Protein in Butter Beans: How Much per 100g and per Portion
Canned, re-heated, and drained butter beans provide 5.9g of protein per 100g. For every 100 calories, they offer 7.7g of protein, with protein accounting for about 31% of their total energy. This makes them a useful source of plant-based protein alongside their carbohydrates.
CoFID 13-559 · Beans, butter, canned, re-heated, drained
What the numbers say
- Protein per calorie. Butter beans offer 7.7g of protein for every 100 kcal. Protein provides 31% of the total energy in the beans, with most of the remaining calories coming from carbohydrates.
- Low fat, sugar and salt. According to UK front-of-pack labelling guidance, butter beans are rated ‘low’ for fat (0.5g per 100g), saturated fat (0.1g per 100g), sugars (1.1g per 100g), and salt (0.0g per 100g).
- Fibre information. The official UK food composition data does not include a value for the dietary fibre in this specific form of canned and re-heated butter beans.
Butter Beans macros per 100g
| Per 100g | Amount | % RI | Colour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 77 kcal 327 kJ |
4% | – |
| Protein | 5.9g | 12% | – |
| Fat | 0.5g | 1% | low |
| of which saturates | 0.1g | 0% | low |
| Carbohydrate | 13g | 5% | – |
| of which sugars | 1.1g | 1% | low |
| Fibre | n/a | – | – |
| Salt | 0g | 0% | low |
% RI is the share of the adult reference intake used on UK food labels (protein 50g, energy 2,000 kcal). Label colour applies the FSA front-of-pack bands for fat, saturates, sugars and salt per 100g. “Trace” means CoFID reports only a trace amount.
Protein in butter beans by amount
| Amount | Protein | kcal | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80g | 4.7g | 62 | 10.4g | 0.4g |
| 100g | 5.9g | 77 | 13g | 0.5g |
| 200g | 11.8g | 154 | 26g | 1g |
Example amounts for comparison, not recommended portions. Weigh your own serving.
Amount of butter beans for 20g or 30g of protein
- To get 20g of protein from butter beans alone, you would need to eat a large portion of 339g, which contains 261 kcal.
- Reaching a 30g protein target would require 508g of beans, providing 392 kcal and 66.1g of carbohydrates.
- The nutritional data is for canned beans that have been drained and re-heated, so be sure to weigh them after draining to track your intake accurately.
How it compares with other beans, pulses and soya foods
Within the ‘beans, pulses and soya foods’ category, canned butter beans have a lower protein content than many alternatives, ranking 15th out of 17 similar foods for protein per 100g. Their protein-per-calorie score is slightly better, ranking 12th in the group. For comparison, foods like black-eyed beans (8.8g of protein per 100g) and red lentils (8.1g per 100g) offer more protein for a similar weight. Garden peas have a slightly lower protein content at 5.5g per 100g, while cannellini beans are higher at 7.6g per 100g. This places butter beans as a modest protein source within their food group.
| Per 100g | Protein | kcal | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butter Beans | 5.9g | 77 | 7.7g |
| Garden Peas | 5.5g | 70 | 7.9g |
| Red Lentils | 8.1g | 102 | 7.9g |
| Cannellini Beans | 7.6g | 104 | 7.3g |
| Black-Eyed Beans | 8.8g | 116 | 7.6g |
Quick answers
Are butter beans a good source of protein?
Canned butter beans provide 5.9g of protein per 100g. While they contribute to your daily protein intake, other pulses like black-eyed beans and red lentils offer a higher amount of protein for the same weight.
How much protein is in a 200g portion of butter beans?
A 200g portion of canned, re-heated, and drained butter beans contains 11.8g of protein and 154 calories.
Are butter beans high in fat or sugar?
No, based on UK front-of-pack traffic light labels, butter beans are considered low in fat, saturated fat, and sugars. They contain just 0.5g of fat and 1.1g of sugars per 100g.
When to speak to a GP or dietitian
- If tracking protein or calories starts to feel stressful or takes over your day, talk to your GP. Our safety note lists support services.