Soybean Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Most legumes are defined by their high-protein, low-fat profile. Chickpeas have 6.0g fat per 100g dry, lentils have 1.1g, and kidney beans have 0.8g. Soybeans, at 19.9g fat per 100g dry, carry roughly 20–25 times more fat than most other common legumes ^[1]. This fundamentally changes how soybeans fit into a nutrition journal.

The protein content at 36.5g per 100g dry is also the highest of any commonly consumed legume — compared to chickpeas (20.5g), lentils (24.6g), and black beans (21.6g). This combination of top-tier protein and substantial fat makes soybeans uniquely calorie-dense among legumes at 446 kcal per 100g dry, compared to about 350–380 kcal for most other dried beans.

For nutrition tracking, this means soybeans cannot be logged interchangeably with other beans. A cup of cooked soybeans (296 kcal, 15.4g fat) has roughly double the calories and 5–10 times the fat of a cup of cooked lentils (230 kcal, 0.8g fat). The fat composition is predominantly polyunsaturated (11.3g/100g dry) and monounsaturated (4.4g/100g dry), with only 2.9g saturated fat.

Edamame (green soybeans harvested at about 80% maturity) contains 122 kcal per 100g boiled — roughly 29% fewer calories than cooked mature soybeans (172 kcal). The protein is lower at 11.9g vs. 18.2g per 100g, and the fat drops to 5.2g vs. 9.0g. These differences reflect the higher water content of the immature bean ^[2].

One area where edamame outperforms mature soybeans is folate: 311mcg per 100g compared to 54mcg for cooked mature beans. A single cup of edamame (155g) delivers 482mcg folate — 121% of the Daily Value. This dramatic difference occurs because folate is concentrated in the actively growing cells of the immature seed and partially degrades during the drying and cooking of mature beans.

For portion tracking, note that edamame in the pod weighs roughly 2x the shelled weight. If you weigh unshelled edamame, divide by 2 to estimate the edible bean weight. A 200g plate of edamame in pods contains approximately 100g of actual beans (122 kcal). Always clarify whether your food journal entry refers to shelled or unshelled weight.

Dry soybeans contain 446 calories per 100g. After soaking and boiling, they absorb approximately 1.5x their weight in water, dropping to 172 calories per 100g cooked — a 61% decrease in calorie density. One cup of dry soybeans (186g, 829 kcal) produces roughly 2 cups cooked (344g, 592 kcal), with some nutrient loss to soaking and cooking water ^[1].

This calorie dilution is less dramatic than in most legumes. Lentils drop from 352 to 116 kcal (67% decrease), and chickpeas drop from 378 to 164 kcal (57% decrease). Soybeans' relatively modest water absorption — limited by their high fat content, which resists hydration — means they remain the most calorie-dense cooked legume.

The tracking implication is straightforward: always specify dry vs. cooked weight. Logging '100g soybeans' without clarification could mean 446 kcal (dry) or 172 kcal (cooked) — a 274-calorie discrepancy that would significantly affect daily totals.

Soybeans derive approximately 40% of their calories from fat — a ratio more typical of nuts and seeds than legumes. The fat composition per 100g dry is: 11.3g polyunsaturated (including 1.3g omega-3 as alpha-linolenic acid), 4.4g monounsaturated, and 2.9g saturated ^[1]. This gives soybeans an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of approximately 7.5:1.

For comparison, chickpeas derive only 15% of calories from fat, lentils about 3%, and kidney beans about 2%. The soybean's high oil content is precisely why it's the world's primary oilseed crop — soybean oil accounts for approximately 28% of global vegetable oil production. When you eat whole soybeans, you're consuming the intact oil along with the protein and fiber.

This fat content has practical implications for nutrition journaling. If you're tracking fat intake carefully, a cup of cooked soybeans (15.4g fat) contributes as much fat as a tablespoon of olive oil (13.5g fat). Other cooked legumes contribute 0.4–2.6g fat per cup — soybeans are in a different category entirely.

Dry-roasted soy nuts contain 449 kcal and 43.3g protein per 100g — the highest protein concentration of any commonly available snack nut or seed. For comparison, dry-roasted peanuts provide 26g protein per 100g, almonds provide 21g, and sunflower seeds provide 20g ^[3]. Soy nuts achieve this density because roasting removes residual moisture from the already low-moisture mature bean.

A 30g handful of soy nuts (about ¼ cup) delivers approximately 135 calories, 13g protein, and 6.5g fat. This makes it one of the most protein-efficient snack options by weight. The trade-off is texture — soy nuts are harder and denser than tree nuts, which means you consume them more slowly.

For snack tracking, weigh soy nuts rather than estimating by handful. Because they're dense and compact, a 30g portion looks smaller than the same weight of puffier snacks like popcorn or puffed rice. The calorie density at 449 kcal/100g is comparable to most tree nuts (almonds at 579, cashews at 553), but the protein-to-calorie ratio is substantially higher.