Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Black beans (cooked) vs Turkey breast (raw): 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 1.8x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.025/g vs $0.044/g), while Turkey breast (raw) is the leaner choice at 21.6 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 |
| Turkey breast (raw) | $0.044 | $1.31 | 125 g | 139 kcal | 21.6 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 |
| Turkey breast (raw) (100 g) | $1.05 | 111 | 24 g | 0 g | 1 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 turkey breast (raw) alone, $30.63. That is a gap of $13.32 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 $0.044, so it saves $13.32 a week at a 100 g/day target. Turkey breast (raw) answers a different question: 21.6 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 125 g for turkey breast (raw). 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.
One of these is a convenience purchase
Turkey breast (raw) ranks #19 of 25 on cost per gram of protein, near the bottom. It is not a bad food, it is an expensive way to buy protein: $1.31 per 30 g against $0.74 for black beans (cooked). If it is in your basket for the protein, swap it. If it is there because it travels well or you enjoy it, that is a different and perfectly good reason.
On a cut these are not comparable
Turkey breast (raw) carries 3.2x the protein per calorie that black beans (cooked) does. When you are eating at a deficit, that ratio is the whole game: the same 30 g of protein arrives with 139 kcal from one and 445 kcal from the other. The cheaper option stops being cheaper once you count what you had to give up elsewhere to fit it in.
Compare against other foods
- Black beans (cooked) vs Oats (dry)Turkey breast (raw) vs Oats (dry)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Peanut butterTurkey breast (raw) vs Peanut butter
- Black beans (cooked) vs Lentils (cooked)Turkey breast (raw) vs Lentils (cooked)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Tofu (firm)Turkey breast (raw) vs Tofu (firm)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Turkey breast (raw) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Turkey breast (raw) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Eggs (~2 large)Turkey breast (raw) vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Chicken breast (raw)Turkey breast (raw) vs Chicken breast (raw)
- Black beans (cooked) vs Canned tuna (in water)Turkey breast (raw) vs Canned tuna (in water)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, black beans (cooked) or turkey breast (raw)?
- Black beans (cooked), at $0.025 per gram of protein against $0.044 for turkey breast (raw) (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.74 vs $1.31.
- Which has more protein per calorie, black beans (cooked) or turkey breast (raw)?
- Turkey breast (raw), with 21.6 g protein per 100 kcal against 6.7 g for black beans (cooked), 3.2x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, black beans (cooked) or turkey breast (raw)?
- 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, turkey breast (raw) gives you 3.2x more protein per calorie and is usually worth its $0.044/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.