Superfoods: Beans (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest bean to eat? ›

Plant-based proteins such as beans and other legumes are high in minerals and dietary fiber without the saturated fat and cholesterol in some animal proteins. The American Heart Association recommends beans and other legumes as part of a healthy eating pattern.

In conclusion, beans are a versatile and incredibly nutritious food that can benefit both your body and mind. Regular consumption of beans has been linked to a reduced risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, while also aiding in controlling blood sugar levels and promoting digestive health.

Our experts evaluated canned black beans and chickpeas for nutrition and taste. Here are our top picks. Chickpeas, black beans, and other legumes are among the most nutritious foods. Even so, Americans eat just one-third cup of beans weekly, on average, according to a 2021 report in Frontiers in Nutrition.

Black beans. Red beans. All beans are anti-aging stars for their high antioxidant level. They're a fine source of protein, help regulate blood sugar, help lower cholesterol, and they're a good source of potassium and magnesium.

Beans, particularly small white navy beans, are full of gut-supporting fibers, amino acids, and other nutrients, which can help the beneficial bacteria in your colon flourish, supporting immune health and regulating inflammation, Daniel-MacDougall explains.

If you have an auto-immune condition, are following a gut healing protocol, or are actively managing a disease, it may be best to avoid beans and glutenous grains for a time until the body is ready or in remission. The short reason why: They contain lectins and phytic acid.

Recent research shows the benefits of plant-based foods in the kidney diet. Beans are great for people with kidney disease to enjoy. Beans are affordable and easy to get! Beans are available at very low prices at grocery stores, food pantries, corner stores, dollar stores, and more.

Besides being lower in calories, beans have the benefit over animal meat of being much higher in fiber. Fiber helps digestion, regulates sugar absorption and eliminates fat. It is also not absorbed into the bloodstream, meaning some of the weight of beans does not directly translate into calories absorbed.

Is 1 cup of beans a day too much? ›

Adding a cup of beans to your daily diet is one of the cheapest, easiest and tastiest ways to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels and boost good gut bacteria.

Fiber helps keep you feeling fuller for longer (which explains why high-fiber foods are so popular). So consider adding beans to your lunch if you find yourself craving a snack every day a few hours before dinner, or add them to your breakfasts if you're always ready for lunch at 10:30 a.m.

As you can see, canned and dried prepared beans are pretty much the same in calories, protein, fat and carbohydrates. The main difference between the two is that canned beans can sometimes have more sodium added during processing, whereas you can control the amount of salt added to beans you cook at home.

Beans may be among the most weight-loss-friendly foods you can eat. They're high in both protein and fiber but low in calories. Protein and fiber are two of the most significant nutrients for weight loss ( 3 , 4 ). One study found that people on a high-fiber diet including beans experienced less hunger.

And according to Blue Zones' founder Dan Buettner, various types of beans including fava beans, black beans, soy beans, and lentils are the cornerstone of most centenarian diets. This means that the longest-living populations tend to enjoy a lot of beans and reap their protective benefits.

Lupini beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein. In fact, one cup of lupini beans contains over 60 grams of protein! This is an ideal choice for vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike.

The Antioxidant Winner: Beans. Prior's study found beans to be clear winners - one-half cup of red beans yields 13,727 antioxidants; red kidney beans have 13,259; pinto beans, 11,864; and black beans, 4,191. Beans are inexpensive and filling.