Black beans vs refried beans: which has more protein?
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Carbs
Black beans has more protein: 8.9 g per 3.5 oz (100 g) of black beans vs 5 g in refried beans (1.8× as much).
USDA FoodData Central.
| Black beans | Refried beans | |
|---|---|---|
| Per 3.5 oz (100 g) | 8.9 g | 5 g |
| Per serving | 15.2 g in 1 cup (6.1 oz, 172 g) | 11.9 g in 1 cup (8.4 oz, 238 g) |
| Per 100 calories | 6.7 g | 5.5 g |
| To get 30 g of protein | 11.9 oz (339 g), about 2.0 × 1 cup | 21.2 oz (602 g), about 2.5 × 1 cup |
Protein per calorie
Per 100 calories, black beans gives 6.7 g of protein and refried beans 5.5 g. This is the number that matters when you are fitting protein into a calorie budget, and it can rank foods differently from grams per 3.5 oz (100 g).
What the numbers don't tell you
Are refried beans the less healthy version? The measurable differences are salt and fiber. In the table, a cup of black beans boiled without salt has about 15 g of fiber and 2 mg of sodium, and a cup of canned refried beans about 8.8 g and 881 mg. Calories are close, 227 against 214.
Canned black beans narrow the salt gap. In the US survey database a cup has about 626 mg of sodium and 18 g of fiber, against 962 mg and 9.6 g for refried beans, or 359 mg of sodium for reduced-sodium refried.
By USDA factors for legumes boiled and then fried, about 60 percent of the folate is left after 15 to 20 minutes of boiling and 30 percent after 2 to 2.5 hours. Iron keeps 80 to 90 percent.
The heart evidence was measured on beans, not on refried beans. In a meta-analysis of 38 trials, LDL cholesterol fell about 10 mg/dL (0.25 mmol/L) per half cup of beans a day, up to a cup. Ounce for ounce, bean protein is weaker than meat: in 55 adults, two ounce-equivalents of black beans delivered 3.02 g of essential amino acids, eggs 5.38 g and pork 7.36 g.
Watching sodium? Pick the reduced-sodium can or cook dried black beans without salt.
Per cup in this table, black beans have about 15.2 g of protein and refried beans about 11.9 g. For older readers, one small trial is reassuring: in 10 older and 10 young adults, age did not lower how well two amino acids, lysine and threonine, were absorbed from black beans, while it did for sorghum.
Evidence behind this note
- Level E A cup of canned black beans (180 g) gives about 241 calories, 18 g fiber and 626 mg sodium, and a cup of refried beans (260 g) about 234 calories, 9.6 g fiber and 962 mg sodium. USDA FNDDS 2021-2023
- Level E A 260 g cup of regular refried beans carries about 962 mg of sodium in FNDDS, while the reduced-sodium canned version carries about 359 mg, a 63% difference. USDA FNDDS, Refried beans, food code 41205010
- Level E By the USDA table for legumes boiled and then fried, as in refried beans, about 60% of folate and 65% of thiamin remain, while 90% of iron and zinc stay. USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007), code 506
- Level E By the USDA retention table for legumes boiled 2 to 2.5 hours and then fried, only 30% of folate and 40% of thiamin remain, while iron keeps 80% and potassium 70%. USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007)
- Level A A 2026 meta-analysis of 38 trials in 2095 people found whole pulses cut LDL cholesterol by 5.4 mg/dL (0.14 mmol/L), and for beans LDL fell linearly with intake up to 1 cup a day. J Am Heart Assoc, 2026
- Level B In two crossover RCTs of 55 young and older adults, two ounce-equivalents of black beans delivered 3.02 g essential amino acids, less than pork (7.36 g) or eggs (5.38 g). Nutrients, 2023
- Level B In a crossover trial of 10 young and 10 older adults eating 20 g protein, age cut lysine and threonine uptake from sorghum by 19% but not from black beans. Am J Clin Nutr, 2026
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Read more about these foods
- Black beans vs refried beans: the same cup, half the fiber
- Black beans: half a cup a day, and the phytate costs you half your iron
- Refried beans: bean science, with extra salt
Rankings and guides
- Which foods are highest in protein?
- Which foods give the most protein for the fewest calories?
- How much protein do you need per day?
- Protein: what it does and how much you need
- Protein: top food sources and Daily Value
- Black beans: full nutrition facts
More comparisons
Where the numbers come from
- Black beans: USDA FoodData Central, Beans, black, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt, FDC ID 173735 · full profile · all forms of black beans
- Refried beans: USDA FoodData Central, Refried beans, canned, traditional style, FDC ID 172438 · all forms of refried beans
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ; the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.