Vegetables and starchy roots
Cooked beets
Cooked beets are 87% water, so 100 g (3.5 oz) brings only 44 kcal and 2 g of fiber.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Very low energy density: 44 kcal/100 g | +2 |
| Protein: 3.8 g/100 kcal | 0 |
| Fiber: 4.5 g/100 kcal | +2 |
| Solid food with 87.1 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
- 10 primary and 1 supporting
- Data
- USDA FDC 169146
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 44 kcal per serving
- 44 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 1.7 g per serving
- 1.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 10 g per serving
- 10 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 8 g per serving
- 8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 2 g per serving
- 2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 0.2 g per serving
- 0.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 87.1 g per serving
- 87.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Beets, cooked, boiled, drained (FDC ID 169146), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 100 g (3.5 oz, about 1/2 cup) serving provides about 44 kcal, 1.7 g of protein, and 2 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) is, according to the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, the large, fleshy, usually red root of a plant in the goosefoot family, and sugar is extracted from its sugar varieties. That dictionary and the Diccionario de americanismos record betabel in Mexico, and the latter records beterraga in Peru, Bolivia and Chile, where betarraga is also used. This page covers boiled, drained beets according to USDA, with 44 kcal, 7.96 g of sugars and 2 g of fiber per 100 g.
A 100 g (3.5 oz) serving provides 44 kcal, 1.7 g of protein and 2 g of fiber, so it goes alongside protein rather than replacing it, for example in a salad with hard-boiled egg, fresh cheese or tuna. Cooked, it is soft and sweet, and the 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy suggests starting meals with protein and, for constipation, increasing fiber gradually. If you eat very little, half a serving alongside the protein leaves room for the rest.
What the evidence says
At 80 µg of folate per 100 g it exceeds the 60 µg the EU requires for a "high folate" claim, and a 100 g serving provides 40% of the 200 µg reference value, so it could carry the authorized claim "folate contributes to normal blood formation" (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006, (EU) No 1169/2011 and (EU) No 432/2012). With 2 g of fiber per 100 g it falls short of the 3 g for a "source of fibre" claim, but its 4.5 g per 100 kcal exceed the criterion for a "high fibre" claim, 3 g per 100 kcal. A 1993 study notes that pink or red urine after eating beetroot, called beeturia, occurs in 10% to 14% of the population and is more common with iron deficiency or malabsorption, and in that study 4 of 100 volunteers had visibly red urine after taking 60 mg of beetroot extract (Pharmacogenetics).
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 cooked beets
How many grams of protein are in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cooked beets?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked beets has 1.7 g of protein. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 1.7 g of protein. That is 3.8 g of protein per 100 kcal.
How many kcal are in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cooked beets?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked beets has 44 kcal. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 44 kcal. That is a very low energy density.
How much fiber is in a 100 g (3.5 oz) serving of cooked beets?
100 g (3.5 oz) of cooked beets has 2 g of fiber. A typical 100 g (3.5 oz) serving has about 2 g of fiber.
Do cooked beets keep you full?
Yes, very filling for the calories they provide: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) + 2 (very low energy density: 44 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 3.8 g/100 kcal) + 2 (fiber: 4.5 g/100 kcal) + 1 (solid food with 87.1 g of water) = 6; capped at 5. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.
How do cooked beets fit into eating on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about cooked beets on a GLP-1 medication. “Low energy density”: plenty of volume for few calories; make sure it does not push protein foods off your plate. “Hydrating”: a lot of water, which contributes to hydration when you eat and drink less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What is a typical serving of cooked beets?
We use 100 g (3.5 oz) as a typical serving, about 1/2 cup. That amount provides about 44 kcal, 1.7 g of protein, and 2 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
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: Beets, cooked, boiled, drained (FDC ID 169146).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "remolacha" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionRoyal Spanish Academy and Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (RAE-ASALE).Diccionario de la lengua española (Dictionary of the Spanish Language, 23rd ed., online version): "betabel" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "betabel" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "beterraga" (in Spanish).accessed .
- InstitutionAssociation of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE).Diccionario de americanismos (Dictionary of Americanisms): "betarraga" (in Spanish).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 .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
- Other sourcePharmacogenetics.Watts AR, Lennard MS, Mason SL, Tucker GT, Woods HF. Beeturia and the biological fate of beetroot pigments. Pharmacogenetics. 1993;3(6):302-311. doi:10.1097/00008571-199312000-00004.accessed .