Red Lentils vs Soybeans – Which is Healthier?

Our Verdict

When comparing red lentils to soybeans, we picked the soy.

Why?

Both are excellent! But…

In terms of macros, red lentils have more than 2x the carbs and slightly more fiber, while soybeans have more than 2x the protein. So, this round’s subjective, but we’d say that the carbs are neither good nor bad as the glycemic index is fine in either case, the difference in fiber is small while the difference in protein is large, so we say soybeans win this round. Both are certainly great in all macro-related respects, though (i.e. both are good source of fiber, and lentils are already a very good source of protein; soybeans are just even better).

In the category of vitamins, red lentils have more of vitamins B1, B3, B5, B7, and B9, while soybeans have more of vitamins B2, B6, C, E, K, and choline, giving soybeans a marginal victory here.

When it comes to minerals, lentils have slightly more zinc, while soybeans have a lot more calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium. An easy win for soybeans (although we must emphasize: lentils are great for all these minerals too; soy is just better).

Adding up the sections makes for a clear overall win for soybeans, but by all means enjoy either or both; certainly both are amongst the healthiest things to eat (unless you have a soy allergy, of course), and diversity is great!

Want to learn more?

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Enjoy!