Pulses such as beans, lentils, legumes, and peas are healthy foods that are highly nutritious Similar to other pulses, eating beans for weight loss is a very beneficial dietary habit, and they have many advantages.
They are inexpensive, have a long shelf-life, and are easily accessible.
In the last few years, there has been increased research associated with pulses, such as beans, which are sustainable high-protein sources. Plant-based protein has also gained attention compared to animal protein for its many health benefits and sustainability as a food staple. This is especially true in food-insecure households.
You can find cooked beans in many markets or they can be prepared easily at home. You can buy convenient canned beans to add to your meals to increase your diet quality and support weight loss.
Their high nutrient content is a good option for a weight loss diet. Let’s explore the nutritional and health benefits of beans.
Are Beans Good For Weight Loss?
You may wonder if beans are good for weight loss. Yes, they are. But how?
The biggest factor is the high fiber content of beans. A systematic review[1] of twenty publications showed that 150 grams of daily beans and other legumes improve body composition, blood pressure, blood lipid profile, and inflammatory markers.
Fiber[2] adds volume and bulk to naturally low-calorie foods, and by doing this reduces daily total calorie intake.
High-fiber foods help boost metabolism, regulate the digestive system and support a healthy gut microbiome, and prevent chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, or metabolic syndrome.
For all these qualities, bean consumption is healthy to promote weight loss and even supports positive health outcomes in the future.
Dietary fiber intake changes our microbiota (the community of microorganisms that reside in our gut) composition for the better. It does this by promoting the production of short-chain fatty acids, essential nutrients that are needed to fuel beneficial bacteria in the intestine.
How Much Fiber Do Beans Provide For Losing Weight?
To reap the biggest benefits of fiber, it is important to keep a daily fiber intake of 14 grams per 1000 kilocalories.
However, researchers indicated that people in the United States are only meeting 30-50%[3] of this daily dietary fiber intake. Pulses including beans are good nutritional sources to address these needs.
The fiber content of pulses is generally about 30 grams per 100 grams of dry weight. Beans can include 23 to 32 fibers per 100 grams, depending on their types.
Their insoluble fiber is the majority of fiber, ranging from 20-28 grams.[4] These are good numbers for you to aim for as you increase your fiber intake.
According to the high-fiber foods list,[5] one cup of beans gives nearly 15 grams of fiber which is suitable for daily intake.
Benefits Of Beans To Lose Weight
Fiber-rich beans contribute to promoting weight loss efforts in various ways. These include appetite control, blood sugar and insulin regulation, digestive system benefits, and lipid-lowering effects.
Promote Satiety
The first and perhaps most critical effect of beans on body weight loss is appetite control[6] from their fiber content. Dietary fibers are our best supporters in satiety and hunger regulation to burn body fat.
Fibers, primarily soluble fibers, can hold a large amount of water which puts pressure on the stomach to make you feel full. It stimulates signals and gives feedback from the digestive system to the brain about satiety.
Another mechanism is the production of short-chain fatty acids in the intestine with the consumption of dietary fibers. These fatty acids are nutrients for good bacteria in your microbiota.
When you eat fibery foods that can be fermented by bacteria, short-chain fatty acids are released that increase satiety and control appetite. This is because there is an important connection between your gut and brain called the gut-brain axis.
Control Of Blood Parameters
If you have a chronic obesity problem, your blood parameters are more likely to be impaired. Conditions such as high blood sugar and high cholesterol are increased when you are overweight. High sugar and cholesterol are transmitted to every tissue and organ in our body by blood and cause damage in those areas if not controlled.
Consuming beans may help keep these parameters under control in several ways.
Many[7] extensive prospective cohort studies showed that consuming high fiber may help reduce type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance risk by about 20–30%. When referring to high fiber consumption, they are referring to more than 28 grams for women and 38 grams for men daily.
Soluble fiber has been seen to reduce about 5-10% of blood lipids, such as total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol). High-fiber food sources like beans may show these same cholesterol-lowering benefits.
Beans may also play a role in lowering bile[8] and cholesterol in the stool due to their rich fiber content. Fiber can bind bile and cholesterol in the intestine and excrete it from the body with the stool.
This mechanism is fundamental in the nutritional treatment of cholesterol and fatty liver diseases.
Regulate Digestive System
Fiber[2] increases the volume of the foods that you consume. Specifically, soluble fibers keep your food in the stomach longer during digestion. Therefore, it is beneficial to delay or decrease the absorption of sugar and fat content in the intestine.
Fiber intake also speeds up the transit time of the foods through the bowel, which can decrease constipation and increase bowel regularity.
A study of healthy people[9] showed that after nine grams of dietary fiber and a normal diet for three days, gut transit time was lowered compared to a low-fiber diet. Speeding up gut transit time reduces bloating and discomfort, and make you look and feel lighter.
A systematic review and meta-analysis[10] study, including the results of seven studies, showed that dietary fiber intake effectively works for chronic constipation in adults. These studies showed that dietary fibers increased stool frequency and regulated its consistency.
Best Beans For Weight Loss
There are many types of beans you can consume. Beans, such as black beans, red beans, kidney beans, green beans, soybeans, and pinto beans, are good for weight loss because each of them has good nutrient content.
Adding beans to your meals is also very easy, as it creates a delicious side dish with many dishes.
Since there is so much variety, you can add more beans to your diet every day in many ways, such as following the seven-day bean diet. Of course, it isn’t necessary to eat beans every day for weight management. Still, if you eat beans regularly, you may see the benefits that we mentioned above.
Here is the nutrient breakdown of the most popular beans.
| Nutrient | Pinto Beans[11] , dried | Red Beans,[12] dried | Black Beans,[13] dried | Green Beans,[14] fresh, raw | Soybeans,[15] fresh, raw |
| Protein, grams | 23.7 | 21.3 | 24.4 | 1.83 | 13 |
| Total fat, grams | 1.24 | 1.16 | 1.45 | 0.22 | 6.8 |
| Carbohydrates, grams | 42.6 | 43.7 | 40.8 | 6.97 | 11 |
| Fiber, total dietary, grams | 4.1 | 4 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 4.2 |
| Calcium, Ca, milligrams | 161 | 148 | 191 | 37 | 197 |
| Iron, Fe, milligrams | 5.4 | 5.05 | 5.34 | 1.03 | 3.55 |
| Magnesium, Mg, milligrams | 170 | 152 | 180 | 25 | 55 |
| Phosphorus, P, milligrams | 507 | 380 | 522 | 38 | 194 |
| Potassium, K, milligrams | 1510 | 1540 | 1540 | 211 | 620 |
| Zinc, Zn, milligrams | 3.43 | 2.84 | 3.37 | 0.24 | 0.39 |
| Copper, Cu, milligrams | 0.978 | 0.959 | 1.12 | 0.069 | 0.128 |
The nutrient breakdown of the most popular beans Source: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
Are There Any Side Effects?
Fiber products can reduce the absorption of dietary minerals such as iron, zinc, and calcium since they contain phytates.[16] These plant compounds can bind to minerals and reduce their absorption as well as remove the components we do not want in our bodies.
In addition, legumes, especially beans, can cause too much gas in some individuals.
Leguminous consumption of individuals with intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or irritable bowel syndrome may need to be limited.
This is because these foods can cause serious damage to those with a sensitive digestive tract. If you have such problems, you may not tolerate beans.
It would be beneficial to consult your registered dietitian on this matter.
Conclusion: Are Beans Good For You?
It is clear that beans are beneficial for weight loss and overall health. They are a good source of plant-based protein in a healthy diet without concern for weight gain, which is especially advantageous to include in weight loss diets.
Beans contain dietary fiber, which is effective in controlling your appetite, regulating your blood sugar and blood lipid levels, and preventing constipation.
Altogether, these effects help you achieve your healthy weight. If you’re new to eating beans, start slow and slowly work your way up to more based on your own tolerance.
+ 16 Sources
- Ferreira, H., Vasconcelos, M.W., Gil, A.M. and Pinto, E. (2020). Benefits of pulse consumption on metabolism and health: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. [online] 61(1), pp.85–96. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1716680.
- McRae, M.P. (2020). Effectiveness of Fiber Supplementation for Constipation, Weight Loss, and Supporting Gastrointestinal Function: A Narrative Review of Meta-Analyses. [online] 19(1), pp.58–64. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2019.10.008.
- Quagliani, D. and Felt-Gunderson, P. (2016). Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap. [online] 11(1), pp.80–85. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827615588079.
- Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. (2021). Benefits of pulse consumption on metabolism and health: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2020.1716680.
- www.dietaryguidelines.gov. (n.d.). Food Sources of Dietary Fiber | Dietary Guidelines for Americans. [online] Available at: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials/food-sources-select-nutrients/food-0.
- Slavin, J.L. (2013). Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits. [online] 5(4), pp.1417–1435. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu5041417.
- Nutrition.org. (2023). Home Page: The Journal of Nutrition. [online] Available at: https://jn.nutrition.org/.
- Julia Guazzelli Pezzali, Shoveller, A.K. and Ellis, J.L. (2021). Examining the Effects of Diet Composition, Soluble Fiber, and Species on Total Fecal Excretion of Bile Acids: A Meta-Analysis. [online] 8. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.748803.
- Timm, D.H., Willis, H., Thomas, W., Sanders, L., Boileau, T. and Slavin, J.L. (2010). The use of a wireless motility device (SmartPill®) for the measurement of gastrointestinal transit time after a dietary fibre intervention. [online] 105(9), pp.1337–1342. doi:https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114510004988.
- Stephanos Christodoulides, Eirini Dimidi, Fragkos, K.C., Farmer Ad, Whelan, K. and Sm, S. (2016). Systematic review with meta-analysis: effect of fibre supplementation on chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. [online] 44(2), pp.103–116. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13662.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/747445/nutrients.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/747431/nutrients.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/747444/nutrients.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/2345289/nutrients.
- Usda.gov. (2023). FoodData Central. [online] Available at: https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169282/nutrients.
- Gill, S., Rossi, M., Balazs Bajka and Whelan, K. (2020). Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease. [online] 18(2), pp.101–116. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-020-00375-4.