Chocolate chips are an essential item in the pantry of most bakers. You can add them to cookies, muffins and even pancakes. They don't come without a cost, however. Chocolate chips are a high-calorie food, so enjoy them in moderation.

Semisweet chocolate chips are the most common kind, but there also are dark chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Chocolate chips typically come in 6-ounce and 12-ounce packages, with 12-ounce packages being the most common.

A 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips contains 1,612 calories; at 70 calories per tablespoon, they add up quickly. A bag of chocolate chips also contains 214 grams of carbohydrates, 183 of which are sugars, and 100 grams of fat, 60 of which are saturated. It also contains 14 grams of protein and 20 grams of fiber. Semisweet, milk chocolate and dark chocolate chips all contain the same number of calories.

A bag of semisweet chocolate chips contains 108 mg of calcium, 386 mg of magnesium and1,226 mg of potassium. It contains insignificant amounts of the B vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C and other nutrients.