beetroot protein per 100g sits around 1.6–1.7 g, with small shifts between raw and boiled beets.
Beetroot is a mild, earthy root that brings color, fiber, and a modest lift of protein. If you want a clear number you can use in meal logs, the range is tight. Raw beets land near 1.6 g of protein per 100 g, while boiled beets hover near 1.7 g per 100 g based on large nutrition databases. Those tiny shifts come from water loss and measurement method, not from a big change in the plant itself.
Beetroot Protein Per 100G: Raw Vs Cooked Numbers
To give you a fast scan, here are common forms of beetroot and their average protein per 100 g. Sources include government-sourced datasets compiled by independent tools and UK composition tables. Exact values can vary by variety, season, and processing.
| Beet Product (100 g) | Protein (g) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Raw beetroot | ~1.6 | MyFoodData (USDA) |
| Cooked beetroot, boiled, drained | ~1.7 | MyFoodData (USDA) |
| Canned beets, drained solids | ~0.9 | FatSecret (USDA) |
| Pickled beets, canned | ~0.8 | FoodStruct |
| Beet greens, raw | ~2.2 | FatSecret (USDA) |
| Beet greens, cooked | ~2.6 | Recipal (USDA) |
| Beetroot powder | ~12–13 | PHD |
Protein In Beetroot Per 100 Grams: Methods And Tips
Nutrition tools list protein as grams per 100 g of edible portion. You can search official entries via USDA FoodData Central. That means you need a scale or a reliable pack weight. With raw beets, trim the top and tail before weighing. With cooked beets, drain well and blot the surface so free liquid does not skew the number. If you buy ready-to-eat packs, use the drained weight on the label for the most honest log.
When you roast, water leaves the root and the gram-per-100 g figure can inch up. When you simmer in water, the shift goes the other way if you keep some cooking liquid. The difference is small, and the range at the top of this page already covers it. For tight macro budgets, weigh the portion you actually eat and use the cooked entry for cooked food and the raw entry for raw food.
How This Compares To Everyday Foods
Numbers help with menu planning. A cup of cooked beets (about 170 g) brings around 2.9 g of protein. That is light next to a cup of cooked lentils or a single egg, yet it fits cleanly into bowls and trays where the main protein sits elsewhere. The key is stacking foods: pair beets with cottage cheese, add pumpkin seeds to a beet salad, or serve the root under grilled chicken or tofu. You keep color and fiber while lifting the total grams with little effort.
Against other roots, beetroot sits near the middle. White potato sits near 2 g per 100 g when baked with skin. Sweet potato stays close to 1.6 g per 100 g. Carrot is lower. This is why cooks lean on beets for color and minerals, while protein comes from a partner on the plate.
Protein Quality And Amino Acids
Beetroot has a low amino acid score, with lysine and sulfur amino acids on the lower end. That does not make it a poor choice; it just means you should mix it with foods that round out the profile. Grains boost lysine gaps from the beetroot side, and dairy or legumes patch the rest. Across a day, mixed meals are what count.
If you want to scan official diet guidance on total protein intake for adults and kids, see the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It lays out patterns and sample menus. The figures on this page feed into those patterns as part of a varied plate.
Serving Sizes And Real-World Portions
Labels can be confusing, so here is a practical list that translates common servings to protein grams. Use it to get a feel for totals when you cook, order a salad, or tally macros. Each line below draws from the entries linked in the first table or a simple proportion based on the same sources.
| Serving | Approx. Weight | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 g raw beetroot | 100 g | ~1.6 |
| 1 beet, 2-inch diameter (raw) | ~82 g | ~1.3 |
| 1 cup raw beet cubes | ~136 g | ~2.2 |
| 1/2 cup cooked slices | ~85 g | ~1.5 |
| 1 cup cooked beets | ~170 g | ~2.9 |
| 1 cup canned beets, drained | ~170 g | ~1.5 |
| 2 tbsp beetroot powder | ~14 g | ~1.8 |
How To Hit Protein Targets With Beets In The Mix
Start with the plate’s anchor. That could be chicken breast, tofu, Greek yogurt, or a bean base. Add beets for color, potassium, and fiber. Then pull in a topper to finish the mix: seeds, cheese, tahini, hummus, or egg. You turn a low-protein root into a balanced bowl without losing the parts that make beets worth eating.
Simple Pairings That Lift Protein
- Roast beets with chickpeas and a dollop of yogurt.
- Toss grated raw beet with quinoa, feta, mint, and lemon.
- Layer cooked beets under seared salmon or baked tofu.
- Blend cooked beets into a bean dip; top with pumpkin seeds.
- Stir beet cubes into a lentil soup for color and texture.
Weighing, Draining, And Label Clues
Kitchen scale beats guesswork. For raw beetroot, weigh the trimmed flesh without leaves. For cooked slices, drain well and log the drained weight. For canned beets, note the pack’s drained weight if listed; if not, strain and weigh. Pickled slices usually sit in a sweet vinegar brine that adds liquid weight with little protein. That is why pickled entries show lower grams per 100 g than plain cooked beets. For mixed dishes, estimate beet weight from the portion on the plate, then log the rest of the bowl using its own accurate entries.
When you eat out, scan menus for cues. “Roasted beets” usually match the cooked entry, while “marinated beets” likely match pickled ranges. If the plate is a salad with a small beet portion, use the serving list above and log a half cup or less.
Beet Greens: A Handy Protein Boost
Don’t toss the tops. Beet leaves bring about 2.2–2.6 g of protein per 100 g and cook fast. Sauté with garlic and olive oil, fold into omelets, or stir into soups. The texture sits close to chard, so any chard recipe is a safe swap. A cup of cooked greens beside a beet salad can lift your plate by a couple of grams without much effort.
Beetroot Powder: What The Label Means
Powder is simply dried beetroot ground fine. Drying removes water, so grams per 100 g climb across the board. Protein moves from ~1.6–1.7 g in fresh roots to 12–13 g in powder, but serving sizes are tiny. A teaspoon adds color and beet flavor; it does not replace a normal protein source. Read the panel for sugar and fiber, since brands differ. The figures in the first table show the general range across popular listings.
Storage, Prep, And Nutrient Retention
Store whole beets in the fridge crisper in a breathable bag. Keep the greens separate and use them within a few days. Scrub roots under cold water. Roast, steam, or boil until tender. Peel after cooking to save time. To protect water-soluble vitamins, keep cook times reasonable and avoid long soaks. None of these steps will swing protein grams in a big way, but they improve texture and taste, which makes it easier to eat beets often.
Beetroot In Diet Patterns
Beetroot fits clean eating plans without fuss. In a plant-forward plate, set it beside beans, tofu, or tempeh for a lift. In a mixed plate, match it with salmon, tuna, chicken, or eggs. If you keep fats low, steam or roast and season with citrus and herbs. If you track carbs, pair beetroot with leafy greens and a lean protein so grams line up with your target. Athletes often choose beet drinks for nitrates; for daily meals, the whole root brings fiber that aids fullness. Use beetroot as a color anchor; let beans, fish, tofu, or eggs supply most protein at each meal. Rotate raw, roasted, and pickled forms to keep meals interesting while your protein plan stays steady across days.
Method Notes, Sources, And Safe Ranges
The figures in this guide come from tools that pull from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FoodData Central and UK composition tables. Raw beets show ~1.6 g protein per 100 g, while cooked beets are ~1.7 g per 100 g. Canned and pickled versions dilute the protein number due to added liquid, while dried powder concentrates it. For official diet context on daily protein patterns and recommended intake ranges, see the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To search individual foods in the primary database, use USDA FoodData Central. For raw and cooked beet entries, the linked MyFoodData pages in the first table mirror USDA records; pickled and canned values come from entries that report the same trend. If you prepare beets at home, a kitchen scale and the serving size list above will keep your logs consistent.
Bottom Line On Beetroot Protein
The beetroot protein per 100g number is stable and modest. Use ~1.6 g for raw and ~1.7 g for cooked when logging meals. Pair beets with stronger protein sources, or add the greens for a little extra. You get color, potassium, and fiber, while your main protein comes from beans, dairy, eggs, tofu, meat, or fish.