Yes, beets contain protein: beetroot has 1.6–2.0 g per 100 g, while beet greens land near 2.6 g per 100 g.
You came here to settle one thing: do beets have protein? Short answer—yes. The beetroot itself brings a little, and the leafy tops bring more. On their own, beets won’t replace beans, tofu, eggs, or chicken, but they can still help you inch up daily protein while adding color, fiber, and minerals. Below, you’ll see exactly how much protein shows up in raw beets, cooked beets, canned beets, and beet greens, plus smart ways to pair them so the whole plate hits your target.
Do Beets Have Protein? Details You Can Use
Protein in beets isn’t high, yet it’s measurable and easy to track. Raw beetroot lands near the 1.6–1.9 g mark per 100 g, and a standard cup is roughly 2.2 g. Cooked beet slices come in close, and canned beets drop a touch per 100 g due to packing liquid. The greens outpace the root by a fair margin and are worth cooking or tossing into soups and sautés.
Beet Protein Quick Table
Numbers below reflect typical serving sizes pulled from lab-analyzed entries. For a deeper dive into raw beetroot figures, see raw beets nutrition. For the leafy tops, see cooked beet greens data.
| Food/State | Serving | Protein (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Beetroot, Raw | 100 g | ~1.6–1.9 |
| Beetroot, Raw | 1 cup (≈136 g) | ~2.2 |
| Beetroot, Cooked (Boiled, Drained) | 100 g | ~1.7 |
| Beetroot, Cooked (Boiled, Drained) | 1 cup (≈170 g) | ~2.9 |
| Beets, Canned (Regular Pack) | 100 g | ~0.7 |
| Beets, Canned (Regular Pack) | 1 cup (≈246 g, solids + liquids) | ~1.8 |
| Beet Greens, Raw | 100 g | ~2.2 |
| Beet Greens, Raw | 1 cup (≈38 g) | ~0.8 |
| Beet Greens, Cooked (Boiled, Drained) | 100 g | ~2.6 |
| Beet Greens, Cooked (Boiled, Drained) | 1 cup (≈144 g) | ~3.7 |
Protein In Beets By Serving Size
Portion size changes the tally fast. A side of warm beet slices can push close to 3 g protein, while a hearty bowl of cooked beet greens climbs higher. If you’re tracking macros, think in cups: one cup of cooked root is around 2.9 g; one cup of cooked greens is near 3.7 g. Canned beets show the smallest return, mostly due to dilution from canning liquid and lighter density per cup.
Why Greens Beat The Root
The leafy tops sit closer to other cooked greens in protein density. They also pack standout vitamins and minerals. One cup cooked beet greens delivers potassium, magnesium, calcium, and a wallop of vitamin K. If you buy whole beets, don’t toss the tops—strip tough stems, chop, and sauté with olive oil and garlic. The taste lands between chard and spinach.
How Beets Fit Into A Protein Plan
Beets help the overall picture, but the plate still needs anchors. Pair them with foods that supply complete protein or strong amino profiles. Good fits: lentils, chickpeas, tofu, tempeh, edamame, yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, eggs, chicken, beef, or plant-forward meat alternatives. The root brings color, fiber, folate, and nitrates; the greens add protein and a stack of micronutrients.
Simple Ways To Build A Higher-Protein Beet Plate
- Roasted Beet & Lentil Bowl: Toss roasted cubes with warm lentils, lemon, and herbs. Finish with feta or a spoon of tahini yogurt.
- Beet & Egg Skillet: Sauté beet greens with onions, add sliced roasted beets, crack in eggs, and bake till set.
- Chickpea–Beet Salad: Mix canned chickpeas with diced beetroot, parsley, and a citrus vinaigrette. Add tuna or grilled chicken if you want more protein.
- Tofu–Beet Stir-Fry: Crisp tofu, then add beet greens and thin beet matchsticks. Splash with soy and rice vinegar.
- Greek Yogurt Beet Dip: Whip roasted beet with strained yogurt and garlic. Scoop with whole-grain crackers or veggie sticks.
Cooked Vs Raw: What Changes For Protein?
Cooking won’t turn beets into a protein heavyweight. Protein shifts are small either way. Heat softens texture and moves water around, so per-cup numbers can rise or fall depending on density. The key: compare the same basis—100 g vs 100 g, or cup vs cup—and watch how serving size changes the math.
Beet Greens: Amino Acid Snapshot
Leafy tops deliver more total protein per cup and a broader swing of amino acids. The table below lines up common essentials for one cup of cooked beetroot vs one cup of cooked beet greens. Values are in milligrams and come from lab-sourced entries that feed national databases. For cooked beet amino acids, see cooked beetroot details. For cooked beet greens, use the beet greens page.
| Amino Acid (Per 1 Cup) | Cooked Beets (≈170 g) | Cooked Beet Greens (≈144 g) |
|---|---|---|
| Leucine | 121 mg | 166 mg |
| Lysine | 102 mg | 108 mg |
| Threonine | 83 mg | 109 mg |
| Tryptophan | 34 mg | 58 mg |
| Valine | 100 mg | 109 mg |
| Isoleucine | 85 mg | 76 mg |
| Phenylalanine | 82 mg | 98 mg |
How To Hit Targets With Beets On The Plate
Think of beets as the color and the lift, not the main engine. Here’s a quick way to build meals that land in a solid protein range:
Protein-Smart Pairings
- Beans Or Lentils + Beets: 1 cup cooked lentils adds ~18 g protein; mix with roasted beets and a spoon of pesto.
- Grains + Beets + Dairy: Farro or quinoa with beet slices and cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
- Eggs + Greens: Omelet with chopped beet greens and herbs, plus a crumble of goat cheese.
- Fish Or Chicken + Beets: Roast fish or chicken over a bed of beet greens and onions; plate with lemon.
Beet Forms: What To Expect
Raw Beetroot
Crunchy, earthy, and easy to grate into salads. Per 100 g, protein sits near the 1.6–1.9 g band. A cup lands near 2.2 g. If you want the most per bite, lean on the greens.
Cooked Beetroot
Boiled or roasted slices give you a touch more per cup due to serving weight. The 1 cup cooked mark comes in near 2.9 g. Salt, vinegar, citrus, and herbs brighten the flavor and keep the plate lively.
Canned Beets
Convenient and dependable. Per 100 g, protein is the lowest of the bunch at around 0.7 g. Drain well and use in salads, quick sautés, or grain bowls. If you want more protein from the same bowl, toss in beans, cheese, tofu, or chicken.
Beet Greens
Here’s where the lift shows. Per 100 g, cooked greens average ~2.6 g protein, and a full cup reaches ~3.7 g. The texture works in sautés, stews, and pasta. A quick wilt with garlic, chili, and lemon pairs nicely with fish or eggs.
Do Beets Have Protein? Final Notes For Real-World Cooking
Yes, and the amount depends on the part and the prep. The beetroot brings a modest bump; the greens bring more. If your day needs 20–30 g at a meal, beets alone won’t carry it. But folded into bowls, omelets, pasta, stews, and salads, they round out flavor, add color, and nudge up protein without much effort.
Quick Builder Template
- Start With A Protein Base: Beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, yogurt, fish, or chicken.
- Add Beets: Roasted cubes, quick-boiled slices, or grated raw.
- Use The Greens: Sauté, then add lemon or vinegar for lift.
- Finish: Seeds, nuts, feta, or a spoon of tahini yogurt for extra protein and crunch.
Method & Sources At A Glance
All protein values come from lab-sourced entries surfaced through public nutrient databases. Core pages used in this piece include the entries for raw beetroot, cooked beetroot, canned beets, and cooked beet greens. These pages are built from USDA FoodData Central source data.