Navy beans, like many dried beans, are an excellent source of protein, minerals and B vitamins. Numbers below are for 1 cup of cooked, unsalted beans. While the sodium content would rise significantly if salt were added during cooking, most other numbers would stay the same. Dietary reference intake (DRI) percentages are for adults under age 50.
Calories
One cup of cooked navy beans contains 255 calories. While beans are high in protein, the majority of the calories do still come from carbohydrates. One cup contains 47.4 g of carbohydrates. Navy beans contain a large amount of both starch and fiber. One cup provides 28 g of starch and 19.1 g of fiber. This is nearly 70 percent of the DRI for fiber for an adult consuming 2,000 calories a day.
Protein
Along with the 47.4 g of carbohydrates in a cup of navy beans, there are also 15 g of protein. While this protein is comprised of significant amounts of 18 different amino acids, navy beans are still not a complete protein, as they do not contain all of the essential amino acids.
Fat
While high in both carbohydrates and protein, navy beans are low in fat, with 1 cup containing only 1.1 g. This fat is a combination of trace amounts of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. One cup of beans contains no cholesterol or trans fats.
Sodium
Navy beans on their own contain no sodium so 1 cup of beans would contain 0 mg. However, most beans are boiled with salt, which would increase the sodium content significantly. Adding just 1/4 tsp. of salt to the beans would increase the sodium to 581 mg, which is nearly 25 percent of the recommended daily maximum of 2,400 mg.
Minerals
Navy beans contain significant amounts of many essential minerals. One cup contains 53 percent of the DRI for manganese for women and 42 percent for men. One cup provides 42 percent of the DRI for copper as well. Copper is an important nutrient for the metabolism of iron. One cup of navy beans also supplies over 30 percent of the DRI for both phosphorus and potassium, as well as approximately 20 percent of the DRI for zinc and 10 percent of the DRI for selenium and calcium. Lastly, 1 cup of navy beans supplies 30 percent of the DRI for magnesium for women and 23 percent for men.
Vitamins
Although 1 cup contains only 2 percent of the DRI for vitamin C, navy beans do provide large amounts of many other water-soluble vitamins. One cup supplies 64 percent of the DRI for folate, which helps prevent certain types of anemia. One cup also provides nearly 40 percent of the DRI for thiamine and 20 percent of the DRI for both B-6 and choline. Approximately 10 percent of the DRI for riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid are provided by 1 cup as well. Navy beans contain less than 1 percent of the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, K and D.
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