Cowpea Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Cooked cowpeas (black-eyed peas) contain approximately 116 calories per 100 grams when boiled without salt ^[1]. A standard 1-cup serving (170g) provides about 197 calories, making cowpeas a moderate-calorie, nutrient-dense legume suitable for balanced meal plans.

The caloric content varies by preparation: raw dried cowpeas contain 336 calories per 100g due to lower water content ^[2], while canned cowpeas have around 77 calories per 100g because of the added water during processing.

Compared to other legumes, cowpeas are on the lower end of the calorie spectrum. For reference, cooked chickpeas provide 164 cal/100g, cooked lentils 116 cal/100g, and cooked kidney beans 127 cal/100g ^[1].

Standard serving sizes for cowpeas range from 85g (½ cup cooked) to 170g (1 cup cooked). A ½ cup serving provides approximately 99 calories and 6.6g of protein, making it a practical portion for meal building ^[1].

For meal prep or family cooking, 1 cup of dried cowpeas yields approximately 2.5 cups cooked. This expansion factor is important when planning portions and tracking nutritional intake.

Common portion references: a child's serving is approximately 40g, a snack-sized portion is about 60g, a regular meal accompaniment is 120g, and a main-dish portion ranges from 170–180g.

Cowpeas provide 7.73g of protein per 100g when cooked, with a Protein Digestibility-Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) that makes them a valuable plant-based protein source ^[3]. The protein content of raw cowpea seeds ranges from 19.4% to 27.9% across different varieties ^[5].

Cowpea protein is particularly rich in lysine, leucine, and isoleucine but lower in methionine and cysteine ^[3]. Pairing cowpeas with grains (rice, millet, or wheat) creates a complementary amino acid profile with all essential amino acids represented.

Sprouting and fermentation can improve protein digestibility and amino acid bioavailability. Fermented cowpea products show increased nutritional value compared to simply cooked preparations ^[3].

Cowpeas are a notable source of iron, providing 2.51mg per 100g cooked — approximately 14% of the daily reference intake. They also contain significant amounts of zinc (1.29mg), magnesium (53mg), and phosphorus (156mg) per 100g cooked ^[1].

As a plant-based iron source, the non-heme iron in cowpeas has different absorption characteristics compared to heme iron from animal sources. Consuming vitamin C-rich foods alongside cowpeas may support better iron utilization ^[4].

Phytic acid in cowpeas can influence mineral absorption. Soaking, sprouting, and cooking significantly reduce phytate content, with some low-phytate varieties showing levels as low as 0.690g per 100g compared to the average of 1.10g per 100g ^[5].

Cowpeas are one of the richest plant sources of folate (vitamin B9), providing approximately 208 mcg per 100g cooked — over 50% of the daily reference intake. Raw dried cowpeas contain up to 633 mcg per 100g ^[1].

Folate is an essential B-vitamin involved in DNA synthesis, cell division, and amino acid metabolism. Adequate folate intake is particularly important during periods of rapid growth ^[4].

In addition to folate, cowpeas provide meaningful amounts of thiamine (B1) and niacin (B3), contributing to energy metabolism and overall nutritional intake ^[3].