Most Nutritious Legumes and Beans, Ranked
Beans and lentils are cheap, shelf-stable, and incredibly nutritious. But which ones are the best?
Whole-category ranking instead of cherry-picked favorites
Nutrient density scoring that accounts for calories
Clear standout nutrients for each recommended food
Created By
EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
Reviewed By
Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
How This Page Is Made
Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
We analyzed all 292 legumes and legume products in the USDA database and ranked them by overall nutritional density — factoring in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals relative to calories. All values are per 100g from USDA FoodData Central.
What is being ranked
These are category-specific foods scored for overall nutrient density, not just one headline vitamin or mineral.
Why calories matter
Foods score better when they deliver more useful nutrition for the calories they cost.
How to read it
Use the top of the list for reliable staples, then scan the tradeoffs before making a food a daily default.
What makes this category strong
Category spotlights are broader than nutrient posts. They reward foods that do several jobs well at once instead of winning one narrow metric.
Best for
Finding reliable staples inside one aisle of the grocery store.
Read the list this way
Higher-ranked foods usually combine better micronutrients, better fiber or protein, and a more reasonable calorie tradeoff.
Vitasoy USA Nasoya, Lite Silken Tofu
Vitasoy USA Nasoya, Lite Silken Tofu takes the top spot because the overall nutrient return for its calories is better than anything else we screened in this category. 43 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation. Its clearest standout is calcium (30% DV).
Vitasoy USA, Nasoya Lite Firm Tofu
Vitasoy USA, Nasoya Lite Firm Tofu ranks #2 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category.
SILK Light Plain, soymilk
SILK Light Plain, soymilk earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. 29 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
Soymilk, original and vanilla, light, with added calcium, vitamins A and D earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. 30 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
SILK Light Vanilla, soymilk
SILK Light Vanilla, soymilk makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The calorie cost is still low at 33 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
SILK Unsweetened, soymilk
SILK Unsweetened, soymilk ranks #6 and lands roughly in the top 2% of foods we screened in this category. The calorie cost is still low at 33 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
Soymilk (all flavors), unsweetened, with added calcium, vitamins A and D earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. 33 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
SILK Plus Fiber, soymilk
SILK Plus Fiber, soymilk makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The calorie cost is still low at 41 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
SILK Plus for Bone Health, soymilk
SILK Plus for Bone Health, soymilk makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The calorie cost is still low at 41 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
SILK Plain, soymilk
SILK Plain, soymilk earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. 41 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
SILK Vanilla, soymilk
SILK Vanilla, soymilk earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The calorie cost is still low at 41 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
Soymilk (All flavors), enhanced
Soymilk (All flavors), enhanced earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The calorie cost is still low at 45 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
SILK Plus Omega-3 DHA, soymilk
SILK Plus Omega-3 DHA, soymilk ranks #13 and lands roughly in the top 4% of foods we screened in this category. 45 kcal per 100g is low enough that you can lean on it pretty heavily without blowing up the calorie side of the equation.
SILK Very Vanilla, soymilk
SILK Very Vanilla, soymilk earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories.
SILK Light Chocolate, soymilk
SILK Light Chocolate, soymilk ranks #15 and lands roughly in the top 5% of foods we screened in this category. The calorie cost is still low at 49 kcal per 100g, which keeps it practical for large portions.
How We Ranked
Each food was scored by adding up its contribution to 12 key daily values (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, C, D, magnesium, zinc, folate, and B12), capped at 100% each, then normalized by calories. This rewards foods that pack the most nutrition per calorie — true nutrient density.