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Protein

Black beans

Canned black beans are the fastest route to a plant protein with real fiber. The only meaningful label decision is sodium: no-salt-added cans cut it by roughly 90%.

Organic upgrade priority

Residue data does not apply

→Pesticide residue monitoring does not apply to this food in the same way.

Key numbers

Nutrient density: 91/100; Per calorie, across the whole database
Typical price: $1.29; per 15 oz can · organic +47%
Servings a week: 3.5; Per person, at typical purchase volume

What to look at instead

Pesticide residue monitoring does not apply to black beans the way it does to fresh produce. These are the measures that actually decide the purchase.

Cost per 10 g protein: $0.48; Canned; dry beans cost about a third of that
Fiber per serving: 15 g
Sodium — regular can: ~460 mg; Draining and rinsing removes roughly 40% of it
Sodium — no salt added: ~15 mg

Nutrition

Per 1 cup cooked (172 g).

227

calories

15.2 g

protein

15 g

fiber

2 mg

sodium

Fiber 54% DV
Folate 64% DV
Magnesium 29% DV

Buying and storing

◆Rinsing canned beans removes about 40% of the sodium and most of the oligosaccharides that cause gas.
◆The starchy liquid in the can (aquafaba) whips like egg white and is worth keeping if you bake.

Common questions

›Is black beans a healthy choice?

Canned black beans are the fastest route to a plant protein with real fiber. The only meaningful label decision is sodium: no-salt-added cans cut it by roughly 90%. A 1 cup cooked (172 g) serving provides 227 calories, 15.2 g protein, and 15 g fiber, scoring 91/100 on nutrient density.

›Does black beans need to be organic?

Pesticide residue monitoring does not apply to black beans the way it does to fresh produce, so this site does not assign an organic upgrade priority. The label buys you a defined set of production standards rather than a measurable change in residue evidence.

›What can I buy instead of black beans?

If the organic version is out of budget or the fresh price has spiked, Lentils, Chickpeas cover similar ground on this list. Each one is either lower on residue evidence, cheaper per serving, or both.

Related foods

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Lentils

$2.29 / 1 lb bag · organic $3.29

Nutrition 93/100 · 17.9 g protein · 15.6 g fiber

Not applicable

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Chickpeas

$1.29 / 15 oz can · organic $1.89

Nutrition 89/100 · 14.5 g protein · 12.5 g fiber

Not applicable

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Salmon

$12.99 / lb

Nutrition 92/100 · 25 g protein · 0 g fiber

Not applicable

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Sardines

$2.49 / 3.75 oz can

Nutrition 90/100 · 22.7 g protein · 0 g fiber

Not applicable