	3692
Coconut Oil	2 TB	27	0	0	234	826	3456
Butter Powder, Full Fat (Use Sparingly; Saturated animal fat)	2.5 TB	14	0	0	213	752	3146
Pili Nuts, Raw	15 whole nuts	23	3	1	204	720	3013
Macadamia Nuts, Roasted	11 whole nuts	22	2	4	204	720	3013
Pecans, Raw	19 halves	20	3	4	196	692	2895
Peanut Butter Creamy	2 TB	16	7	8	188	664	2777
Coconut, Dry Shredded, Unsweetened	1/3 cup	18	2	7	187	660	2762
Brazil nuts, Dry	6 whole nuts	19	4	3	186	657	2748
Walnuts, English, Raw	14 halves	18	4	4	185	653	2733
Hazelnuts/Filberts, Blanched	21 whole nuts	17	4	5	178	628	2629
Sesame Seed Sources (Tahini in Hummus)	2 TB	15	5	6	175	618	2585
Almonds	23 whole nuts	14	6	6	170	600	2511
Chocolate, Dark, 70-80% Cacao	2 squares	12	2	13	170	600	2511
Peanuts, Dry, All Types	28 whole nuts	14	7	6	167	590	2467
Sunflower Seed, Dry Kernels	handful (3.5 TB)	14	6	6	164	579	2422
Cashews, Roasted	18 whole nuts	13	4	9	163	575	2407
Pistachio, Dry	49 whole nuts	13	6	8	161	568	2378
Peanut Butter Powder, 28% Fat	1/4 cup	8	11	8	150	530	2215
Tiger Nuts	3 TB	8	1	18	140	494	2068
Whole Milk, Dried	1/4 cup	8	7	11	140	494	2068
Banana Chips, Coconut Oil Baked	10 chips	8	1	19	142	501	2097
Chia Seed	2 TB	9	4	12	139	491	2053
Tofu, Freeze Dried (Koyadofu)	2 square pieces (1.5″)	9	14	4	136	480	2009
Flax Seed	3 TB	12	5	8	130	459	1920
Hard/Aged Cheese (Cheddar, Muenster, Monterey, Parmesan)	1 slice or 1.5 TB cheese powder	10	9	1	128	452	1890
Ramen Noodles, 1 Block	1 Block	2	10	18	127	448	1876
Olives (Pitted, Dry, Oil Cured)	10 olives	7	0	12	124	438	1831
Roasted Edamame (Dry)	handful	4	10	13	124	438	1831