Amazing Black Beans Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

You’ve probably heard that pulses (edible legumes) are nutrition powerhouses, which you should add to your meals. Black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are a type of pulse crop, classified under dry beans by the Food and Agriculture Organization.

It is also one of the 500 varieties of kidney beans. Previously, we wrote about one other type of kidney bean – the white bean. Here you will learn about black beans nutrition and their health implications.

Also called black turtle beans, black beans date back thousands of years when it was first domesticated in the diets of Central and South America. Today, it is widely consumed in many parts of the world, including the United States and Canada.

Black Beans Nutrition

Like white beans, black beans are regarded as one of the superfoods because of their amazing nutritional composition and potential health benefits.

Proximate Composition of Black Beans

According to USDA Nutrition Database data on black beans nutrition, below is the nutrition profile (proximate composition) per 100g of black beans.

• Water               –               61.1 g
• Energy              –              181kcal
• Protein             –               8.23 g
• Total Lipid (fat)   –           7.01 g
• Carbs    –            22 g
• Dietary Fiber       –         8.1 g                  

Additionally, the nutrition profile (proximate composition) per cup (185g) of black beans is as follows:

• Water               –                   113 g
• Energy              –                   335 kcal
• Protein             –                  15.2 g
• Total Lipid (fat)   –              13 g
• Carbs    –                 40.7 g
• Dietary Fiber   –               15 g                  

As you can see, black beans contain considerable amounts of protein, along with fiber and relatively low fats. This is also true of white beans. These facts make them a better source of protein (plant-based protein) than animal meat and many other Western diets. Unlike black beans, animal meats have zero fiber and high amounts of fats.

Moreover, about 78% of fats in black beans are composed of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. This healthy fat composition is much better for you than what you get in beef, which contains about 55% unsaturated fats and 45% saturated fats.

So, why are unsaturated fats healthier for you? It’s based on the fact that they are typically an oily liquid instead of a solid at room temperature. That means they’re less likely to gunk up your blood vessels when you consume them.

Thus, unsaturated fats reduce your risk of high blood pressure and heart problems. They also help keep your cells and brain in a healthy state and protect some organs from inflammation.

The high protein and fiber, as well as the balanced healthy fats composition of the black beans, contribute to its amazing health benefits. It may enhance bowel movement, help reduce cholesterol levels, and promote heart health.

Black Beans Nutrition – Mineral Composition

According to USDA Nutrition Database data on black beans nutrition, below are the minerals you’ll find in 100 g of the black bean.

• Calcium              –               25 mg
• Iron                       –             1.96 mg
• Magnesium         –              65 mg
• Phosphorus   –                   130 mg
• Potassium   –                      330 mg
• Sodium       –                        217 mg 
• Zinc             –                       1.04 mg
• Copper      –                          0.194 mg
• Selenium       –                     1.1µg

Additionally, the mineral Composition per cup (185g) of black beans is as follows:

• Calcium              –                 46.2 mg
• Iron                       –                3.63 mg
• Magnesium         –               120 mg
• Phosphorus   –               240 mg
• Potassium   –                610 mg
• Sodium       –                401 mg 
• Zinc             –                1.92 mg
• Copper      –                0.359 mg
• Selenium       –                 2.04µg

As you can see, the bean contains nine (9) minerals and is particularly rich in five (5) of them, namely Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Sodium.

Notably, black beans can be a good source of calcium for vegetarians. This nutrient is essential for healthy bones and teeth and enhances your body’s structural strength.

Further, magnesium is one underestimated nutrient, which is lacking in the food consumption of many. But it is an essential nutrient, required in hundreds of metabolic processes in your body. This means that magnesium is essential for your overall body function, enhancing strength and vitality, as well as mental health.

Another notable fact is that, although black bean is high in sodium, which may be bad for blood pressure, it also contains an even higher amount of potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. Potassium helps regulate the amount of sodium in the body by facilitating its removal through the kidneys. It also helps relax the walls of the blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure.

Black Beans Nutrition – Vitamins Composition

The USDA Nutrition Database data on black beans nutrition also shows the names and quantities of vitamins you’ll find in 100 g of black bean.

• Thiamin              –              0.398 mg
• Riboflavin             –            0.096 mg
• Niacin                    –           0.825 mg
• Vitamin B-6           –           0.113 mg
• Folate, total          –            244 µg
• Choline, total        –            56.1 mg
• Vitamin E              –            3.44 mg
• Vitamin K               –           18.9 µg

As you can see, black beans are one of the richest legume sources of vitamins. Vitamins are organic compounds that the human body needs in small quantities.  The functions of vitamins in your body include health and vitality, general body function, and optimal growth and development. 

Black Beans Nutrition – Bioactive Compounds

Black beans contain secondary compounds, some of which are known for their health-promoting properties. About 28 compounds have been identified, and they include phenolic acids, flavonols, flavonoids, and tannins.

Further, some of the phenolic acids that have been identified in the black bean include chlorogenic acid, vanillic acid, gallic acid, caffeic acid, Sinapic acid, ferulic acid, syringic acid, vanillin, and p-coumaric acid.

Phenolic acids are plant compounds with several benefits to the human body. They act as antioxidants, protecting the body from free-radical damage. Other functions may include acting as antibiotics, protecting internal organs from degenerative diseases, and maintaining healthy skin and eyes.

Moreover, flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and may protect your body against inflammation. The most abundant flavonoids in black beans are anthocyanins, which are responsible for the black color. For more information about the health benefits of flavonoids, read about flavonoids in food and their health benefits.

Black Beans Antinutrients

As we have shown, black beans contain a lot of useful nutrients and compounds. But they also contain anti-nutrients, which you should be aware of.

What are anti-nutrients? As the name implies, they are compounds that interfere with the body’s ability to absorb some useful nutrients.

Black beans, like other legumes, are known to contain the following antinutrients:

• Protease inhibitors
• Tannins
• Phytates; and
• Lectins.

According to an article published by the National Library of Medicine, the following are the effects of these anti-nutrients. Phytates may inhibit the absorption of three key minerals, iron, zinc, and calcium in your body.  

Lectins may alter your gut function and cause inflammation, thereby altering food absorption. While tannins may inhibit iron absorption and negatively impact iron stores in your body.

Further, protease inhibitors, as the name implies, reduce the digestibility of proteins and carbohydrates. One side effect of this is that they might cause some inflammation in your intestines.

However, there is good news. You can reduce or even eliminate these antinutrients from your black beans using simple processing methods, such as soaking and cooking.

Of course, you’re going to cook your beans before eating, but make sure to soak them for some time and drain them off the water.

The Bottom Line

The black bean is a nutrition powerhouse and forms a significant part of the diet of many people. They are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and health-promoting antioxidants.

However, in addition to positive facts about black beans nutrition, they contain some antinutrients, which may affect the absorption of certain nutrients. These anti-nutrients are present in most legumes, including white beans. Interestingly, these antinutrients can be reduced/removed by soaking the beans and cooking.