Asparagus (cooked) vs Green beans (cooked)

The short answer

Two cooked green vegetables, both low in calories. Green beans carry a bit more carbs and fibre; asparagus brings more folate and a distinct taste. Near-matched — asparagus for the folate and flavour, green beans for an everyday, slightly more filling side.

Asparagus (cooked) and Green beans (cooked), per 100 g and per portion. A gap means USDA has no value for it — not zero.

Asparagus (cooked) · per 100 gGreen beans (cooked) · per 100 g
Calories2235
Protein2.4 g1.9 g
Fat0.2 g0.3 g
Carbs4.1 g7.9 g
Fiber2 g3.2 g
Sugars1.3 g3.6 g
Sodium14 mg1 mg
Vitamins & minerals — where both carry data
Calcium23 mg44 mg
Folate149 µg33 µg
Iron0.9 mg0.7 mg
Magnesium14 mg18 mg
Niacin1.1 mg0.6 mg
Phosphorus54 mg29 mg
Potassium224 mg146 mg
Riboflavin0.1 mg0.1 mg
Thiamin0.2 mg0.1 mg
Vitamin A50 µg32 µg
Vitamin B120 µg0 µg
Vitamin B60.1 mg0.1 mg
Vitamin C7.7 mg9.7 mg
Vitamin D0 µg0 µg
Vitamin E1.5 mg0.5 mg
Vitamin K50.6 µg47.9 µg
Zinc0.6 mg0.3 mg
At equal calories (per 100 kcal)
ProteinAsparagus (cooked): 10.9 g, Green beans (cooked): 5.4 g · FiberAsparagus (cooked): 9.1 g, Green beans (cooked): 9.1 g · SodiumAsparagus (cooked): 63.6 mg, Green beans (cooked): 2.9 mg

Generic USDA foods (not brands), so both carry micronutrients. Numbers are per 100 g unless the portion toggle is on. USDA FoodData Central, as of 2026-08-12.

Common questions
Is Asparagus (cooked) or Green beans (cooked) better?

Neither is “better” on its own — it depends what you want from it. The table shows where each is higher; the short answer says when each one fits. Compare on the same basis (per 100 g) and pick for your dish and your goal.

How were these numbers worked out?

Straight from USDA FoodData Central for the generic form of each food, per 100 g. We show the portion view too, but portion sizes differ between foods, so per 100 g is the fair comparison.

Why does one column say “no data”?

Because USDA has no value for that nutrient in that food — so we leave it blank rather than print a 0 that would read as “none”. A real zero from USDA still shows as 0.

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