Does lentils or black beans have more protein?
Lentils, at 9g per 100g versus 9g for black beans.
Lentils vs Black beans: Which Has More Protein?
Lentils wins on protein: 9g per 100g versus 9g — effectively a tie. Calories and protein quality change the picture, so here is the full comparison.
Head to head, per 100g
| Food | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| 🫘 Lentils (cooked) | 9g | 116 |
| 🫘 Black beans (cooked) | 9g | 132 |
Per 100g.
What the numbers mean
Lentils delivers 9g of protein for 116 calories per 100g. Black beans delivers 9g for 132 calories. If you are counting calories as well as protein, lentils is the leaner choice per 100g.
Protein quality: lentils is a incomplete protein, black beans is a incomplete protein. Complete proteins carry all nine essential amino acids in useful amounts; incomplete ones are still valuable, they just want a complementary source across the day.
Pair with rice or wheat for complete profile. High fiber, low fat.
Which should you choose?
- For maximum protein per 100g: lentils (9g).
- For the fewest calories per 100g: lentils.
- For everyday practicality, the better choice is the one you will actually eat regularly — the difference between 9g and 9g matters far less than consistency across the week.
- Mixing both across the week covers a wider spread of micronutrients than committing to one.
Add up your whole meal
Type what you ate in plain words and Protein Hunter returns protein and calories for the full plate.
Try the Protein CalculatorCommon questions
Which has fewer calories, lentils or black beans?
Lentils — 116 calories per 100g versus 132.
Can I swap one for the other in a recipe?
Usually yes, but adjust the weight so the protein matches. To replace 100g of lentils you need about 100g of black beans.
Keep reading
Protein in lentils9g per 100g in full detail.Protein in black beans9g per 100g in full detail.Compare any two foodsSearch the full protein database.What is Protein Hunter?
Protein Hunter is a protein and nutrition app with a database of 232 foods — from a leaf of kale to a wagyu steak — plus AI tools that answer protein questions, count a whole meal, build recipes to a macro target, and track what you actually eat.
- Search any food
- Count a full meal
- Recipes to your macros
- Scan a plate or label
Why it's different: the numbers are calculated from a fixed ingredient database rather than guessed, and when a target is not physically achievable the app says so instead of inventing a figure.
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