Lentils vs. Chicken Leg

Nutrition comparison of Cooked Lentils and Chicken Leg


Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?

We compared the nutritional contents of cooked lentils versus chicken leg (100g each) below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].

For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in lentils and chicken leg:

  • Both chicken leg and lentils are high in calories, potassium and protein.
  • Chicken leg has 117.4 times less carbohydrates than lentil.
  • Lentil has more thiamin and folate, however, chicken leg contains more niacin and Vitamin B12.
  • Lentil has signficantly less saturated fat than chicken leg.
  • Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and iron.
Detailed nutritional comparison of lentils and chicken leg is analyzed below. You can also visualize the nutritional comparison for a custom portion or serving size and see how the nutrition compares.

USDA sources for nutritional information: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Chicken Leg (Chicken, broilers or fryers, leg, meat and skin, raw) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.


Calories and Carbs

calories

Both chicken leg and lentils are high in calories. Chicken leg has 84% more calories than lentil - chicken leg has 214 calories per 100 grams and lentil has 116 calories.

Lentils Chicken Leg
Protein 30% 31%
Carbohydrates 67% ~
Fat 3% 68%
Alcohol ~ ~

carbohydrates

Chicken leg has 117.4 times less carbohydrates than lentil - chicken leg has 0.17g of total carbs per 100 grams and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

dietary fiber

Lentil is an excellent source of dietary fiber and it has more dietary fiber than chicken leg - lentil has 7.9g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and chicken leg does not contain significant amounts.

sugar

Chicken leg has less sugar than lentil - lentil has 1.8g of sugar per 100 grams and chicken leg does not contain significant amounts.

Protein

protein

Both chicken leg and lentils are high in protein. Chicken leg has 81% more protein than lentil - chicken leg has 16.4g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Fat

saturated fat

Lentil has signficantly less saturated fat than chicken leg - chicken leg has 4.4g of saturated fat per 100 grams and lentil has 0.05g of saturated fat.

trans fat

Both chicken leg and lentils are low in trans fat - chicken leg has 0.06g of trans fat per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

cholesterol

Lentil has less cholesterol than chicken leg - chicken leg has 93mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamins

Vitamin C

Chicken leg and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - chicken leg has 0.2mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and lentil has 1.5mg of Vitamin C.

Vitamin A

Chicken leg has more Vitamin A than lentil - chicken leg has 28ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin D

Chicken leg and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin D - chicken leg has 2iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and lentil does not contain significant amounts.

Vitamin E

Chicken leg and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - chicken leg has 0.22mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and lentil has 0.11mg of Vitamin E.

Vitamin K

Chicken leg and lentils contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - chicken leg has 2.3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and lentil has 1.7ug of Vitamin K.

The B Vitamins

Lentil has more thiamin and folate, however, chicken leg contains more niacin and Vitamin B12. Both lentils and chicken leg contain significant amounts of riboflavin, pantothenic acid and Vitamin B6.

Lentils Chicken Leg
Thiamin 0.169 MG 0.073 MG
Riboflavin 0.073 MG 0.141 MG
Niacin 1.06 MG 4.733 MG
Pantothenic acid 0.638 MG 0.994 MG
Vitamin B6 0.178 MG 0.318 MG
Folate 181 UG 4 UG
Vitamin B12 ~ 0.56 UG

Minerals

calcium

Lentil has 111% more calcium than chicken leg - chicken leg has 9mg of calcium per 100 grams and lentil has 19mg of calcium.

iron

Lentil is an excellent source of iron and it has 383% more iron than chicken leg - chicken leg has 0.69mg of iron per 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

potassium

Both chicken leg and lentils are high in potassium. Lentil has 82% more potassium than chicken leg - chicken leg has 203mg of potassium per 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

carotenoids

Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]

For specific types of carotenoids,

Lentils Chicken Leg
beta-carotene 5 UG ~
lutein + zeaxanthin ~ 91 UG

Omega-3 and Omega-6

omega 3s

For omega-3 fatty acids, chicken leg has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) and DPA than lentil per 100 grams.

Lentils Chicken Leg
alpha linoleic acid 0.037 G 0.155 G
DHA ~ 0.01 G
EPA ~ 0.004 G
DPA ~ 0.012 G
Total 0.037 G 0.181 G

omega 6s

Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, chicken leg has more linoleic acid than lentil per 100 grams.

Lentils Chicken Leg
linoleic acid 0.137 G 2.987 G
other omega 6 ~ 0.016 G
Total 0.137 G 3.003 G



Customize your serving size


The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).

You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either Lentils or Chicken Leg .

Note: The specific food items compared are: Lentils (Lentils, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) and Chicken Leg (Chicken, broilers or fryers, leg, meat and skin, raw) .

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FAQ

Does chicken leg or lentils contain more calories in 100 grams?
Both chicken leg and lentils are high in calories. Chicken leg has 80% more calories than lentil - chicken leg has 214 calories in 100g and lentil has 116 calories.

Is chicken leg or lentils better for protein?
Both chicken leg and lentils are high in protein. Chicken leg has 80% more protein than lentil - chicken leg has 16.4g of protein per 100 grams and lentil has 9g of protein.

Does chicken leg or lentils have more carbohydrates?
By weight, chicken leg has 117.4 times fewer carbohydrates than lentil - chicken leg has 0.17g of carbs for 100g and lentil has 20.1g of carbohydrates.

Does chicken leg or lentils contain more iron?
Lentil is an abundant source of iron and it has 380% more iron than chicken leg - chicken leg has 0.69mg of iron in 100 grams and lentil has 3.3mg of iron.

Does chicken leg or lentils contain more potassium?
Both chicken leg and lentils are high in potassium. Lentil has 80% more potassium than chicken leg - chicken leg has 203mg of potassium in 100 grams and lentil has 369mg of potassium.