The Healthiest Beans to Eat: Top 5 Choices Backed by Nutritionists

If you’re wanting to enhance your health in 2025, adding more beans and lentils to your diet is a good decision. Packed with nutrients including 1 fiber, protein, iron, and magnesium,

Beans and lentils are among the most healthy and flexible meals on Earth. Yet these small nibbles are frequently forgotten in supermarkets, either because of the way they’re packed or the notoriety they garnered in the 1990s.

But 2025 seems destined to be a key year for beans. Last month, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee issued a scientific study recommending more beans and lentils, finding that 83 percent of Americans don’t attain the recommended daily consumption of between one and four cups of cooked beans and legumes.

With National Bean Day coming on Jan. 6, there’s never been a better opportunity to enjoy the advantages of beans and lentils.

Health Benefits of Beans and Lentils

Beans and lentils include a broad variety of minerals, including protein, fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium; they have low amounts of saturated fat and salt and a low glycemic index.

Studies show that eating beans is related to several health advantages, including:

Heart health: Eating beans helps lower bad LDL cholesterol and prevent heart disease.

Colon cancer prevention: Eating beans may help prevent colon cancer.

Glucose management: helps prevent diabetes and improve blood sugar control.

Weight management: People who consume beans frequently tend to weigh less and have a better waist-to-hip ratio.

Better nutritional quality: People who eat beans ingest more fiber, iron, calcium, and potassium than those who do not.

The finest varieties of beans and how to consume them

Beans differ in their nutritional components and taste; however, the following kinds provide various nutritional benefits:

1. Lentils

Half a cup of cooked lentils includes 8 grams of fiber, 9 grams of protein, and numerous minerals.

How to consume them: They may be added to salads, soups, or used as a meat alternative in meals such as bolognese sauce.

2. Black beans

Half a cup includes 6 grams of fiber and protein, in addition to iron, magnesium, and more.

How to consume them: They may be used in salads, taco meals, or as a replacement for burgers.

3. White beans (cannellini)

Half a cup includes 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein, in addition to iron.

How to consume them: Perfect for soups or as a dip instead of hummus.

4. Chickpeas

Half a cup provides 6 grams of fiber and 7.5 grams of protein, in addition to numerous minerals.

How to consume them: They may be added to salads or transformed into hummus.

5. Edamame Beans

A half cup includes 11 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, plus folate and magnesium.

How to consume it: It may be eaten as a snack or added to rice and veggie recipes.

Tips for picking beans

Whether you choose dry, canned, or frozen beans, be sure to purchase items without additional sauces or salt. If you use canned beans, pick cans that are free of dangerous BPA.

Beans and lentils are cheap food choices, yet they are rich in important minerals such as fiber, iron, and calcium. Making them part of your everyday diet may assist in boosting overall health.