Most beans are particularly high in carbs, containing up to 50 g per serving. Only soybeans are low in carbs, containing only 4 g of net carbs per serving.
What’s the carbohydrate content of beans?
Beans are rich in carbs. A typical 1-cup serving contains between 40 and 50 grams of carbs! Pink, red, green, navy, white, pinto, lima and kidney beans, as well as chickpeas and lentils contain at least 40 g of carbs per serving.
| carbs (g) per 100g | carbs (g) per serving | |
| pink beans | 28 | 47 |
| navy beans | 26 | 47 |
| chickpeas | 27.4 | 45 |
| pinto beans | 26.2 | 45 |
| white beans | 25 | 45 |
| green/French beans | 24 | 42 |
| lentils | 20 | 40 |
| kidney beans | 23 | 40 |
| red beans | 23 | 40 |
| lima beans | 21 | 39 |
| fava beans | 20 | 33 |
| soybeans | 8.4 | 14.4 |
| tofu | 9 | 7.5 |
What type of carbs are in beans?
The carbohydrate content of beans consists mainly of starch and dietary fiber. Beans contain negligible amounts of sugars.
Most noteworthy, beans are the best dietary sources of fiber. Actually, the 25-40% of carbs in beans are fiber. The rest is starch.
Following a diet high in fiber is good for you. High fiber intakes may lower the risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases.
Sharp increase in fiber intake may cause discomfort and a series of side effects, though. So, you better increase the consumption of beans gradually.
Are beans keto-friendly?
People who follow a ketogenic diet should typically consume no more than 20-50 g of carbs a day.[2]
Therefore, beans aren’t keto-friendly. A serving of beans may exceed the upper allowed carbohydrate intake of a ketogenic diet.
Only soybeans are keto-friendly, as they’re low in net carbs. Soybeans have the lowest carbohydrate content, containing fewer than 15 g of carbs per serving. Most of them are fiber, though. Soybeans have only 4 g of net carbs per serving!
Also, soybeans are by far the richest beans in fat!
In addition, soybeans have the richest protein content, containing 31 g of protein per serving! All beans are great plant-based sources of protein, though. Most beans contain between 15 and 18 g of protein per serving.
Can people with diabetes eat beans?
Certainly, as beans are particularly high in carbs, people with diabetes shouldn’t overconsume beans.
But, dietary fiber and resistant starch in beans prevent blood sugar spikes. In fact, the American Diabetes Association recommends consuming beans and legumes in moderation.[3]
If you’re using the Plate Method, beans should make up about a quarter of the plate.
Always consult your physician before changing your diet.
Why should we eat beans regularly?
Regular consumption of beans is good for the body, as they’re packed in vitamins, minerals, and health-promoting phytochemicals. Bean consumption has been linked to significant reduction of all-risk mortality.[4]
For instance, they’re particularly high in magnesium and potassium, which may help control blood glucose. In addition, beans are pretty high in calcium, iron, and zinc.[5]
Also, despite their high calorie content, beans are good for weight loss. They have a high satiating effect, helping us consume fewer calories in a day.
Most noteworthy, due to their antioxidant compounds, long-term consumption of beans may lower LDL-cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure. It may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes as well.[6]
Also, beans may reduce the risk of certain cancers, like colon cancer![7]
