Low-Sodium Legumes: 17 Lowest per 100 g & per Serving
Per 100 g, the legumes lowest in sodium are Peanuts (valencia, raw) (1 mg), Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) (2 mg) and Lentils (raw) (6 mg). Per typical serving, Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) has the least: 1 cup (198 g) has 4 mg. 16 of the 17 legumes ranked meet the FDA “low” limit (140 mg or less) in a typical serving.
Lowest in sodium per 100 g
17 of 17 ranked legumes, least sodium first. % = share of the FDA Daily Value. n/r = not reported.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 1 mg<1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.28 mg<1% DV | 0.35 mg |
| 2 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 2 mg<1% DV | 1 cup198 g | 4 mg<1% DV | 3.4 mg |
| 3 | Lentils (raw) | 6 mg<1% DV | 1 cup192 g | 12 mg1% DV | 3.4 mg |
| 4 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 7 mg<1% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 8.1 mg<1% DV | 18 mg |
| 5 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 8 mg<1% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 1.4 mg<1% DV | 26 mg |
| 6 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 10 mg<1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.8 mg<1% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 7 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 12 mg1% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 9.7 mg<1% DV | 31 mg |
| 8 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 14 mg1% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 11 mg<1% DV | 19 mg |
| 9 | Tofu (fried) | 16 mg1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 4.5 mg<1% DV | 12 mg |
| 10 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 17 mg1% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 5.4 mg<1% DV | 5.7 mg |
| 10 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 17 mg1% DV | 1 cup205 g | 35 mg2% DV | 9.9 mg |
| 12 | Peanuts (raw) | 18 mg1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 5.1 mg<1% DV | 6.3 mg |
| 13 | Tofu yogurt | 35 mg2% DV | 1 cup262 g | 92 mg4% DV | 74 mg |
| 14 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 51 mg2% DV | 1 cup243 g | 124 mg5% DV | 189 mg |
| 15 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 203 mg9% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 32 mg1% DV | 69 mg |
| 16 | Peanut butter with omega-3 (creamy) | 356 mg15% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 57 mg2% DV | 117 mg |
| 17 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 540 mg23% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 194 mg8% DV | 208 mg |
Least sodium per typical serving
The same legumes ranked by what one typical USDA portion gives, which is what you eat. Only servings of 30 g or more are listed: a single leaf or a spoonful of peel would always be lowest.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 2 mg<1% DV | 1 cup198 g | 4 mg<1% DV | 3.4 mg |
| 2 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 17 mg1% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 5.4 mg<1% DV | 5.7 mg |
| 3 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 7 mg<1% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 8.1 mg<1% DV | 18 mg |
| 4 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 12 mg1% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 9.7 mg<1% DV | 31 mg |
| 5 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 14 mg1% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 11 mg<1% DV | 19 mg |
| 6 | Lentils (raw) | 6 mg<1% DV | 1 cup192 g | 12 mg1% DV | 3.4 mg |
| 7 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 17 mg1% DV | 1 cup205 g | 35 mg2% DV | 9.9 mg |
| 8 | Tofu yogurt | 35 mg2% DV | 1 cup262 g | 92 mg4% DV | 74 mg |
| 9 | Soymilk (original and vanilla, unfortified) | 51 mg2% DV | 1 cup243 g | 124 mg5% DV | 189 mg |
| 10 | Peanut butter (smooth, reduced fat) | 540 mg23% DV | 2 tablespoon36 g | 194 mg8% DV | 208 mg |
Least sodium per 200 kcal
Nutrient density: sodium for the same 200 calories of each food.
| Rank | Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peanuts (valencia, raw) | 1 mg<1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.28 mg<1% DV | 0.35 mg |
| 2 | Lentils (raw) | 6 mg<1% DV | 1 cup192 g | 12 mg1% DV | 3.4 mg |
| 3 | Lentils (mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt) | 2 mg<1% DV | 1 cup198 g | 4 mg<1% DV | 3.4 mg |
| 4 | Peanuts (virginia, raw) | 10 mg<1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 2.8 mg<1% DV | 3.6 mg |
| 5 | Peanut butter (smooth style, without salt) | 17 mg1% DV | 2 tbsp32 g | 5.4 mg<1% DV | 5.7 mg |
| 6 | Peanuts (raw) | 18 mg1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 5.1 mg<1% DV | 6.3 mg |
| 7 | Pigeon peas (mature seeds, raw) | 17 mg1% DV | 1 cup205 g | 35 mg2% DV | 9.9 mg |
| 8 | Tofu (fried) | 16 mg1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 4.5 mg<1% DV | 12 mg |
| 9 | Tofu (raw, regular, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 7 mg<1% DV | 1/4 block116 g | 8.1 mg<1% DV | 18 mg |
| 10 | Tofu (raw, firm, prepared with calcium sulfate) | 14 mg1% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 11 mg<1% DV | 19 mg |
| 11 | Tofu (soft, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 8 mg<1% DV | 1 cubic inch18 g | 1.4 mg<1% DV | 26 mg |
| 12 | Tofu (firm, prepared with calcium sulfate and magnesium chloride) | 12 mg1% DV | 1/4 block81 g | 9.7 mg<1% DV | 31 mg |
| 13 | Peanut butter (reduced sodium) | 203 mg9% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 32 mg1% DV | 69 mg |
| 14 | Tofu yogurt | 35 mg2% DV | 1 cup262 g | 92 mg4% DV | 74 mg |
| 15 | Peanut butter with omega-3 (creamy) | 356 mg15% DV | 1 tbsp16 g | 57 mg2% DV | 117 mg |
Concentrated forms (not ranked)
Flours, powders, concentrates, sugars and fortified foods with sodium, listed by value per 100 g but left out of the rankings above.
| Food | Per 100 g | Typical portion | Per portion | Per 200 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut flour (low fat) | 1 mg<1% DV | 1 oz28 g | 0.28 mg<1% DV | 0.47 mg |
| Tofu (dried-frozen koyadofu) | 6 mg<1% DV | 1 piece17 g | 1 mg<1% DV | 2.5 mg |
Which foods are ranked
- The 17 legumes on CalorieExplorer with a reported sodium value. They are generic USDA FoodData Central rows (Foundation Foods and SR Legacy) with a plain name: no branded products, restaurant items, survey mixed dishes, baby foods or regional specialty rows.
- Every reported value is ranked, 0 included (17 legumes); a food with no reported value is left out, never counted as 0.
- Flours, crude brans, powders and dehydrated foods, juice concentrates, mixes, sugars and fortified foods are not ranked: per 100 g they beat every food eaten as is. They are listed separately below.
- Ties share a rank: foods with the same value per 100 g get the same number, and the next number is skipped.
- Typical portion = USDA's own serving weight for that food (a medium fruit, 1 cup, 1 oz…), as on its food page. Per 200 kcal shows how much you get for the same calories; foods under 5 kcal per 100 g are not ranked that way (–).
- % DV = share of the FDA Daily Value for sodium, 2,300 mg a day for adults and children 4 and older.
- FDA's “low” claim for sodium allows 140 mg or less per reference serving (21 CFR 101.60–101.62); applied here to the typical USDA portion.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central (Foundation Foods 2026-04-30; SR Legacy 2018-04). Values per 100 g as published in each food's record, at FDC's precision; serving weights from the same records, retrieved 2026-10-13. Each food page names its FDC ID.
% Daily Value: FDA Daily Values (2016 Nutrition Facts label rule, 21 CFR 101.9), adults and children 4+. How we calculate.
Last updated . Values are averages for the food as described; brands, varieties and cooking change them. Not medical advice.
Related rankings
Low-Sodium FoodsLow-Sodium FruitsLow-Sodium VegetablesLow-Sodium GrainsLow-Sodium Nuts and SeedsLow-Sodium Dairy FoodsLow-Sodium MeatsLegumes High in ProteinLegumes High in FiberLow-Fat LegumesLegumes High in CarbohydratesLegumes High in FatLegumes High in CaloriesLegumes High in CalciumLegumes High in Iron