How Many Calories Are In String Beans? | Fast Facts

Calories In String Beans: Raw Vs. Cooked

String beans are low-energy vegetables that fit almost any plan. Raw, 1 cup of cut pieces (about 100 g) comes in at 31 calories. Boiled and drained, 1 cup (about 125 g) lands near 44 calories. Frozen cooked cups often weigh slightly more after cooking and show about 38 calories. Canned beans can read near 36 calories per cup, but the serving weight is larger, and the brine changes the sodium story more than the calories.

String Bean Calories By Form And Serving

Form	Common Serving	Calories
Raw (cut pieces)	1 cup (100 g)	31 kcal
Cooked, boiled, drained	1 cup (125 g)	44 kcal
Frozen, cooked, drained	1 cup (135 g)	38 kcal
Canned, solids & liquid	1 cup (240 g)	36 kcal

Those numbers shift because water weight changes with cooking. Boiling softens the pods, so a cup holds a little more bean by weight than a cup of raw pieces. That extra weight raises calories slightly even when you don’t add oil. If you sauté in fat, the beans soak up a bit, and the count climbs fast.

Serving Sizes And How To Measure A Cup

A cup of vegetables usually means 1 cup of chopped raw or cooked pieces measured level in a standard cup. MyPlate lists green or wax beans at one cup raw or cooked for a cup-equivalent; see the Vegetable Group table for the full listing. If you prefer gram accuracy, weigh 100 g for a raw cup and ~125 g for a cooked cup. That keeps your math tidy across different pans and cut sizes.

Names People Use For The Same Bean

You’ll see string beans, green beans, and snap beans used for the same fresh pods. USDA’s produce guide notes the names are interchangeable and offers storage tips; check SNAP-Ed’s green beans page if you need a quick reference. Wax beans are a pale variety with similar calories.

What Changes The Calorie Count

Boiling Or Steaming

Water-based methods keep calories close to the raw baseline. The cup weight goes up a touch, so cooked cups read higher even with zero oil. Season with salt after cooking to keep texture and avoid extra water draw during the boil.

Roasting Or Sautéing

Fat adds energy fast. One teaspoon of oil brings ~40 calories. A quick skillet toss with a measured drizzle tastes great and keeps the count predictable. If you want a slick look without much oil, mist a nonstick pan, add minced garlic, then finish with lemon juice instead of a second pour.

Canned Green Beans

Calories per cup are still low, but sodium can be high. Draining helps. Rinsing under water trims salt on the surface. Heat gently to avoid a mushy bite, and season with pepper, vinegar, or herbs to brighten the flavor without extra calories.

Frozen Options

Frozen beans are picked and blanched at harvest, so the calorie range matches fresh once cooked. Because a cooked frozen cup often weighs ~135 g, labels show ~38 calories per cup. That makes frozen bags a handy freezer staple for quick sides.

Macro And Fiber Snapshot

A cooked cup gives roughly 2–2.5 g protein, ~10 g carbs, and <0.5 g fat, plus about 4 g fiber. The Dietary Guidelines’ fiber table lists green beans, snap, cooked at 44 calories and 4 g fiber per cup, which matches the numbers above; see the DGA page for context: Food sources of dietary fiber. That fiber, along with the big serving volume, explains why a plate of beans fills you up with little energy cost.

Portions That Work In Real Meals

Side For One

Plan on 1 cup cooked per person for a simple side, or 1½ cups if beans are the main vegetable on the plate. Use a small pot with salted water, boil three to five minutes until tender-crisp, then season. Add lemon or a splash of vinegar to brighten the dish without adding fat.

Hearty Bowl Or Salad

For a bigger bowl, think 2 cups cooked (about 88 calories before toppings). Toss with halved cherry tomatoes, thin red onion, and a quick mustard-vinegar dressing. Keep oil to a measured teaspoon per cup if you’re tracking calories closely.

Stir-Fry And Sheet-Pan Ideas

Stir-fries love high heat and short time. Blanch beans first for two minutes, drain well, then sear in a teaspoon of oil with garlic and ginger. On a sheet pan, toss with a measured drizzle, roast at 220°C until blistered, and finish with citrus zest. These small tweaks keep flavor sharp while calories stay in check.

How Many Calories Are In String Beans: Raw, Cooked, And Canned Details

Raw: 31 calories per cup (100 g). Crisp texture and mild flavor make raw pieces handy in salads and snack boxes. If you slice thinner, a cup may weigh more, nudging the energy up a hair.

Boiled & Drained: 44 calories per cup (125 g). The higher number comes from the heavier cup, not new calories created in cooking. Keep the boil short to hold color and texture.

Frozen Cooked: ~38 calories per cup (135 g). Blanching and freezing step in early; after a quick reheat, the weight per cup is a bit higher than fresh, so the printed number sits between raw and boiled counts.

Canned: ~36 calories per cup (240 g). Draining is standard on labels that include the liquid; calories remain low either way. The bigger watch-out is sodium from the brine, not the energy tally.

Practical Math For Add-Ins

Once you know the base, every add-in stacks on top. One teaspoon of oil adds ~40 calories. A teaspoon of butter adds ~34. A tablespoon of slivered almonds lands near ~35. A tablespoon of grated Parmesan adds ~22. Mix and match to hit the flavor you want and the number you need.

Calories Added By Popular Toppings

Add-In	Amount	Extra Calories
Olive oil	1 tsp	~40 kcal
Butter	1 tsp	~34 kcal
Slivered almonds	1 tbsp	~35 kcal
Grated Parmesan	1 tbsp	~22 kcal
Crumbled bacon	1 tbsp	~33 kcal

Smart Ways To Keep Calories Low

Measure Fats

Pour oils by the teaspoon, not the eyeball. Warm the pan first, add beans dry, then swirl in your measured oil so it coats more evenly. Finish with citrus, vinegar, or fresh herbs to boost flavor without added energy.

Lean Flavor Moves

Toast spices in a dry pan, then toss with hot beans. Add garlic and chili flakes to steamed beans, then crush a few beans lightly to make a quick, glossy coating without more oil. A spoon of capers or a splash of soy sauce can be enough to wake up a plate.

Balance Salty Canned Batches

Drain, rinse, and heat gently. Mix in a handful of fresh beans or other crunchy veg to bring back snap. A squeeze of lemon shifts the focus to brightness, so you don’t reach for more butter or cheese.

Nutrition Notes Worth Knowing

Beyond calories, this vegetable brings potassium, a touch of protein, and a steady dose of fiber. A cooked cup commonly shows around 180–215 mg potassium and about 2–2.5 g protein. That blend makes beans a tidy side for grilled meats, eggs, grain bowls, and soups. They also reheat well, so a big batch pays off for weekday lunches.

Build A Plate With Confidence

If you track energy closely, pick one of two easy paths. For the leanest bowl, go with 1–2 cups cooked, a squeeze of lemon, and salt and pepper. For a richer version, keep oil to 1 tsp per cup and add a spoon of almonds or a sprinkle of Parmesan. Either way, you’ll stay inside a modest range that’s simple to log and easy to repeat.

Reliable Sources And Quick Checks

For raw and cooked numbers, lab-based databases like MyFoodData line up with widely used government references. The raw cup at 31 kcal and the boiled cup at 44 kcal match the Dietary Guidelines’ fiber table and common label entries. If your package lists a different weight per cup, go by the grams. The math stays clean when you measure by weight first, then convert to a cup if a recipe asks for it.