Protein head-to-heads · July 2026
Edamame vs Lentils (cooked): 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.
Lentils (cooked) is 1.5x cheaper per gram of protein ($0.022/g vs $0.033/g), while Edamame is the leaner choice at 9.9 g protein per 100 kcal against 7.8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edamame | $0.033 | $1.00 | 250 g | 303 kcal | 9.9 g |
| Lentils (cooked) | $0.022 | $0.67 | 333 g | 387 kcal | 7.8 g |
Full macros, per serving
| Food (per serving) | Price | kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edamame (100 g) | $0.40 | 121 | 12 g | 9 g | 5 g |
| Lentils (cooked) (100 g) | $0.20 | 116 | 9 g | 20 g | 0.4 g |
A week of protein from each
Hitting a common 100 g/day protein target from lentils (cooked) alone costs $15.56 a week; from edamame alone, $23.33. That is a gap of $7.78 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
Lentils (cooked) costs $0.022 per gram of protein against $0.033, so it saves $7.78 a week at a 100 g/day target. Edamame answers a different question: 9.9 g of protein per 100 kcal against 7.8 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 333 g of lentils (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 lentils (cooked) as the base of a meal that other protein is added to, not as the protein itself.
Compare against other foods
- Edamame vs Oats (dry)Lentils (cooked) vs Oats (dry)
- Edamame vs Peanut butterLentils (cooked) vs Peanut butter
- Edamame vs Tofu (firm)Lentils (cooked) vs Tofu (firm)
- Edamame vs Black beans (cooked)Lentils (cooked) vs Black beans (cooked)
- Edamame vs Whey protein (1 scoop)Lentils (cooked) vs Whey protein (1 scoop)
- Edamame vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)Lentils (cooked) vs Greek yogurt (nonfat)
- Edamame vs Eggs (~2 large)Lentils (cooked) vs Eggs (~2 large)
- Edamame vs Chicken breast (raw)Lentils (cooked) vs Chicken breast (raw)
- Edamame vs Canned tuna (in water)Lentils (cooked) vs Canned tuna (in water)
Frequently asked
- Which is cheaper for protein, edamame or lentils (cooked)?
- Lentils (cooked), at $0.022 per gram of protein against $0.033 for edamame (July 2026 US grocery prices). A 30 g protein serving costs $0.67 vs $1.00.
- Which has more protein per calorie, edamame or lentils (cooked)?
- Edamame, with 9.9 g protein per 100 kcal against 7.8 g for lentils (cooked), 1.3x leaner. That matters when you are cutting and calories are the binding constraint.
- Which should I buy, edamame or lentils (cooked)?
- Depends on your constraint. On a tight budget with room in your calories, lentils (cooked) is cheaper per gram of protein. On a calorie-capped cut, edamame gives you 1.3x 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.