| Measure | Lentils | White beans (cannellini) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical serving | 1 cup cooked (198 g) | 1 cup cooked (179 g) |
| Protein per serving | 17.9 g | 17.4 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 9.02 g | 9.73 g |
| Calories per serving | 230 kcal | 249 kcal |
| Protein density | 31% of calories | 28% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 36% | 35% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete | Incomplete |
| Category | Legumes & beans | Legumes & beans |
Compare foods · Lentils · White beans (cannellini)
Protein comparison
Lentils vs White beans (cannellini): which has more protein?
Lentils gives you 17.9 g of protein per 1 cup cooked; white beans (cannellini) gives you 17.4 g per 1 cup cooked. On equal weight it is 9.02 g against 9.73 g per 100 g. The full side-by-side, from the same USDA-sourced records as the rest of the site:
The verdict
On equal weight this is close to a tie: lentils has 9.02 g of protein per 100 g and white beans (cannellini) has 9.73 g. Per typical serving, lentils delivers 17.9 g (1 cup cooked) to white beans (cannellini)'s 17.4 g (1 cup cooked), a difference of 0.5 g.
For the full breakdown of each food, see the protein in lentils and protein in white beans (cannellini) pages, each with its USDA FoodData Central record id.
Quick answers
Lentils vs White beans (cannellini) FAQ
Which has more protein, lentils or white beans (cannellini)?
White beans (cannellini) has more protein per 100 g: 9.73 g against 9.02 g. Per typical serving, lentils provides 17.9 g (1 cup cooked) and white beans (cannellini) provides 17.4 g (1 cup cooked).
Is lentils or white beans (cannellini) more protein-dense?
Lentils is the more protein-dense of the two: about 31% of its calories come from protein, against 28% for white beans (cannellini).
Are lentils and white beans (cannellini) complete proteins?
No. Neither lentils nor white beans (cannellini) is a complete protein on its own; pairing them with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
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