Meat isn’t the only source of protein out there. There are so many other sources of protein. There is quite a bit of protein in certain types of yogurt, such a Greek yogurt and Skyr. Quinoa has gained popularity as an alternative source of protein. Eggs have always been known to be a good source protein but so are beans and legumes. I wanted to know which beans had the most protein so I looked it up. Below is a short list of the beans and legumes that have the highest protein content. The caloric and macro nutrient break down is all based on 100 g of beans. What is nice about knowing how much protein is in beans is this now opens up an entire new ingredient to play with leading to chili recipes with different types of beans, bean salads, different types of bean sides and more.
| Bean type | calories (Kcal) | quantity (g) | fat (g) | carbohydrates (g) | protein (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pigeon beans | 121 | 100 {g} | 0.38 | 23.3 | 6.8 |
| mung beans | 105 | 100 | 0.38 | 19.2 | 7 |
| mung beans | 105 | 100 | 0.55 | 18.3 | 7.5 |
| adzuki beans | 128 | 100 | 0.1 | 24.8 | 7.5 |
| broad beans (fava beans) | 110 | 100 | 0.4 | 19.7 | 7.6 |
| cowpeas | 116 | 100 | 0.53 | 20.8 | 7.7 |
| lima beans | 115 | 100 | 0.38 | 20.9 | 7.8 |
| tofu | 76 | 100 | 4.78 | 1.9 | 8.1 |
| hyacinth beans | 117 | 100 | 0.58 | 20.7 | 8.1 |
| black turtle beans | 130 | 100 | 0.35 | 24.4 | 8.2 |
| navy beans | 140 | 100 | 0.62 | 26.1 | 8.2 |
| split peas | 118 | 100 | 0.39 | 21.1 | 8.3 |
| great north bean | 118 | 100 | 0.45 | 21.1 | 8.3 |
| yard long beans | 118 | 100 | 0.45 | 21.1 | 8.3 |
| kidney beans | 127 | 100 | 0.5 | 22.8 | 8.7 |
| black beans | 132 | 100 | 0.54 | 23.7 | 8.9 |
| chickpeas | 164 | 100 | 2.6 | 27.4 | 8.9 |
| lentils (cooked) | 116 | 100 | 0.38 | 20 | 9 |
| small white beans | 142 | 100 | 0.64 | 25.8 | 9 |
| pinto beans | 143 | 100 | 0.65 | 26.2 | 9 |
| pink beans | 149 | 100 | 0.5 | 28 | 9.1 |
| yellow beans | 133 | 100 | 1.08 | 25.3 | 9.2 |
| cranberry beans | 136 | 100 | 0.46 | 24.5 | 9.3 |
| white beans | 139 | 100 | 0.35 | 25.1 | 9.7 |
| lupin | 116 | 100 | 2.92 | 9.3 | 15.6 |
| soybeans (boiled) | 172 | 100 | 9 | 8.4 | 18.2 |
| tempeh | 192 | 100 | 10.8 | 7.6 | 20.3 |
| soybeans (roasted) | 449 | 100 | 21.6 | 29 | 39.9 |
My favorite bean dish is a chick pea and/or bean salad. I don’t really follow a recipe anymore but follow some basic guidelines which I outline below.
My bean salad recipe (outline)
Ingredients
- 1 Can beans (chick peas, mixed beans, black beans, red beans etc.)
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 small tomato chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped vegetables of your choice
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 1/4 cup vinegar (balsamic, white, apple cider)
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tsp chili powder (some kind of chili or pepper)
- Optional: fresh herbs such as mint, chives, parsley, coriander, cilantro, basil etc.
Directions
- Rinse beans in water.
- Mix beans, onions, tomato, chopped vegetables of your choice together.
- Mix together olive oil, vinegar, brown sugar, chili powder and fresh herbs together. Add to beans and mixed vegetables.
- Pour oil mixture into bean mixture and mix well.
References:
Top 10 beans and legumes highest in protein, Daisy Whitebread, April 2019, My Food Data, URL: https://www.myfooddata.com/articles/beans-legumes-highest-protein.php
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