Food database · Legumes & beans
Protein content
A 1 cup cooked serving of pinto beans contains 15.4 g of protein - a very good source of protein, about 31% of the 50 g Daily Value.
Share of this food's calories that come from protein - it is moderately protein-dense.
| Serving | 1 cup cooked (171 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 15.4 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 9.01 g |
| Calories per serving | 245 kcal |
| Protein density | 25% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 31% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Legumes & beans |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #175200 |
A typical 1 cup cooked serving of pinto beans contains 15.4 grams of protein (9.01 g per 100 g), which makes it a very good source of protein. That covers roughly 31% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
Around 25% of the calories in pinto beans come from protein, so it is moderately protein-dense. It contributes to a day's protein total, but the bulk of what it delivers is energy rather than amino acids - treat it as a contributor alongside a denser source, not as the protein in a meal.
Among the 54 legumes in the database, pinto beans ranks 16th by protein per serving, and 240th out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against chickpeas, another legume entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.9 g more protein (chickpeas has 14.5 g per 1 cup cooked).
It is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other plant foods across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids. The serving above is measured by volume at 171 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #175200 - "Beans, pinto, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt" (SR Legacy, published 4/1/2019). Values are the published reference figures for that record, not lab measurements for a specific brand or batch.
Quick answers
Pinto beans has 9.01 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup cooked serving (171 g) provides 15.4 g.
No. Pinto beans is an incomplete protein on its own; pairing it with other protein sources across the day covers the full range of essential amino acids.
A 1 cup cooked serving of pinto beans contains 15.4 g of protein, about 31% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Pinto beans is a very good source of protein, and about 25% of its calories come from protein, which makes it moderately protein-dense. Set against chickpeas, another legume entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.9 g more protein (chickpeas has 14.5 g per 1 cup cooked).
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