Pinto beans are the mature seeds of a type of legume. Usually preserved by drying or canning, pinto beans resemble kidney beans in size and shape but are tan with streaks of reddish brown, which disappear as the beans cook. A nutritious food, pinto beans are high in protein and carbohydrates and low in fat. They also provide a significant amount of certain vitamins and minerals and are high in dietary fiber.
Contents
The USDA Nutrient Database indicates that a typical serving of 1 cup of boiled pinto beans weighs 171 g. Carbohydrates make up around 45 g of that weight. Proteins provide 15 g and only 1 g comes from fats.
Caloric Value
A 1-cup serving of pinto beans provides around 245 calories, or approximately 12 percent of the daily recommended caloric intake for the average adult. Carbohydrates provide 182 calories per serving. Proteins deliver approximately 53 calories, and fat comes in at around 10 calories.
Vitamins
Pinto beans contain substantial amounts of certain essential vitamins. The highest of these is folate at almost 300 mcg or 75 percent of the daily recommended intake for this vitamin. Other high concentrations of vitamins include thiamine at 0.3 mg or 25 percent, and vitamin B-6 at 0.4 mg or around 30 percent. Lesser amounts of other vitamins within the serving are vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
Minerals
A single serving of pinto beans is also an excellent source of many essential dietary minerals. Manganese at 0.8 mg or 40 percent has the highest level. Other significant quantities of minerals within the serving include iron at 3.6 mg or 36 percent, phosphorus at 250 mg or 35 percent, magnesium at 86 mg or 23 percent, and potassium at 746 mg or 16 percent. A single serving also has substantial amounts of calcium, zinc, copper and selenium.
Other Nutrients
Pinto beans are naturally low in sodium, providing just 1.7 mg, or less than 1 percent of the total amount recommended each day within each serving. The same amount delivers a substantial quantity of dietary fiber at 15 g, or more than 60 percent of the recommended amount. Pinto beans contain no appreciable amounts of saturated fats, trans fats or cholesterol.
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