Head-to-head comparison

Pinto Beans (cooked) vs Amaranth (cooked): Which Has More Protein?

Pinto Beans (cooked) and Amaranth (cooked) show up in a lot of the same meal-planning conversations, and the honest comparison depends on which specific number you're optimizing for.

Pinto Beans (cooked)

9.0gprotein / 100g

143 cal · 0.7g fat · $ · Quality 0.6

Amaranth (cooked)

4.7gprotein / 100g

102 cal · 1.6g fat · $$$ · Quality 0.75

Pinto Beans (cooked) delivers a clearly higher protein density than Amaranth (cooked) — 9.0g vs 4.7g per 100g, a gap of 4.3g that adds up fast across multiple servings.

Amaranth (cooked) pulls ahead on protein quality specifically (lit_estimate, near-complete pseudo-grain, higher lysine than most grains), even in categories where Pinto Beans (cooked) wins on raw grams.

Pinto Beans (cooked) is also the cheaper option ($ vs $$$), which matters if you're eating either one regularly rather than occasionally.

Pinto Beans (cooked)'s typical serving also delivers more leucine (640mg vs Amaranth (cooked)'s 380mg) — relevant if the goal is maximizing the muscle-protein-synthesis trigger per meal, not just total grams.

Verdict

With protein content this close, cost is the more useful tiebreaker: Pinto Beans (cooked) delivers a similar protein profile to Amaranth (cooked) at a noticeably lower price per serving.

Full nutrition comparison

Per 100gPinto Beans (cooked)Amaranth (cooked)
Protein9.0g4.7g
Calories143102
Fat0.7g1.6g
Carbs26.2g18.7g
Fiber9.0g2.1g
Quality score0.60.75
Relative cost$$$$
Prep time90 min20 min

Frequently asked

Which has more protein, pinto beans (cooked) or amaranth (cooked)?

Pinto Beans (cooked) has 9.0g of protein per 100g compared to Amaranth (cooked)'s 4.7g.

Which is lower in calories?

Amaranth (cooked) is lower in calories per 100g, at 102 vs the other's 143.