Food database · Legumes & beans
Protein content
A 1 cup cooked serving of small white beans contains 16.1 g of protein - a very good source of protein, about 32% 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 (179 g) |
|---|---|
| Protein per serving | 16.1 g |
| Protein per 100 g | 8.97 g |
| Calories per serving | 254 kcal |
| Protein density | 25% of calories |
| Share of 50 g Daily Value | 32% |
| Protein quality | Incomplete protein |
| Category | Legumes & beans |
| Food type | Whole food |
| USDA record | FoodData Central #173750 |
A typical 1 cup cooked serving of small white beans contains 16.1 grams of protein (8.97 g per 100 g), which makes it a very good source of protein. That covers roughly 32% of the 50 g reference Daily Value, so it can anchor a high-protein meal for the day.
Around 25% of the calories in small white 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, small white beans ranks 10th by protein per serving, and 221st out of all 796 foods on the site. Set against canned lentils, another legume entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.6 g more protein (canned lentils has 15.5 g per 1 cup).
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 179 g. The per-100 g figure lets you compare it directly against any other food here, whatever its serving.
Source: USDA FoodData Central #173750 - "Beans, small white, 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
Small white beans has 8.97 g of protein per 100 g. A typical 1 cup cooked serving (179 g) provides 16.1 g.
No. Small white 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 small white beans contains 16.1 g of protein, about 32% of the 50 g reference Daily Value.
Small white 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 canned lentils, another legume entry in the database, a serving carries about 0.6 g more protein (canned lentils has 15.5 g per 1 cup).
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