Quick Answer
Two slices of avocado toast can range from 200-400 calories depending on the exact ingredients and portion sizes used. Averagely, two slices of avocado toast made with whole wheat bread, mashed avocado, and seasonings contains approximately 300-350 calories. The bread contributes the majority of calories, while the avocado and seasonings add additional calories on top.
Calculating Calories in Avocado Toast
Determining the calories in avocado toast requires looking at the nutritional contents of each ingredient that goes into the dish. Here is a breakdown of the main components:
Bread
The base of avocado toast is the bread or toast. The calories in bread can vary hugely depending on the specific type used:
- White bread: About 75-80 calories per slice
- Wheat bread: About 60-70 calories per slice
- Sourdough bread: About 100-110 calories per slice
- Multigrain bread: About 80-90 calories per slice
So two slices of bread alone can account for anywhere from 120-220 calories. Choosing a more nutrient-dense option like whole wheat or multigrain bread over plain white bread can help lower the calorie count slightly.
Avocado
Next up is the avocado, which provides the creamy, rich flavor and texture to avocado toast. A 100 gram or 3.5 ounce serving of avocado (about 1/2 an avocado) contains approximately 160 calories. So if using 1/2 an avocado split over two pieces of toast, expect about 80 additional calories per avocado toast slice.
Seasonings
Spices, herbs, salt, and other seasonings used on avocado toast generally add minimal calories. However, any additional toppings can start tallying up calories quickly:
- 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese: About 60 calories
- 2 tablespoons chopped nuts or seeds: About 90-120 calories
- 1 slice cooked bacon: About 40-50 calories
Going heavy on these extra additions or using items like olive oil or hummus as a spread can result in much higher calorie counts. A drizzle of oil and sprinkle of seeds is plenty for most basic avocado toast.
Example Calorie Calculations
Using average calorie counts for each ingredient, here are some examples of total calories in different types of avocado toast:
Basic Avocado Toast
– 2 slices whole wheat bread: 140 calories
– 1/2 medium avocado: 160 calories
– Total: 300 calories
Avocado Toast with Eggs
– 2 slices sourdough bread: 200 calories
– 1/2 medium avocado: 160 calories
– 1 fried egg: 90 calories
– Total: 450 calories
Loaded Avocado Toast
– 2 slices multigrain bread: 160 calories
– 1/2 medium avocado: 160 calories
– 2 tablespoons crumbled feta: 60 calories
– 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds: 45 calories
– Total: 425 calories
As you can see, calories can range from 300-450+ depending on the exact combination of ingredients. In general, most basic versions fall between 300-350 calories for two slices.
Nutrition Facts of Avocado Toast
In addition to calories, avocado toast can also provide a nutritious boost to your diet. Here is how the nutrition facts break down for a typical recipe:
Fat
Thanks to the avocado, avocado toast is a good source of heart-healthy fats. Avocados provide mostly monounsaturated fat, which can help lower cholesterol and blood pressure when eaten in moderation. A serving of avocado toast gets about 15-20 grams of fat, mostly from the avocado.
Fiber
Avocado toast is also fairly high in fiber, with about 5-10 grams per serving. This comes predominantly from the whole grain bread as well as the avocado fruit and skin. Fiber is important for digestive health, stabilizing blood sugar, and weight management.
Protein
You’ll get 5-8 grams of protein in a typical avocado toast recipe. While not extremely high, this can help provide some staying power and nutrition.
Carbohydrates
The carbohydrate content comes mostly from the bread, with a serving containing around 30-40 grams total. Opting for whole grain or sprouted bread can provide more nutrients than refined white bread.
Vitamins & Minerals
Avocados are rich sources of vitamins and minerals like folate, vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, and vitamin B6. The bread also provides B vitamins like thiamin and niacin. Together, avocado toast makes for a micronutrient-dense snack or light meal.
Sugar
There is minimal sugar in basic avocado toast, with just 1-3 grams per serving. This comes from the small amount of natural sugars found in the bread and avocado.
Benefits of Avocado Toast
Beyond just calories and nutrition, avocado toast offers several potential benefits:
Healthy Fats
Monounsaturated fats from the avocado can help reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol, and stabilize blood pressure when eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Fiber
The fiber from the whole grains and avocado promotes good digestion and gut health. Fiber also helps regulate blood sugar levels and may aid in weight loss.
Nutrient Density
Avocado toast provides a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants important for overall health. It can be a nutritious addition to a plant-focused diet.
Plant Protein
The protein from the bread and avocado provides a healthy plant-based option over more processed sources. This makes avocado toast a good choice for vegetarians or vegans.
Satiety
The combination of fiber, fat, and protein makes avocado toast fairly filling and satisfying. This can help manage hunger and prevent overeating at meals or snacks.
Versatility
Avocado toast can be adapted in endless ways depending on your mood or dietary needs. It works for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack time.
Tips for Making Low-Calorie Avocado Toast
If you’re looking to lighten up your avocado toast, here are some easy ways to reduce the calories:
Use thin sliced whole grain bread
Choose a thinly sliced 100% whole wheat or multigrain bread. The thinner slices means you can use less bread to save calories.
Go easy on avocado
Stick to 1/4 or 1/3 of an avocado spread over two pieces of toast. This still provides creaminess without overdoing the fat calories.
Load up on veggies
Add extra volume and nutrition by topping with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, sprouts, onions, or other veggies.
Use low-fat cheese
When adding cheese, stick to reduced-fat options like feta or fresh mozzarella. A little goes a long way.
Skip the oil or butter
The avocado provides plenty of creaminess without needing additional fats like oil or butter. Leave them off to reduce calories.
Watch carb-heavy add-ons
Limit high-carb additions like hummus, cream cheese, granola, tortilla chips, or sweet jam. These can drive up calories quickly.
Season simply
Stick mainly to simple seasonings like salt, pepper, herbs, spices, garlic, onion, or hot sauce. Avoid spreading high-calorie nut butters or creamy dressings.
Pair with protein
Round out your toast with a hard boiled egg, turkey bacon, or Greek yogurt for more filling protein. This helps balance the meal and provide staying power.
Low-Carb Substitutes for Bread
If limiting carbohydrates or gluten, there are several creative alternatives to use as the base for avocado toast:
Mashed avocado on portobello mushrooms
Grilled or roasted portobellos can stand in for toast, providing a sturdy, low-carb surface for the avocado.
Cucumber slices
Thinly sliced cucumbers can be topped with mashed avocado and seasonings for a refreshing toast substitute.
Bell pepper halves
Slice bell peppers in half and top with the avocado mash just like toast. Red, yellow, or orange peppers provide more nutrients.
Lettuce wraps
Use large lettuce leaves like romaine or butter lettuce as lower-carb wraps for the avocado, along with veggies and seasoning.
Cauliflower thins
Thinly sliced, roasted cauliflower or ready-made cauliflower thins can replace starchy bread or toast.
Gluten-free bread or toast
Look for low-carb or paleo-friendly gluten-free bread options made with almond flour, coconut flour, or seed flours if avoiding gluten.
Is Avocado Toast Healthy Overall?
Avocado toast has developed a reputation as an over-priced hipster food without much merit. However, when made with nutritious whole food ingredients, it can actually be a fairly well-balanced snack or light meal.
Here is a review of the pros and cons of avocado toast:
Pros
- Provides healthy fats from avocado
- Good source of fiber from whole grains and avocado
- Contains a variety of vitamins and minerals
- Meatless and dairy-free, can be part of a vegan diet
- Relatively low in carbohydrates for a toast-based snack
- Can be very satiating thanks to fat, fiber, and protein
- Easy to make with just a few basic ingredients
- Very versatile depending on desired flavors and textures
Cons
- Can be high in calories depending on portion sizes and additions
- Higher carbohydrate if eating multiple slices or not using whole grain bread
- Fat content may be concerning for certain heart health conditions
- Often more expensive than plain buttered toast
- May not be very filling or satisfying on its own for some
Within a balanced diet and active lifestyle, avocado toast can provide a nutritious boost to your routine. Stick to just 1-2 slices at a time with wholesome toppings to help manage calories and portion sizes.
Healthy Avocado Toast Recipe Ideas
To enjoy flavorful avocado toast while maintaining a calorie deficit, here are some slimmed-down recipe ideas:
Greek Avocado Toast
– 2 slices sprouted grain toast
– 1/4 avocado, mashed
– 1 tbsp crumbled feta
– Diced cucumber
– Tomatoes
– Red onion
– Fresh dill
– Lemon juice
– Black pepper
Southwestern Avocado Toast
– 2 slices whole grain bread
– 1/4 avocado, mashed
– Sliced tomatoes
– Cilantro
– Canned black beans, rinsed
– Jalapeño slices (optional)
– Lime juice
– Cumin
– Chili powder
– Hot sauce (optional)
BLT Avocado Toast
– 2 slices whole wheat bread
– 1/4 avocado, mashed
– 2 slices center-cut bacon, cooked
– Sliced tomato
– Shredded lettuce
– Fresh basil leaves
– Lemon juice
– Black pepper
Salmon Avocado Toast
– 2 slices seeded bread
– 1/4 avocado, mashed
– 2 oz smoked salmon
– Thinly sliced red onion
– Capers
– Lemon zest
– Fresh dill
– Lemon juice
Avocado Toast Around the World
The amazing, spreadable nature of the avocado makes it perfect toast topping material around the globe. Here are some ways other countries have embraced the simplicity of avocado toast:
Australia
Aussies love to top their avocado toast with a poached or soft-fried egg. The runny yolk takes this snack to the next level. Adding some tomato, arugula, smoked paprika, and black pepper rounds it out.
Mexico
It’s no surprise that Mexico, the native home of avocados, has delicious avocado toast. Combining the avocado with black beans, queso fresco, cilantro, and plenty of lime juice provides tons of classic Mexican flavor.
Japan
In Japan, avocado toast often includes extra-creamy squares of Japanese mayo along with furikake, a dry Japanese seasoning blend. Pickled ginger and sesame seeds are also popular additions.
United Kingdom
The Brits love to mash up avocado with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serving it open-faced atop a toasted English muffin is quite popular.
India
Indian takes on avocado toast incorporate unique flavors like cumin, chaat masala, cilantro chutney, and crispy pan-fried curried chickpeas to the basic mashed avocado. It makes for an explosion of textures and tastes.
Brazil
In Brazil, scoring the avocado flesh into squares before mashing helps maintain some texture. They’ll combine it with roasted sweet potato slices, sauteed onions, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about avocado toast nutrition and calories:
Does avocado toast keep you full?
Yes, avocado toast is fairly satiating and can keep you full for a few hours thanks to its combination of protein, fat, and fiber. The fat from the avocado in particular provides sustained energy.
Is avocado toast healthy for weight loss?
Avocado toast can be included as part of a healthy weight loss diet. Focus on balance, portion control, and nutrient-dense additions to help manage calories. Avoid heavy toppings that can drive up the calorie count.
How many slices of avocado toast should you eat a day?
1-2 slices of avocado toast is a reasonable daily amount for most people watching their calories. Limit it to just once a day if also needing to reduce overall carbs or fat.
Is avocado toast good for breakfast?
Definitely! The mix of fiber, protein, and fat makes avocado toast very satisfying in the morning. Pair it with an egg, yogurt, or fruit for a balanced breakfast.
Can I eat avocado toast every day?
You can eat avocado toast daily as part of a healthy diet. Focus on moderation with portion sizes and topping choices to prevent too many calories or carbs from accumulating.
Is avocado toast better than buttered toast?
Avocado toast is the healthier choice over buttered toast to get more nutrition. But watch your portions, as the extra calories from avocado can add up faster than a light spread of butter.
Conclusion
Avocado toast has become a popular healthy snack or light meal, though calories can range depending on preparation. Typical versions with whole grain bread and moderate avocado provide around 300-350 calories for two slices. Choosing wholesome additions and limiting portion sizes makes for a nutritious, satiating option without derailing your health goals. While avocado toast may have started as a trend, its tasty nutrition has secured its place as a staple well worth enjoying.
