Protein Content in Beans

Protein, a macronutrient, is essential for repairing and growing muscles, manufacturing hormones and enzymes, and for helping to maintain low blood sugar. These protein sources for many of you tend to come from meats. However, you need not limit yourself to just relying on the protein content found in meat. Beans are also a good, rich protein food source.


Moreover, since you do not have to concern yourself with fat content, beans have a major advantage over meat. Since beans are naturally low in fat, consuming them causes health risk such as hypertension and heart disease to instantly become lowered. In addition, like meats, most beans also supply calcium and iron to your diet.


Protein Content In Beans


To know just how much protein is found in a typical serving of beans, the following is a list of some common legumes. The following values are for a 3.5 ounce (~100 gram) serving of beans boiled in unsalted water.

As for comparison, a 3.5 ounce serving of skinless grilled chicken breast filet has 22 grams of protein.

Beans Protein Content


Lentils 10.5 grams


Red Beans 10.5 grams


Black Beans 7.5 grams


White Beans 10.5 grams


Chickpeas 7 grams


Lima Beans 7 grams


Blackeyed Peas 3.5 grams


Pinto Beans 10.5 grams


Navy Beans 7.5 grams





Beans are not quite perfect


Even with their nutritional benefits, beans as a protein source are not perfect. Unlike meats, beans do not supply all of the essential amino acids, and as such, are not a complete protein source.


Despite this shortcoming, their lack of certain amino acids can be easily overcome by eating them with certain foods.

To make beans a complete protein source, just combine them with either, brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat, or nuts.



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