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Beets, cooked, boiled, drained

Vegetables Per 100 g · Per 100g serving
Data sources: 46 AFCD 41 SR Legacy

Beets, cooked, boiled, drained is a vegetable, providing just 44.0 calories per 100g. This vegetable is virtually fat-free. Vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber with relatively few calories. They are a cornerstone of virtually every dietary guideline worldwide. Our database tracks 87 nutrients for this food, plus glycemic index, insulin index, environmental footprint data.

44.0
Calories
kcal
1.7
Protein
g
0.20
Fat
g
10.0
Carbs
g
2.1
Fiber
g

Top Nutrients

💎
Iron
1.9 mg
24% DV
☀️
Folate
84.0 µg
21% DV
☀️
Vitamin E
2.5 mg
17% DV

Data for 87 of 150 tracked nutrients

Nutrient Fingerprint

How this food scores across key nutrient categories, as a percentage of the daily recommended value per 100 g. Based on USDA DRIs for adults.

Complete Nutrient Profile

Macronutrients 10
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Water AFCD92.5g
2%
Calories SR44.0kcal
Energy (kJ) SR184kj
Protein SR1.7g
3%
Total Fat AFCD0.20g
Carbohydrate SR10.0g
8%
Fiber AFCD2.1g
6%
Total Sugars SR8.0g
Starch AFCD0.10g
Ash AFCD0.90g
Minerals 10
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Calcium AFCD34.0mg
3%
Iron AFCD1.9mg
24%
Magnesium AFCD13.0mg
3%
Phosphorus AFCD50.0mg
7%
Potassium AFCD233mg
7%
Sodium AFCD40.0mg
3%
Zinc AFCD0.22mg
2%
Copper SR0.07mg
8%
Manganese SR0.33mg
14%
Selenium AFCD0.30µg
0%
Vitamins 26
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Vitamin A (RAE) AFCD44.0µg
5%
Vitamin A (IU) SR2.0IU
Retinol AFCD0µg
Beta-Carotene AFCD233µg
Alpha-Carotene AFCD32.0µg
Beta-Cryptoxanthin AFCD32.0µg
Lycopene SR0µg
Lutein + Zeaxanthin SR0µg
Vitamin C AFCD10.0mg
11%
Vitamin D SR0µg
Vitamin D (IU) AFCD0IU
Vitamin D2 AFCD0µg
Vitamin D3 AFCD0µg
Vitamin E AFCD2.5mg
17%
Vitamin K1 SR0.20µg
0%
Thiamin (B1) AFCD0.03mg
2%
Riboflavin (B2) AFCD0.10mg
7%
Niacin (B3) AFCD0.50mg
3%
Pantothenic Acid (B5) SR0.14mg
3%
Vitamin B6 AFCD0.09mg
7%
Folate AFCD84.0µg
21%
Folic Acid SR0µg
Folate (food) AFCD84.0µg
Folate (DFE) AFCD84.0µg
Vitamin B12 AFCD0µg
Choline SR6.3mg
1%
Fatty Acids 9
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Saturated Fat AFCD0g
Monounsaturated Fat AFCD0g
Polyunsaturated Fat AFCD0g
Trans Fat AFCD0g
Cholesterol AFCD0mg
Omega-3 ALA AFCD0g
Omega-3 EPA AFCD0g
Omega-3 DPA AFCD0g
Omega-3 DHA AFCD0g
Individual Fatty Acids 10
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Butyric Acid (4:0) SR0g
Caproic Acid (6:0) SR0g
Caprylic Acid (8:0) SR0g
Capric Acid (10:0) AFCD0g
Lauric Acid (12:0) SR0g
Myristic Acid (14:0) SR0g
Palmitic Acid (16:0) SR0.03g
Stearic Acid (18:0) SR0.001g
Linoleic Acid (18:2) AFCD0g
Linolenic Acid (18:3) SR0.005g
Amino Acids 18
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Tryptophan AFCD0.04g
Threonine SR0.05g
Isoleucine SR0.05g
Leucine SR0.07g
Lysine SR0.06g
Methionine SR0.02g
Cystine SR0.02g
Phenylalanine SR0.05g
Tyrosine SR0.04g
Valine SR0.06g
Arginine SR0.04g
Histidine SR0.02g
Alanine SR0.06g
Aspartic Acid SR0.12g
Glutamic Acid SR0.45g
Glycine SR0.03g
Proline SR0.04g
Serine SR0.06g
Phytochemicals 1
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Oxalic Acid AFCD0mg
Other 3
NutrientPer 100gUnitPer Serving% DV
Caffeine AFCD0mg
Theobromine SR0mg
Alcohol AFCD0g

Nutrient Density Score

The NRF9.3 score measures overall nutritional quality per 100 kcal. It rewards 9 nutrients to encourage (protein, fiber, vitamins A, C, E, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium) and penalizes 3 to limit (saturated fat, added sugars, sodium). Higher is better; negative scores indicate the food is high in limit nutrients relative to its beneficial content.

143
NRF9.3 Score
Excellent · per 100 kcal
Poor (<0) Moderate Good Excellent (100+)

NRF9.3 index: Fulgoni et al. (2009), J Nutr 139(8). DVs based on FDA 2020 reference values.

Nutrient Interactions in This Food

Nutrients in this food that enhance or compete with each other during absorption.

✔ Synergies — nutrients that help each other

Vitamin C + Iron●●●

Vitamin C dramatically enhances non-heme iron absorption by reducing Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ in the gut. Adding 75 mg vitamin C to a meal can increase iron absorption 3–4 fold.

Hallberg et al., Am J Clin Nutr, 1989

Dietary Fat + Vitamin E●●●

Vitamin E is fat-soluble and absorbed alongside dietary fats via micelle formation in the small intestine. Low-fat diets reduce vitamin E absorption.

Traber, Free Radic Biol Med, 2007

Vitamin C + Vitamin E●●

Vitamin C regenerates oxidised vitamin E (tocopheroxyl radical) back to its active form, extending its antioxidant function in cell membranes.

Niki, Free Radic Biol Med, 2014

Vitamin B6 + Folate●●

Vitamin B6 is a cofactor in folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism. Together with B12, these three nutrients regulate homocysteine levels.

Selhub, J Nutr Health Aging, 2002

⚠ Antagonisms — nutrients that compete

Fiber vs Iron●●

Phytates in high-fibre foods (whole grains, legumes) bind non-heme iron and reduce its bioavailability. Soaking, sprouting, and fermentation reduce phytate content.

Hurrell & Egli, Int J Vitam Nutr Res, 2010

Manganese vs Iron●●

Manganese and iron share the DMT1 transporter and compete for absorption. High iron status reduces manganese absorption and vice versa.

Erikson et al., Pharmacol Ther, 2007

Vitamin C vs Copper●●

High-dose vitamin C (>1,500 mg/day) may reduce copper absorption by reducing Cu²⁺ to Cu⁺, though the clinical significance at normal intakes is minimal.

Harris, Am J Clin Nutr, 2003

Amino Acid Profile

Essential amino acid composition compared to the WHO/FAO adult reference pattern. The Amino Acid Score indicates protein quality — 100 means all essential amino acid requirements are met.

72
Amino Acid Score
Moderate
Leucine
Limiting Amino Acid
18
Amino Acids Tracked

Tip: The limiting amino acid is Leucine. Pair with dairy, eggs, and meat for a complete amino acid profile.

All Amino Acids (18)
Amino Acidg / 100gmg / g protein
Tryptophan0.0423.2
Threonine0.0529.2
Isoleucine0.0529.8
Leucine0.0742.3
Lysine0.0635.7
Methionine0.0211.3
Cystine0.0211.9
Phenylalanine0.0528.6
Tyrosine0.0423.8
Valine0.0635.1
Arginine0.0426.2
Histidine0.0213.1
Alanine0.0637.5
Aspartic Acid0.1272.0
Glutamic Acid0.45265.5
Glycine0.0319.6
Proline0.0425.6
Serine0.0636.9

How Cooking Changes Nutrients

Estimated percentage of each nutrient retained after cooking, based on USDA retention factors for the “Root Vegetables” food category. Values of 100% mean no loss; lower values indicate nutrients lost to heat, water, or oxidation.

Key insights
Vitamin C loses up to 32% when boiled (drained). Stir-fried retains 80%.
Folate loses up to 32% when boiled (drained). Boiled (water used) retains 80%.

Source: USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007). Retention values are category-level averages — actual retention depends on cooking time, temperature, and water volume.

USDA Retention Factors

Glycemic & Insulin Response

The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar on a 0–100 scale. The Insulin Index (II) measures the insulin response directly, which can differ from GI — notably, dairy and high-protein foods often trigger a higher insulin response than their GI suggests. White bread = 100 for both scales.

64
Glycemic Index
Medium GI
5
Glycemic Load
Low GL (per 80g)
GI Scale 64
0 Low <55 Med High ≥70 100

GI data matched from: “Beetroot, canned” · ●●● high confidence

68
Insulin Index
High Insulin Response
Insulin Index Scale 68
0 Low ≤30 Mod ≤60 High ≤100 120
Macro Model ●● Estimated from macronutrient composition (R²=0.49)

Source: International Tables of Glycemic Index (Sydney University, 2021) · Holt et al. 1997; Bao et al. 2016; Bell 2014

Environmental Impact

Environmental footprint per kilogram of food produced. Data represents the global average for the “Root Vegetables” category.

0.43
kg CO₂e / kg
Very Low Impact
0.33
m² land / kg
Land Use
28.0
L water / kg
Water Use
1.6
g SO₂e / kg
Acidification
How this compares (GHG emissions)
Potatoes (0.5)Chicken (9.9)Beef (99.5)
Greenhouse Gas Emissions0.43 kg CO₂e / kg
Land Use0.33 m² / kg
Water Use28.0 L / kg
Eutrophication1.8 g PO₄e / kg
Acidification1.6 g SO₂e / kg
⚠️ Important context about this data
  • Global averages: These figures are production-weighted averages from a meta-analysis of ~38,700 farms across 119 countries (Poore & Nemecek, 2018). Actual impact varies enormously by farming method, geography, and supply chain.
  • System boundary: Cradle-to-retail only — does not include consumer transport, home cooking energy, or food waste.
  • Soil carbon not included: This data does not account for soil carbon sequestration. Some argue that well-managed regenerative grazing partially offsets ruminant emissions; however, full lifecycle accounting — including methane, land-use change, and the opportunity cost of using land for grazing vs. reforestation — typically makes the net footprint of ruminant meat higher, not lower. This is especially relevant in temperate grassland regions like Ireland.
  • Not gospel: This data is informational and illustrative. It is useful for understanding relative magnitudes, but should not be treated as precise measurements for any individual product or farm.

Source: Poore & Nemecek (2018), Science 360(6392). Meta-analysis of ~38,700 farms, 119 countries, 46 product categories.

Global Supply: Vegetables

Top 10 countries by per capita supply of the “Vegetables” food group (kcal/capita/day, 2023). This is food group–level data from FAO Food Balance Sheets, not specific to this individual food.

1.
China; mainland
310
2.
China
306
3.
Albania
258
4.
North Macedonia
221
5.
Guyana
209
6.
Kazakhstan
204
7.
Oman
192
8.
Uzbekistan
190
9.
Tajikistan
186
10.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
183

Global Supply Trend (1961–2023)

+76%
1961: 38 kcal2023: 67 kcal

Source: FAO Food Balance Sheets (2023). Supply = production + imports − exports − waste, converted to kcal/capita/day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in Beets, cooked, boiled, drained?

Beets, cooked, boiled, drained contains 44.0 kcal per 100 grams, making it a low-calorie food. The energy comes from 1.7g of protein (15% of calories), 0.20g of fat (4%), and 10.0g of carbohydrates (91%). Carbohydrates are the primary energy source.

What is Beets, cooked, boiled, drained most nutritious for?

The standout nutrient in Beets, cooked, boiled, drained is Iron, providing 1.9 mg per 100g (24% of the Daily Value). It is also a notable source of Folate (21% DV). Our database tracks 87 individual nutrients for this food, allowing detailed comparison across vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids.

Is Beets, cooked, boiled, drained high in protein?

At 1.7g per 100 grams, Beets, cooked, boiled, drained is not a significant source of protein. Pair with protein-rich foods like legumes, meat, fish, or dairy to meet daily protein needs.

How much fiber is in Beets, cooked, boiled, drained?

Beets, cooked, boiled, drained contains 2.1g of fiber per 100 grams, which is a small amount. To increase fiber intake, consider pairing with high-fiber foods such as legumes, whole grains, or vegetables.

What is the glycemic index of Beets, cooked, boiled, drained?

Beets, cooked, boiled, drained has a glycemic index of 64, which is classified as medium (56-69). Medium-GI foods produce a moderate blood sugar response. The glycemic load, which accounts for typical serving size, provides additional context for real-world blood sugar impact.

What is the insulin index of Beets, cooked, boiled, drained?

Beets, cooked, boiled, drained has a high insulin response (II: 68) (estimated from macronutrient composition) on the insulin index scale (white bread = 100). Foods with high insulin scores stimulate significant insulin release, which may be relevant for blood sugar management. Note that the insulin index can differ substantially from the glycemic index — dairy products and high-protein foods often have higher insulin responses than their GI would suggest.