How many calories are in 5 pieces of garlic?

November 4, 2025 •

3 min read

According to USDA data, a single 3-gram clove of raw garlic contains approximately 4.5 calories. This means the number of calories in 5 pieces of garlic is surprisingly low, making it a powerful, flavorful, and low-calorie addition to your meals.

Quick Summary

Five standard cloves of raw garlic contain roughly 22 calories, mostly from carbohydrates, with minimal fat and protein. These small cloves are also packed with beneficial compounds and nutrients, providing flavor without significantly impacting your daily calorie intake.

Key Points

Low Calorie Count: Five standard cloves of raw garlic contain approximately 22 calories, making it a very low-impact food in terms of caloric intake.
Nutrient-Dense Flavor: Despite its low calorie count, garlic is rich in flavor and contains beneficial compounds like allicin, manganese, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Preparation Affects Flavor and Nutrients: Raw, crushed garlic is the most potent in flavor and active compounds like allicin, while cooking mellows the flavor and alters some nutrient content.
Versatile Ingredient: Garlic can be used in numerous ways, including raw in dressings, sautéed in stir-fries, or roasted for a sweeter, milder flavor.
Consider Digestive Tolerance: For individuals with sensitive stomachs or IBS, garlic-infused oils can provide flavor with fewer of the compounds that cause digestive discomfort.
Potential Health Benefits: Regular consumption of garlic has been associated with heart health benefits and antioxidant effects, though some studies have been inconclusive.
Moderation is Key: Eating too much garlic can cause digestive upset or interact with medications, so moderation is recommended.

Calculating the Calories in 5 Pieces of Garlic

When it comes to adding a burst of flavor to a dish without piling on calories, garlic is an excellent choice. The average calorie count for a single clove of raw garlic is approximately 4.5 calories, as reported by sources citing USDA data. Based on this, it's simple math to determine that 5 cloves of raw garlic contain around 22 to 23 calories. This calculation assumes standard-sized cloves, typically weighing about 3 grams each. The minimal caloric impact allows home cooks and health-conscious individuals to use garlic liberally to enhance meals without worrying about weight gain.

Nutritional Breakdown of 5 Cloves

Beyond just the calories, it's beneficial to understand the full nutritional picture. Five cloves of raw garlic offer more than just flavor. The macronutrient composition for this serving size is primarily carbohydrates, with trace amounts of protein and fat. While the quantities are small, the nutrient-dense profile makes it a healthy addition to any diet.

Carbohydrates: Approximately 5 grams.
Protein: Approximately 1 gram.
Fat: Less than 0.1 grams.
Vitamins and Minerals: Contains small amounts of manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, selenium, and copper.

The Health Benefits of Consuming Garlic

Incorporating garlic into your cooking is a fantastic way to boost the nutritional value of your meals with minimal effort. The health benefits extend far beyond its delicious taste, primarily due to its active compounds like allicin, which is released when garlic is crushed or chopped.

Comparing Raw vs. Cooked Garlic Calories


Feature	Raw Garlic (5 cloves)	Cooked Garlic (5 cloves)
Calories	~22 calories	~25-30 calories (can increase with added oils)
Carbohydrates	~5 grams	~5-6 grams
Active Compounds	High allicin content	Reduced allicin content
Flavor	Pungent, strong, and sharp	Mellow, sweeter, and nutty
Health Benefits	Strong antioxidant properties	Retains some benefits; some antioxidant activity may be lost

As the table above shows, the method of preparation affects the calorie count and nutritional profile. Cooking garlic in oil will slightly increase the overall calories, so it's best to be mindful of this if you are strictly tracking your intake. Roasting or simmering can mellow the flavor and change the composition of its compounds, but it remains a healthy option.

Versatile Ways to Add Garlic to Your Diet

One of the best things about garlic is its versatility. You can use it in a variety of dishes to amplify flavor and nutrition.

Make a Garlic Confit: Roast whole peeled cloves in olive oil until soft and sweet. This makes a delicious, spreadable garlic for bread or mixing into sauces. It will add more calories due to the oil, but it is an incredibly flavorful indulgence.
Create Garlic-Infused Oil: This is a great alternative for those who find garlic difficult to digest. You can get the flavor without some of the compounds that can cause digestive issues, although it will lack the allicin content.
Blend into Dressings and Sauces: Add a couple of raw crushed cloves to your homemade vinaigrettes, pesto, or marinara sauce. This will provide a strong, potent flavor and all the benefits of raw garlic.
Roast with Vegetables: Toss vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, or potatoes with whole or sliced garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting. The garlic will become soft, sweet, and caramelized.
Sauté in Stir-fries: Add minced garlic to your stir-fries or sautés toward the end of cooking to preserve its flavor and nutritional properties. Starting with garlic can cause it to burn, which results in a bitter taste.

Precautions and Considerations

While garlic is safe for most people, excessive consumption can cause some side effects, such as bad breath, heartburn, or digestive upset. It may also interact with certain medications, including blood thinners, so it's important to consult a healthcare professional if you are on medication.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 5 pieces of garlic, or about five standard cloves, contain a very modest amount of calories, around 22, and offer a wide range of nutritional and health benefits for very little cost to your daily calorie intake. The potent flavor and versatile applications in cooking make it a staple ingredient in kitchens around the world. Whether you prefer it raw, roasted, or sautéed, incorporating garlic into your diet is a simple and effective way to enhance both the taste and health value of your meals. While its calorie count is low, its flavorful impact is enormous, proving that great things truly can come in small packages.

Frequently Asked Questions

A single standard clove or piece of raw garlic (approx. 3 grams) contains about 4.5 calories, according to USDA data.

Cooking garlic itself does not add calories. However, if you cook it with oil, butter, or other fats, the overall calorie count of the dish will increase.

The calories in garlic primarily come from its carbohydrate content, with 5 cloves containing approximately 5 grams of carbohydrates.

Roasted garlic may contain slightly more calories if cooked with oil, but the garlic itself does not undergo a significant caloric change. The cooking process mainly alters its flavor and some of its chemical compounds.

As a low-calorie, flavorful ingredient, garlic can support weight loss efforts by adding taste to meals without adding many calories. Some research suggests it may also boost metabolism, but it is not a magical weight-loss solution.

Yes, garlic contains compounds like allicin that may offer health benefits, including potential support for heart health by helping to manage cholesterol and blood pressure, along with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

For most healthy adults, consuming one to two cloves of garlic per day as part of a balanced diet is considered safe. People with specific health conditions or sensitivities should consult a doctor.

While garlic supplements may contain concentrated compounds, some studies on fresh, crushed garlic highlight unique benefits from the allicin content, which can be lost in supplement processing. Eating fresh garlic is often recommended for maximum benefits.

Yes, garlic-infused oils are often used by those who experience digestive problems with fresh garlic, as the infusion process doesn't transfer the carbohydrates that can cause stomach upset. However, it will lack the allicin compound found in raw garlic.

Cooking can reduce the levels of certain sulfur-based compounds in garlic, such as allicin. While cooked garlic is still healthy and flavorful, consuming it raw is considered best for maximizing its potential health benefits.