One cup (172 grams) of cooked black beans gives you 227 calories, 15 grams of protein, 41 grams of carbs, and 0.9 grams of fat. Most of the carbs are complex starches and fiber, which are digested slowly and can stop blood sugar spikes. Black beans also have low sodium and cholesterol, and have a low glycemic index of 30.
Black beans are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, like folate, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Folate is a vitamin that dissolves in water and is important for making DNA, dividing cells, and fetal development. One cup of cooked black beans gives you 64% of the daily need for folate. If you don’t get enough folate, you can get anemia, birth defects, and elevated homocysteine levels.
Iron is a mineral that’s needed for carrying oxygen, making red blood cells, and the immune system to work. One cup of cooked black beans gives you 20% of the daily need for iron. But, the iron in black beans is non-heme, which is less bioavailable than the heme iron in animal sources. To increase iron absorption, it is recommended to eat black beans with foods rich in vitamin C, like citrus fruits, tomatoes, or peppers.
Magnesium is a mineral that’s important for muscles and nerves to work, controlling blood sugar, and controlling blood pressure. One cup of cooked black beans gives you 29% of the daily need for magnesium. If you don’t get enough magnesium, you can get muscle cramps, feel weak, have trouble sleeping, and have an irregular heartbeat.
Zinc is a mineral that’s important for healing wounds, growing, and the immune system to work. One cup of cooked black beans gives you 12% of the daily need for zinc. If you don’t get enough zinc, you can impair taste and smell, reduce appetite, and increase the risk of getting infections.
Black beans also have other good things in them, like phytochemicals and phytosterols. Phytochemicals are things in plants that can act as antioxidants, fight inflammation, and fight cancer. Some of the phytochemicals in black beans are anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Phytosterols are things in plants that can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower the risk of heart disease. One cup of cooked black beans gives you 35.9 milligrams of phytosterols.
Most people can eat black beans safely, but some people might be allergic or have stomach problems. People who are allergic to latex or other legumes might also be allergic to black beans, because they have some of the same proteins. Black beans might also give some people gas, bloating, or diarrhea, especially if they eat a lot or eat them when they’re not ripe.
Black beans are a nutritious and versatile food that you can eat in different dishes, like soups, salads, burritos, or burgers. Black beans can help your health in many ways, like lowering cholesterol, making blood sugar better, and helping digestion. But don’t eat too many, because that can make you gain weight or cause other problems. A good amount of black beans to eat is about one to three cups a day, depending on what you need and like.
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