With a great variety of beans, it seems there’s no difference between them. However, the difference lies in the nutrition properties of each type of beans.
Black beans are growing in popularity these days – and not only because they’re tasty. Black beans are fortified with a whole number of vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients that can contribute to your overall health. The next time you go grocery shopping and have no idea which type of beans to choose, opt for black beans and here’s why:
1.Keep your heart healthy
Heart disease is one of the major causes of death and with the increased level of stress we’re all prone to heart failure. That’s why it’s crucially important to maintain your heart health in an all-natural way. Black beans are rich in minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassium, which are good for your heart.
Potassium plays a significant role in lowering the sodium level in the bloodstream that affects the cholesterol level in the body. Iron and magnesium make the work of your heart easier by stimulating the red blood cell production.
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Soluble fiber found in black beans helps to bind necessary substances in the colon, flushing them away along with the waste. This contributes to lower cholesterol level and thus lower risk of heart failure and stroke. Moreover, the moderate content of omega-3 fatty acids in black beans helps to keep the negative influences of omega-6 fatty acids, which are bad cholesterol that is often a culprit for cardiovascular disease.
2.Ward off anemia
Thanks to its high mineral content, black beans are good at preventing anemia. A cup of black beans provides your body with 88% of your recommended daily intake of iron, reducing the risk of iron deficiency. When your body lacks this mineral, you get tired fast and start suffering from chronic fatigue, which eventually leads to anemia. Regular consumption of black beans will help ward off fatigue and anemia altogether.
3.They’re among the best sources of plant-based protein
Vegetarians and vegan often suffer from protein deficiency. Although protein is mostly found in animal products, there are also many plant-based protein sources that are as great as a protein found in meat products. Black beans are super high in protein – there are 39 grams in a cup. If you eat half a cup of black beans, you’ll provide your body with almost 40% of your recommended daily protein intake.
4.Reduce your cancer risk
Black beans are an excellent source of the flavonoids that have been proven to lower the risk of certain types of cancers. There are eight various flavonoids found in the seed coat of black beans, and anthocyanins are among them.
The flavonoids help to fight free radicals and ward off diseases. Anthocyanins are the special pigments that have a potent effect on the whole body, including everything from the suppressing of cancerous tumors to blood vessel growth. It helps to slow down the growth of harmful cells and boost the speed of cell death (apoptosis) within cancer cells. When combined with phytonutrients found in black beans, the anthocyanins significantly reduce your cancer risk if you eat them regularly.
5.Increase your energy level
Black beans contain healthy carbs that act like an instant energy booster. The great news is these carbs are absolutely safe for you and they don’t affect your weight loss progress. If you follow a low-carb diet, you can add more black beans to your weekly meal plan to avoid carb deficiency and energy drop. The carbs found in these beans will fight fatigue and give you enough energy to survive the day.
6.Keep your nervous system healthy
Black beans are plentiful in folate, which turns in to folic acid when entering the body. The amino acid found in black beans though already mixed with molybdenum won’t function properly without folic acid. The amino acid is the vital substance that your nervous system craves for optimal function. Without amino acid, your nervous system weakens, increasing your risk of Parkinson disease and Alzheimer.
7.Fight digestive Issues
The high levels of fiber and protein in black beans aids in regulating the most common digestive issues, such as constipation, diarrhea, bloating, and stomach discomfort and pain related to the poor bowel movement. Fiber and protein help the food move through your digestive tract easier, letting it have its vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients removed and ensuring the waste expelled in a healthier way.
Since black beans are digested slower than any meat product, they help to prevent overeating and leave you full longer. A cup of black beans provides you with 116% of your RDI of fiber, which considerably reduces your risk of constipation.
8.Boost fertility
Black beans contain molybdenum, which is the rare mineral that has been shown to aid in preventing erectile dysfunction and impotence problems. Molybdenum also boosts your sex drive, increasing your chances of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby. Black beans are essential for pregnant women due to the folate content. Folate is needed for the healthy development of fetus’ brain.
9.Black beans are good for people with diabetes type 1 and type 2
Fiber found in black beans helps to decrease the blood sugar level in people with diabetes type 1 and aids in boosting the insulin and improving the insulin tolerance in people with diabetes type 2. Since black beans help to treat the major digestive problems, they can reduce the chances of glucose spikes. The unhealthy digestive system leads to the unstable blood sugar level.
On the other hand, the healthy digestive system improves the liver function. When the liver is functioning optimally, it’s easier for your system to remove excess sugar in the blood. Plus, black beans contain carbs that are safe for people with diabetes.
10.Reduce blood pressure
Black beans are low in sodium (17 mg in one cup) and rich in potassium (2,760 mg in one cup), making them a healthy food choice for people suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension). The high sodium level could cause the increase of blood pressure level. When your body gets enough potassium though, it has an ability to reduce the sodium level and thus prevents high blood pressure.
Black beans are also good for people suffering from a chronic form of hypertension, but they don’t replace the medications. However, people with hypertension should avoid canned black beans or rinse them really well to remove the sodium content.
11.Keep your bones strong and healthy
Boost your bone health by incorporating at least 100 – 200 grams of black beans into your weekly diet. Black beans are chock-full of minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorous, copper and manganese, along with a number of vitamins and antioxidants. They all contribute to keeping and building a strong and healthy bone structure.
A cup of black beans provides the body with 29% of RDI of calcium and 24% of RDI of phosphorous that both play a prominent role in building the healthy bone structure. They also contain 88% of RDI of iron and 13% of zinc that help to improve the strength of bones.
12.They’re high in powerful antioxidants
Antioxidants in black beans help to kill free radicals, which are extremely active chemicals that are often linked to premature aging, cancer, stroke, and heart disease. Black beans contain antioxidants that equal to fruits like cranberries, apples, and grapes. Eating black beans regularly will ward off diseases and fight the whole body inflammation.
13.Combat stress and improve sleep
Black beans contain 73% of your daily intake of magnesium, a mineral that aids in stress reduction and can help you treat sleep disorders like insomnia. It’s not recommended to consume beans in the evening, though. Include cooked black beans in your lunch to beat your afternoon fatigue, boost your energy, and ensure you sleep like a baby at night.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1421508
- http://infertility-fertility.blogspot.com/2012/11/black-beans-for-fertility.html
- https://draxe.com/black-beans-nutrition/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26225995
