Protein Difference in Bean Varieties

(pictured: Moroccan Chickpea Stew)

My friend Reiko asked me about the different amounts of protein in bean varieties and I had to admit it wasn’t something I knew off the top of my head. Of course this meant I had to look it up and create a chart to compare the varieties. Beans have on average 15 grams of protein per cup. Some varieties like lentil, edamame and adzuki contain more and fava beans have less.

Here is the chart I created for Reiko and myself:

Bean - calories per cup - fiber - protein

Adzuki - 294 - 17 - 17
Black - 227- 15 - 15
Chickpeas - 269 - 12 - 15
Edamame - 189 - 8 - 17
Fava - 187 - 9 - 13
Great Northern - 209 - 12 - 15
Kidney - 225 - 11 - 15
Lentils - 230 - 16 - 18
Lima - 216 - 13 - 15
Pinto - 245 - 15 - 15
Split Pea - 231 - 16 - 16
White, small - 254 - 19 - 16

The data above came from the nutrition data website if you want more information.

I believe in eating a variety of all things (beans included) to increase our exposure to micronutrients. What surprised me most was the variation in calories across the different varieties of beans.