Kidney Beans Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Kidney beans are a significant source of plant-based protein and dietary fibre, and their inclusion in typical dietary patterns is consistently linked to higher overall diet quality and improved intake of shortfall nutrients like potassium and iron .
These beans have a notably low omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, which is considered a favourable lipid profile compared to other legumes like soybeans or peanuts .
Red kidney beans contain phytohemagglutinin (a type of lectin), which in concentrated extract form is being studied for its potential to stimulate hormones that regulate digestion and appetite satiation .
Early research suggests that different varieties, such as dark red versus white kidney beans, may have distinct effects on the composition of gut microbiota (the community of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract) .

Interesting fact

Raw kidney beans contain high concentrations of the toxin phytohaemagglutinin, which requires boiling for at least ten minutes to neutralize, as lower temperatures can actually increase the toxin's toxicity.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Molybdenum

SUPER

SOURCE

Chromium

EPIC

SOURCE

Dietary fibre

EPIC

SOURCE

Potassium

245

kcal per 100g

Protein16.4g

Fat3.41g

Carbs30.1g

Fiber17.7g

Sugar2.06g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat1.84g

Monounsat1.38g

Saturated0.58g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VeganVegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeDairy Free

Sustainability

Lighter footprint

Legumes have a very low carbon footprint and improve soil health through nitrogen fixation.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Cool Dark Place

1–2 years

Applies to dried beans stored in an airtight container.

Refrigerate

3–5 days

For cooked beans stored in liquid.

Freeze

6–12 months

Cooked beans freeze well.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 3 validated sources

French Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Adding more beans to the US typical dietary pattern can lead to greater intake of shortfall nutrients and a higher diet quality in younger and older adults - ScienceDirect

[2]www.sciencedirect.comsciencedirect.com

Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases - PMC

[3]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Varietal Differences in Kidney Beans Modulate Gut Microbiota and ...

[6]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[PDF] Nutritive Value of Foods - USDA ARS

[8]www.ars.usda.govars.usda.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

99.8

Version

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