Prepared foods
Refried beans
Per 100 g (3.5 oz), refried beans combine 3.7 g of fiber with 90 kcal, a low energy density.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density: 90 kcal/100 g | +1 |
| Protein: 5.5 g/100 kcal | +1 |
| Fiber: 4.1 g/100 kcal | +2 |
| Solid food with 77.8 g of water | +1 |
| Sum | 6 |
| Capped at 5 | 5 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 11 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 172438
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 90 kcal per serving
- 90 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 5 g per serving
- 5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 13.6 g per serving
- 13.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0.5 g per serving
- 0.5 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 3.7 g per serving
- 3.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 2 g per serving
- 2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0.6 g per serving
- 0.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 77.8 g per serving
- 77.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Refried beans, canned, traditional style (FDC ID 172438), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving provides about 90 kcal, 5 g of protein, and 3.7 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
The Dictionary of Americanisms records frijoles refritos (refried beans) in Mexico and El Salvador as drained pot beans, ground or mashed and fried with lard, or oil, and onion, served sprinkled with grated cheese, and lists similar preparations, cooked beans mashed and fried with lard, under the names frijoles fritos in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua and frijoles volteados in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. This page is for USDA's canned traditional-style refried beans, with 90 kcal, 4.98 g of protein, 3.7 g of fiber and 2.01 g of fat per 100 g; USDA does not say whether the fat is lard or oil, which each brand's ingredient list does show.
A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving, a little less than half of the 238 g cup USDA uses for this can, provides 90 kcal, 5 g of protein and 3.7 g of fiber, with a soft texture that is easy to eat when appetite is low. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy lists legumes among the protein sources to encourage but suggests avoiding fatty and very high-fiber foods in the first few days of treatment, so in those days two or three spoonfuls as a side may be enough. To add protein, pair them with an egg or fresh cheese, as in the scrambled eggs with beans and tomato, and if they give you gas, start with a small amount and build up gradually.
What the evidence says
With USDA's figures, their 3.7 g of fiber per 100 g make them a "source of fibre", and because they are low in calories their 4.1 g per 100 kcal exceed the 3 g per 100 kcal for "high fibre"; protein supplies about 22% of their energy, above the 20% for "high protein" (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). The fat varies a lot by version: USDA gives 2.01 g per 100 g for the traditional can, 0.87 g for the vegetarian one, 0.45 g for the fat-free one and 6.77 g, with 156 kcal, for Mexican restaurant refried beans, and the WHO advises replacing lard with oils rich in polyunsaturated fat to cut saturated fat. The NIDDK, part of the US National Institutes of Health, lists legumes, including beans, among the foods that can cause gas, and the Wegovy (semaglutide) SmPC lists flatulence and abdominal distension among its common adverse reactions. They have 370 mg of sodium per 100 g, almost a fifth of the 2,000 mg a day the WHO recommends not exceeding.
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about refried beans
How much protein is in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of refried beans?
100 g (3.5 oz) of refried beans has 5 g of protein. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 5 g of protein. That is 5.5 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many calories does a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of refried beans have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of refried beans has 90 kcal. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 90 kcal. That is a low energy density.
Do refried beans have fiber?
100 g (3.5 oz) of refried beans has 3.7 g of fiber. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 3.7 g of fiber. They carry our “High in fiber” tag.
Are refried beans filling?
Yes, very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 1 (low energy density: 90 kcal/100 g) + 1 (protein: 5.5 g/100 kcal) + 2 (fiber: 4.1 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 77.8 g of water) = 6; capped at 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
What should I know about refried beans on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about refried beans on a GLP-1 medication. “High in fiber”: a good amount of fiber, which helps keep you regular; it is easier to tolerate when you increase it gradually and drink enough water. “Low energy density”: plenty of volume for few calories; make sure it does not push protein foods off your plate. “May cause bloating”: it can cause gas or bloating in some people, and on a GLP-1 medication that feeling can be more noticeable. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of refried beans?
We use 100 g (3.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 90 kcal, 5 g of protein, and 3.7 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Refried beans, canned, traditional style (FDC ID 172438).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "frijol (frijoles refritos, frijoles fritos, frijoles volteados)" (in Spanish).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Refried beans, canned, vegetarian (FDC ID 174296).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Refried beans, canned, fat-free (FDC ID 172465).accessed .
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Restaurant, Mexican, refried beans (FDC ID 167666).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Healthy diet (fact sheet, section on fats).accessed .
- InstitutionNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIH).Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Gas in the Digestive Tract.accessed .
- Drug labelEuropean Medicines Agency.Wegovy (semaglutide): EU Summary of Product Characteristics, section 4.8 (undesirable effects), current version.accessed .
- InstitutionWorld Health Organization.Sodium reduction.accessed .