Nutrients in Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are one of those humble foods that no one raves about or pays extra for in restaurants. But they're an amazing food. They're inexpensive, especially in dried form, and found in almost all cultures around the world. Once you know how nutritious they are you'll keep kidney beans stocked in your pantry.

Analysis

A cup of kidney beans is high in good-quality protein (containing 15 g, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database), fiber (11 g) and healthy carbohydrates (40 g). This serving provides healthy doses of folate (230 mcg), Vitamin K (15 mcg), thiamine (.283 mg), iron (4 mg), magnesium (74 mg), phosphorus (244 mg), potassium (717 mg) and manganese (.761 mg). Kidney beans contain almost no fat (less than 1 g), sodium (2 mg) or cholesterol.

They also contain trace minerals, such as molybdenum, which is necessary for biological nitrogen fixation and helps detoxify the body from sulfur products used in preservatives. A cup of these beans contains more than the daily recommended allowance of this mineral.

Health Benefits

According to the Mayo Clinic, kidney beans' fiber content alone is beneficial for several reasons. Fiber helps curb calorie intake because it keeps you feeling full; soluble fiber reduces cholesterol and slows the release of insulin, thereby helping diabetics prevent blood-sugar spikes.

Healthiest Sources

Kidney beans are widely available, but know which sources are healthiest. Canned goods are exposed to high temperatures and often include salt and other flavorings. If you can find a canned variety of kidney beans without salt, it will do in a pinch. The best, and cheapest, kidney beans are dried. Nothing was added to them and you reconstitute them easily with water.

Gas Prevention

One of the obvious side effects of eating beans is the resulting gas. Some of the natural sugars in the beans are broken down by bacteria in the digestive tract. The resulting gas can be avoided or minimized by draining the beans of their soaking and cooking water before using them in a dish. Also, never add any salt or acid to the cooking water of beans until they are soft.

Preparation

Because kidney beans are low in fat, carbohydrates and sodium, avoid adding these substances to recipes when you cook with kidney beans. Some healthy recipes include turkey chili, kidney bean burgers, pickled bean salad, kidney bean hummus and bean-and-tomato stew. Children will love eating them as-is with their fingers due to the beans' bright red color and fun shape.