Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Black beans (cooked) vs Edamame: which protein is cheaper?
USDA macros joined to current US grocery prices, reduced to the two numbers that decide it: dollars per gram of protein, and protein per calorie.
Black beans (cooked) is 1.3x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.025/g vs $0.033/g), while Edamame is the leaner choice at 9.9 g protein per 100 kcal against 6.7 g. Budget favours one, a calorie cap favours the other.
| Food | $/g protein | 30 g protein costs | You need | kcal that come with it | Protein/100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black beans (cooked) | $0.025 | $0.74 | 337 g | 445 kcal | 6.7 g |
| Edamame | $0.033 | $1.00 | 250 g | 303 kcal | 9.9 g |
Full macros, per serving
| Food (per serving) | Price | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black beans (cooked) (100 g) | $0.22 | 132 | 8.9 g | 24 g | 0.5 g |
| Edamame (100 g) | $0.40 | 121 | 12 g | 9 g | 5 g |
A week of protein from each
Hitting a common 100 g/day protein target from black beans (cooked) alone costs $17.30 a week; from edamame alone, $23.33. That is a gap of $6.03 every week for the same protein. In practice you mix sources: the planner computes the cheapest mix for your exact target and calorie cap, live from the same dataset.
Budget says one, calories say the other
Black beans (cooked) costs $0.025 per gram of protein against $0.033, so it saves $6.03 a week at a 100 g/day target. Edamame answers a different question: 9.9 g of protein per 100 kcal against 6.7 g, which is what matters once calories, not dollars, are the thing you run out of first.
The amount you actually have to eat
Thirty grams of protein means 337 g of black beans (cooked), against 250 g for edamame. That is a real constraint, not a footnote: a price per gram only counts if the serving is one a person will finish. Treat black beans (cooked) as the base of a meal that other protein is added to, not as the protein itself.
What the calories cost you
Getting 30 g of protein from black beans (cooked) brings 445 kcal with it. On a 2,000 kcal day, three servings would be most of your budget before anything else goes on the plate. That is fine when you are eating at maintenance or building, and it is the reason this food falls apart on a cut no matter how good the price per gram looks.
Compare against other foods
- Black beans (cooked) vs Oats (dry)Edamame vs Oats (dry)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Peanut butterEdamame vs Peanut butter
- Black beans (cooked) vs Lentils (cooked)Edamame vs Lentils (cooked)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Tofu (firm)Edamame vs Tofu (firm)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Edamame vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Edamame vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Eggs (~2 large)Edamame vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Chicken breast (raw)Edamame vs Chicken breast (raw)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Canned tuna (in water)Edamame vs Canned tuna (in water)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, black beans (cooked) or edamame?
- Black beans (cooked), at $0.025 per gram of protein against $0.033 for edamame (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.74 vs $1.00.
- Which has more protein per calorie, black beans (cooked) or edamame?
- Edamame, with 9.9 g protein per 100 kcal against 6.7 g for black beans (cooked), 1.5x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, black beans (cooked) or edamame?
- Depends on your constraint. On a tight budget with room in your calories, black beans (cooked) is cheaper per gram of protein. On a calorie-capped cut, edamame gives you 1.5x more protein per calorie and is usually worth its $0.033/g price.
Prices are representative US grocery prices as of July 2026; your store will differ. Educational content, not medical or dietary advice. Dataset: free download, CC-BY.