Legumes & plant protein

Legumes covers all the edible seeds of the Fabaceae family: black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, pinto, navy, great northern, and cannellini, plus soy products (tofu, tempeh, edamame). Peanut, botanically a legume, is also evaluated here. Values are per 100g cooked (without salt) for beans and lentils, per 100g as-sold for soy products.

The USDA DGA counts beans and peas in both the protein and vegetable groups because they deliver useful amounts of both macronutrients. A 100g serving of cooked lentils provides 9g of protein and 8g of fiber with no saturated fat — a combination nearly unmatched by any other food group. Legumes are also one of the cheapest protein sources per gram.

Cooked beans and lentils without added salt score highest. Canned varieties are close but can carry extra sodium — draining and rinsing cuts about 40% of the sodium. Soy products score well when minimally processed (tofu, tempeh, edamame); heavily processed soy-based meat analogs score lower because of NOVA class and sodium.

Score distribution

1. 01
   Black beans (cooked)

   Very good
   85
2. 02
   Black Beans

   Very good
   85
3. 03
   Farro Cooked

   Very good
   85
4. 04
   Pinto Beans Cooked

   Very good
   85
5. 05
   Soybeans Cooked

   Very good
   85
6. 06
   Tempeh

   Very good
   85
7. 07
   Tofu firm

   Very good
   85
8. 08
   Tofu

   Very good
   85
9. 09
   Cannellini Beans Cooked

   Very good
   84
10. 10
    Navy Beans Cooked

    Very good
    84
11. 11
    Chickpeas (cooked)

    Very good
    83
12. 12
    Chickpeas

    Very good
    83
13. 13
    Edamame (cooked)

    Very good
    83
14. 14
    Lentils (cooked)

    Very good
    83
15. 15
    Lentils

    Very good
    83
16. 16
    Red Lentils Cooked

    Very good
    83
17. 17
    Great Northern Beans Cooked

    Very good
    81
18. 18
    Kidney Beans Cooked

    Very good
    81
19. 19
    Kidney Beans

    Very good
    81
20. 20
    Lima Beans Cooked

    Very good
    80

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