Chickpeas vs kidney beans: which is healthier?

Kidney beans are more nutrient-dense, scoring 65/100 against 56/100 for chickpeas. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Chickpeas

56/100Moderate nutrient density

164 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup cooked: 164 g

Kidney beans

65/100High nutrient density

127 kcal per 100 g. 1 cup cooked: 177 g

Higher score

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesKidney beans164 vs 127 kcal per 100 g
More proteinAbout even8.9 vs 8.7 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even7.6 vs 7.4 g per 100 g
Less sugarKidney beans4.8 vs 0.3 g per 100 g
More potassiumKidney beans291 vs 403 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatAbout even0.3 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Chickpeas, 100 g	Kidney beans, 100 g	Chickpeas, 164 g	Kidney beans, 177 g
Calories	164 kcal	127 kcal	269 kcal	225 kcal
Protein	8.9 g	8.7 g	15 g	15 g
Carbohydrates	27 g	23 g	45 g	40 g
Sugars	4.8 g	0.3 g	7.9 g	0.6 g
Fiber	7.6 g	7.4 g	12 g	13 g
Fat	2.6 g	0.5 g	4.2 g	0.9 g
Saturated fat	0.3 g	<0.1 g	0.4 g	0.1 g
Vitamin C	1.3 mg	1.2 mg	2.1 mg	2.1 mg
Vitamin A	1 µg	0 µg	1.6 µg	0 µg
Potassium	291 mg	403 mg	477 mg	713 mg
Iron	2.9 mg	2.9 mg	4.7 mg	5.2 mg
Calcium	49 mg	28 mg	80 mg	50 mg
Magnesium	48 mg	45 mg	79 mg	80 mg
Sodium	7 mg	2 mg	11 mg	3.5 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

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