Calories in Guacamole Dip

While guacamole may provide a relatively high number calories per serving, it is a healthful addition to your diet. Those calories come with several nutritional benefits. Skip recipes that call for sour cream, cream cheese or mayonnaise. Instead, prepare guacamole, which consists mainly of avocados.

A dish with guacamole dip. (Image: Kaycco/iStock/Getty Images)

Identification

Guacamole is an avocado-based dip that originated in Mexico. Avocado is typically mashed with tomatoes, onions, chilies and spices, the GourmetSleuth website explains. Commonly added spices include cumin, cilantro, cayenne pepper, thyme and garlic.

Nutrition

A 1/2-cup serving of guacamole contains 155 calories. It packs 17.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of which is saturated, and the rest comes from unsaturated fat. Guacamole also contains 355 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.

Health

While guacamole is high in fat, it's mainly the "good" type of fat, monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated fat may help lower blood cholesterol levels, according to Go Ask Alice!, Columbia University's Health Services Internet resource. It may lower LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, and raise HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol. Guacamole is also high in beta carotene, fiber, folate and potassium.