Plant Protein Sources: Legumes, Soy, Grains, Nuts and Seeds
How much protein beans, lentils, soy foods, grains, nuts and seeds provide per serving, what the research says about plant amino acids, and cautions on allergy, kidney disease and gluten.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Protein in legumes and soy foods
Values are from Health Canada's Canadian Nutrient File (2015 publication, no longer updated). [3] Serving sizes are as that database lists them.| Food (as listed) | Serving as listed | Protein in that serving | Protein per 100 g | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils, boiled | 175 ml (about 146 g) | 13.2 g | 9.0 g | [3] |
| Chickpeas, boiled | 175 ml (about 121 g) | 10.8 g | 8.9 g | [3] |
| Black beans, boiled | 175 ml (about 127 g) | 11.3 g | 8.9 g | [3] |
| Kidney beans, all types, boiled | 175 ml (about 131 g) | 11.4 g | 8.7 g | [3] |
| Green peas, boiled | 125 ml (about 85 g) | 4.5 g | 5.4 g | [3] |
| Soybeans, dry, boiled | 175 ml (about 127 g) | 21.2 g | 16.6 g | [3] |
| Soybeans, green (edamame), boiled | 125 ml (about 95 g) | 11.7 g | 12.4 g | [3] |
| Tofu, regular, firm, raw (as listed) | 150 g | 12.1 g | 8.1 g | [3] |
| Tofu, silken, firm | 150 g | 10.4 g | 6.9 g | [3] |
| Tempeh, cooked | 150 g | 27.3 g | 18.2 g | [3] |
| Soy beverage, unenriched | 250 ml (about 259 g) | 8.5 g | 3.3 g | [3] |
The tempeh entry rests on a single observation, so treat it as a rough guide. [3] For more on these foods see Legumes, Soy Foods and Tempeh.
Protein in grains, nuts and seeds
| Food (as listed) | Serving as listed | Protein in that serving | Protein per 100 g | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinoa, cooked | 125 ml (about 98 g) | 4.3 g | 4.4 g | [3] |
| Brown rice, long-grain, cooked | 125 ml (about 103 g) | 2.7 g | 2.6 g | [3] |
| Bread, whole wheat, commercial | 1 slice (36 g) | 3.9 g | 10.7 g | [3] |
| Peanuts, all types, raw | 60 ml (about 37 g) | 9.6 g | 25.8 g | [3] |
| Peanut butter, natural | 30 ml (about 32 g) | 7.5 g | 23.7 g | [3] |
| Almonds, dried, unblanched | 60 ml whole (about 36 g) | 7.6 g | 21.2 g | [3] |
| Walnuts, English, dried | 60 ml halves (about 25 g) | 3.9 g | 15.2 g | [3] |
| Pumpkin seed kernels, dried | 60 ml (about 35 g) | 10.6 g | 30.2 g | [3] |
| Sunflower seed kernels, dried, hulled | 60 ml (about 36 g) | 7.4 g | 20.8 g | [3] |
| Chia seeds, dried | 60 ml (about 43 g) | 7.2 g | 16.5 g | [3] |
| Hemp seeds, hulled | 30 ml (about 20 g) | 6.6 g | 32.7 g | [3] |
Source for every row: Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File, 2015 publication, rounded to one decimal place. [3] Cooked grains such as quinoa and rice are lower per serving than legumes, seeds or nuts. The database lists dry quinoa at 14.1 g per 100 g, against 4.4 g per 100 g cooked. [3] The database has no entry for seitan (a search for it returned no results), but it does list vital wheat gluten, an ingredient, at 75.2 g per 100 g. [3]
What the research says about plant amino acids
All plant foods contain all 20 amino acids, including the 9 essential ones, but in different proportions: lysine is present in much lower than optimal proportions in grains, and the sulfur amino acids are very slightly lower in legumes. [2] The same review says this matters for someone who ate only rice or only beans every day. [2] It concludes that protein intake from vegetarian diets is sufficient, except possibly in people who do not eat enough energy or who habitually avoid protein-rich plant foods such as legumes, nuts and seeds. [2] The NHS says pulses are particularly important for people who do not get protein from meat, fish or dairy products. [4] For the classification of essential amino acids see Essential Amino Acids; for scoring methods see Protein Quality and Complete Proteins.Frequently asked questions
Which plant foods have the most protein per serving?
In the tables above, boiled dry soybeans (21.2 g in 175 ml), tempeh (27.3 g in 150 g), lentils (13.2 g), tofu (12.1 g) and edamame (11.7 g) are among the highest per serving. [3] Serving size and cooking change the numbers.
Are plant proteins incomplete?
A review found that plant foods are not missing any amino acids, and that the terms "complete" and "incomplete" are misleading. [2] See Complementary Proteins.
Is tofu or tempeh higher in protein?
In the database read, cooked tempeh is higher per 100 g (18.2 g) than regular firm tofu (8.1 g), but the tempeh entry is based on one observation. [3]
Do nuts and seeds count as protein foods?
The NHS says nuts and seeds are a source of protein and other nutrients. [4] MedlinePlus adds that nuts are high in fat, so portion sizes matter. [1]
Should I use protein powder made from plants instead?
Powders are covered on Plant Protein Powders and Protein Powders vs Whole Foods. Whether a powder is needed is a question for a clinician or dietitian.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Cautions
- Allergy. The NHS lists peanuts, soybeans, peas, chickpeas, tree nuts and wheat among common allergic foods. [5] Swelling of the lips, mouth, throat or tongue, or struggling to breathe, can be a serious reaction needing urgent treatment, so call 911 in the US. [5]
- Gluten. The NHS says coeliac disease is a condition where the immune system attacks the body's own tissues when gluten is eaten, and that gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. [6] People with coeliac disease or wheat allergy should read labels on wheat-based foods.
- Kidney disease. NIDDK says phosphorus is found naturally in protein-rich foods such as meat, dairy products and beans, and advises working with a dietitian or health care professional on protein and phosphorus. [7]
- Vegan diets. The NHS says a vegan diet planned poorly could miss nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin B12, iodine and selenium. [8] See Protein in Vegetarian and Vegan Eating Patterns.
This page gives no personal targets. If you take medicines, have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are feeding a child on a plant-only diet, talk to a clinician or registered dietitian.
References
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Protein in diet (U.S. National Library of Medicine), review date 1 April 2025. Read 2026-10-22.
- Mariotti F, Gardner CD. Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets: A Review. Nutrients 2019;11(11):2661. Read 2026-10-22.
- Health Canada: Canadian Nutrient File (CNF), 2015 publication, food search and nutrient reports. Health Canada states the page covers the 2015 CNF publication and will not be updated. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK): The vegetarian diet, page last reviewed 10 March 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK): Food allergy, page last reviewed 20 August 2026. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK): Coeliac disease, page last reviewed 31 March 2023. Read 2026-10-22.
- NIDDK (U.S. National Institutes of Health): Eating and nutrition for chronic kidney disease, last reviewed January 2025. Read 2026-10-22.
- NHS (UK): The vegan diet, page last reviewed 5 June 2026. Read 2026-10-22.