Split Peas vs Lentils: Calories and Nutrition Compared (2026)

Split peas have 116 calories and 8.3 g of protein, while lentils have 114 calories and 9.0 g of protein. Lentils are higher in protein, while split peas have slightly more calories.

Split peas and lentils are both versatile legumes that provide a range of nutrients. This comparison highlights their differences in calories, protein, and other nutritional aspects.

What Is the Difference Between Split Peas and Lentils?

Split peas are dried peas that have been split in half, commonly used in soups and stews. They are a good source of protein, fiber, and various vitamins. Lentils are small, lens-shaped legumes that come in various colors, often used in salads, soups, and side dishes. They are rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients.

Split Peas vs Lentils: Nutrition Side by Side

Below is a side-by-side comparison of the nutritional values of split peas and lentils.

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Split peas (cooked)	Lentils (cooked)
Calories	116 kcal	114 kcal
Protein	8.3 g	9.0 g
Carbs	20.5 g	19.5 g
Sugar	2.9 g	1.8 g
Fat	0.4 g	0.4 g
Fiber	8.3 g	7.9 g
Sodium	238 mg	238 mg

Which Is Better, Split Peas or Lentils?

For weight loss: Split peas contain 116 calories per 100 g, while lentils have 114 calories. Lentils are slightly lower in calories.

For muscle and protein: Lentils provide 9.0 g of protein per 100 g, compared to 8.3 g in split peas. Therefore, lentils are higher in protein.

For low-carb or low-sugar: Split peas have 20.5 g of carbs and 2.9 g of sugar, while lentils contain 19.5 g of carbs and 1.8 g of sugar. Lentils have lower carbs and sugar.

How to Track Split peas and Lentils Accurately

It's easy to misjudge portion sizes and macronutrient content when preparing legumes. Nutrola is an AI nutrition tracking app that identifies foods from a photo and returns calories and macros from a database of more than 1.8 million foods. It also supports barcode scanning and voice logging. Nutrola is available from EUR 2.50 per month and shows no ads on any tier.

How We Compiled These Numbers

The numbers presented are rounded reference values for educational use and should not be considered medical advice. This comparison is based on per-100g measurements. Values are per 100 g from USDA FoodData Central.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which has more protein?

Lentils have 9.0 g of protein, while split peas have 8.3 g of protein. Therefore, lentils have more protein.

Which has fewer calories?

Lentils contain 114 calories, while split peas have 116 calories. Thus, lentils have fewer calories.

What is the fiber content in split peas?

Split peas contain 8.3 g of fiber per 100 g. They are a good source of dietary fiber.

What is the sugar content in lentils?

Lentils have 1.8 g of sugar per 100 g. They are lower in sugar compared to split peas.

How many carbohydrates are in split peas?

Split peas contain 20.5 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. They provide a significant amount of carbs.

What is the sodium content in both foods?

Both split peas and lentils contain 238 mg of sodium per 100 g. They have the same sodium content.

Key Takeaways

• Split peas have 116 calories per 100 g.
• Lentils have 114 calories per 100 g.
• Split peas contain 8.3 g of protein per 100 g.
• Lentils contain 9.0 g of protein per 100 g.
• Split peas have 20.5 g of carbohydrates per 100 g.
• Both contain 238 mg of sodium per 100 g.