The versatility of black beans makes them a delightful addition to every kitchen pantry. And if you’ve got a can of these beans lying in the back of your shelf, whip it out to add them to chili, quesadillas, soups, dips, cookies, cakes, and even brownies. But that’s not all that black beans are good for. They also pack in the nutrition. Here are all the health benefits black beans provide.
1. Are A Good Source Of Protein
Protein is necessary to build and repair tissues as well as make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals. Protein is also the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Keeping up with it is, hence, necessary. A cup of black beans provides a whopping 15.24 g of the macronutrient.1 This makes it a good protein source for vegetarians and vegans. That said, it is important to note that black beans don’t contain all the 9 amino acids that are required to make them a complete protein like meat and eggs.2
2. Promotes Gut Health
If you struggle with digestive disorders, consuming black beans regularly might help. A cup of its serving contains 40.78 g of fiber, which makes up for 73.56% of your recommended daily intake.3 Most of this fiber is soluble fiber, which attracts water and is broken down into a gelatinous, viscous byproduct that the large intestine turns into gasses and acids that encourage the growth of beneficial bacteria in the lower gut. The resistant starch in black beans also feeds the good bacteria in the gut. Consuming beans regularly can keep your gut healthy and your digestion regular.4
3. Aids Weight Loss
[pullquote]Pectin slows down digestion and gives your body more time to digest nutrients.[/pullquote]
If you’re on a diet, adding black beans to your diet might help you achieve your weight loss goals. They contain pectin, a form of soluble fiber that becomes gummy-like in water and delays stomach emptying. This makes you feel fuller for longer and keeps you from over-eating while helping you stick to your daily caloric goals. Besides this, black beans are also rich in protein, which also promotes satiety. One study even found that consuming legumes regularly reduced body fat percentage in adults. Another found that beans had a positive effect on weight management because of their ability to improve metabolic functions in obese adults.5 6 Additionally, they are low in calories and are almost fat-free, making it an ideal, healthy choice for people on diets.7 8
4. Manages Blood Sugar Levels
[pullquote]Complex carbs, like black beans, prevent overeating, reduce cravings for sweets, boost energy, and balance insulin levels.[/pullquote]
If you’ve been trying to manage your blood sugar levels, include black beans in your diet. They have a low glycemic index of 24, which means they don’t cause blood sugar spikes after a meal. The starch found in black beans contains glucose, a complex carb which, unlike simple carbs, releases sugar slowly in the blood and prevent sugar spikes. In fact, one study found that including black beans in a typical Western-style meal regulated the release of insulin. This benefit of beans makes them an ideal option for carbohydrate source for anyone who has a form of resistance to insulin (the blood sugar-lowering hormone), such as those who are prediabetic or have diabetes.9 10
5. Protects Heart Health
Consuming black beans regularly might keep your heart healthy. Studies have found that its flavonoid, particularly delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin, content controls lipid (fat) metabolism and effectively rids the body of “bad” LDL cholesterol. In addition to this, black beans are high in soluble fiber, which is associated with a reduced risk for cardiovascular disease since it helps balance unhealthy cholesterol levels. Studies have found that a diet high in dietary fiber, especially from beans, protects against mortality due to heart disease, cardiac arrest, and stroke. In addition to this, evidence suggests that having just one daily serving, of about 3/4 cup cooked, of beans of any kind can decrease the chances of a heart attack and balance “bad” LDL cholesterol.
A cup of black beans offers 256 mcg of folate, which makes up for 60% of the recommended daily intake as well as 120 mg of magnesium, which makes up for 38.7% of the recommended daily intake. Both these minerals have been found to play an important role in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. The high fiber content also prevents overeating and obesity, in turn preventing visceral fat around organs like the heart.11 12 13 14
6. Prevents Pregnancy-Related Complications
[pullquote]Evidence suggests that, among older adults, a diet that includes plant proteins (legumes) improves cognitive health and protection against neurological impairments.15[/pullquote]
Folate is an important nutrient for pregnant women. It is considered critical for preventing congenital disabilities. In fact, keeping up with the required folate intake has been shown to cut the chances of early delivery by 50% or more if consumed for at least a year before pregnancy. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that women consume 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day during their childbearing years and a cup of black beans provides, as mentioned earlier, 60% of the required folate needs for a day.16 17 18
7. May Prevent Cancer
[pullquote]Some sources report that black beans, with their deep black color, are the highest bean source of antioxidants.[/pullquote]
Consuming black beans regularly may keep cancer at bay. The flavonoid and phytochemical (antioxidant) content in them lowers inflammation and fights free radical damage. In addition to this, research has found that black beans contain high levels of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds also found have in foods like berries. And studies show that this compound, along with others, has protective effects against colon cancer.19 20
Besides this, studies have found that the antioxidant compounds in black beans can help prevent DNA damage and gene mutation, both of which lead to a decreased risk of developing cancerous cells.21
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