With nearly 26.12 g/100 g, it's the legume with the highest protein content. Fava beans are a nutritional powerhouse, providing ample carbohydrates, protein, fiber and vitamins, even when dried!
Perhaps considered to be the healthiest variety of beans on the shelves of your local grocery store is the garbanzo bean. Particularly high in fiber, iron, and protein, garbanzo beans are a great bean of choice for reducing your risk of heart disease, as studies have found.
Protein: Lentils have slightly more plant-based protein than beans, but they are both exceptionally high. 1 cup provides around 30% of your daily value.
The combination of beans and rice creates a complete protein. Beans alone and rice alone both lack certain essential amino acids. If eaten together, however, each contributes what the other is missing to form a complete protein.
“Beans and legumes are fiber-rich nutrient powerhouses and an excellent source of protein,” says Hopsecger. “One serving (1/2 cup cooked) of beans provides about 7 grams of protein, the same as 1 ounce of meat.”
Apart from animal meat, beans are among the highest sources of protein (which is why beans are such a crucial part of vegan and vegetarian diets). While they are both terrific sources of protein, bean protein is far more conducive to weight loss than animal protein.
According to healthline, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lentils, peas, kidney beans, and black beans rank as the top five healthiest beans. These varieties tend to be the highest in fiber, folate and protein, and are the most effective at mitigating post-meal blood sugar spikes.
For the most part, beans are considered an incomplete protein (not containing all the essential amino acids) and are recommended to be combined with another complimentary protein. For instance, to make a complete protein they can be combined with brown rice, corn, nuts, seeds or wheat.
Even though you do get lots of protein from beans, it isn't complete. Beans are lacking in one or more of the essential amino acids you need from your diet. If you eat meat, dairy or seafood, you don't have to worry – these foods already have all of the essential amino acids your body requires.
If you're cooking your pasta and beans for as long as you say, it's possible that you're losing some of their nutritional value. Overcooking destroys bonds between molecules, significantly depleting the nutritients.
Beans are incomplete proteins because they are low in one key amino acid (amino acids are used by the body to build protein) called methionine. Cereal grains—including corn, rice and wheat—are high in methionine yet lack another amino acid found in beans.
Lots of red bean fans like to simmer their beans in chicken broth or stock, as opposed to water. And while that works well to add flavor, a way to add even more protein is to use bone broth.
Guava. Guava is one of the most protein-rich fruits around. You'll get a whopping 4.2 grams of the stuff in every cup. This tropical fruit is also high in vitamin C and fiber.
