Kidney Beans vs. Pigeon Peas — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Appearance

Kidney beans earned their name because they look like mini kidneys. Their color ranges from light to dark red, and there are hence many types of kidney beans, including red kidney beans, white kidney beans, and more. On the other hand, the shape of pigeon peas is more round when compared to kidney beans. Their colors may be green, yellow, or brown depending on how mature the peas are, as well as how they have been cooked. 

Taste 

The taste of pigeon peas has often been described as nutty and minty, while kidney beans are often described as sweet.

Use

Fresh (immature) pigeon peas can be consumed without cooking. You can add them to salads or eat them as a snack. When matured, pigeon peas should be soaked first in water and then cooked. Just like matured pigeon peas, kidney beans must be soaked before cooking. Pigeon peas are commonly used in soups, sauces, and curries, while kidney beans are very popular in chili and jambalaya. 

Macronutrients and Calories

Per 100 grams of serving, kidney beans and pigeon peas provide almost equal amounts of calories. Kidney beans provide 127 calories, while pigeon peas provide 121 calories. 

As can be seen from the graphs below, the macronutrient composition of kidney beans and pigeon peas are quite similar, with very few differences.

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Kidney beans

3

Protein: 8.67 g

Fats: 0.5 g

Carbs: 22.8 g

Water: 66.94 g

Other: 1.09 g

Pigeon pea

2

Protein: 6.76 g

Fats: 0.38 g

Carbs: 23.25 g

Water: 68.55 g

Other: 1.06 g

Contains more ProteinProtein	+28.3%
Contains more FatsFats	+31.6%

~equal in Carbs ~23.25g

~equal in Water ~68.55g

~equal in Other ~1.06g

Fats

The amount of total fat in both kidney beans and pigeon peas is negligible. Pigeon peas contain 0.38g, whereas kidney beans contain 0.5g.  

From the fat-type comparison chart below, you can see that pigeon peas and kidney beans have similar amounts of polyunsaturated fats; however, kidney beans have more monounsaturated fats, while pigeon peas have more saturated fat. 

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Kidney beans

3

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.073 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.039 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.278 g

Pigeon pea

0

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.083 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.003 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.205 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-12%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+1200%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+35.6%

Minerals

Kidney beans and pigeon peas are packed with various minerals to help you fill up your daily need.

The main minerals in both are copper, manganese, iron, phosphorus, and zinc. All are in similar amounts in both, but kidney beans have double the amount of iron. If we look at the small differences, kidney beans have slightly more phosphors and zinc, while pigeon peas have slightly more copper and manganese.

In the diagrams below, we can visualize the mineral distributions.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Kidney beans

3

Pigeon pea

4

Contains more IronIron	+100%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+16%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-80%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+22.9%
Contains more CopperCopper	+24.5%
Contains more ManganeseManganese	+16.5%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+163.6%

~equal in Magnesium ~46mg

~equal in Potassium ~384mg

~equal in Zinc ~0.9mg

Vitamins

The two most prevalent vitamins found in both kidney beans and pigeon peas are folate and vitamin B1. They are present in both in similar amounts. 

Per 100 grams of kidney beans, you receive 130µg of folate, while for pigeon peas, it is a little lower and equals 111µg. 

A single serving of neither of these legumen provides any other significant amounts of vitamins; however, we can still compare the little amounts that they do provide. Kidney beans have slightly more vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin K, and vitamin C, while pigeon peas provide slightly more vitamin B5 and vitamin B3.

In the diagrams below, we can visualize the vitamin distributions.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Kidney beans

6

Pigeon pea

3

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+140%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+∞%
Contains more FolateFolate	+17.1%
Contains more CholineCholine	+∞%

Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+35.1%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+45%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0.146mg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0.059mg

~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a rating system used for foods containing carbohydrates. As both kidney beans and pigeon peas have a glycemic index of 22, they are both considered low-GI foods. 

Acidity 

One way to understand the acidity of foods is through their potential renal acid load (PRAL) value, which shows how much acid or base the given food produces inside the organism. 

Based on our calculations, the PRAL value of kidney beans is -0.7, while the PRAL value for pigeon peas is -2.1, which means both are alkaline.