Navy beans are an excellent source of fiber, protein and vitamins. They are also an excellent source of minerals such as iron, making them a nutritional choice for vegetarians. Values below are for 1 cup of unsalted boiled beans. Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) percentages are for adults under age 50.
Calories and Carbohydrates
One cup of cooked navy beans contains 255 calories, most of which come from protein and carbohydrates. One cup contains 47.4 g of carbohydrates and less than 1 g of sugar.
Fiber
One cup of cooked beans contains 19.1 g of fiber. This is 68 percent of the DRI for an adult consuming 2,000 calories per day. This fiber is soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol. Beans are also low in fat (1.13 g) and contain no cholesterol, making them an excellent choice for people on low cholesterol diets.
Protein
One cup of navy beans supplies 15 g of protein, made up of all of the essential amino acids except taurine. Because they are missing this essential amino acid, navy beans are not a complete protein. They can, however, be consumed with rice or corn to make a complete protein. One cup of beans provides more than 5 percent of all three branched chain amino acids (isoleucine, leucine and valine), which are thought to relieve stress.
Minerals
Navy beans are an excellent source of many minerals. One cup provides more than 40 percent of the DRI for both copper and manganese. Copper is important for iron metabolism, while manganese is important for bone formation. One cup also supplies 37 percent of the DRI for phosphorus and 35 percent for potassium. For women, 1 cup provides 24 percent of the DRI for iron, 23 percent for zinc and 30 percent for magnesium. For men, 1 cup provides 54 percent of the DRI for iron, 17 percent for zinc and 23 percent for magnesium.
Vitamins
Navy beans contain nearly all of the B vitamins. One cup provides 64 percent of the DRI for folate and more than 30 percent of the DRI for thiamin. Folate is used for the metabolism of protein and can prevent certain types of anemia. Thiamine is important for both carbohydrate and protein metabolism. One cup of navy beans also supplies more than 15 percent of the DRI for vitamin B6 and choline as well as smaller amounts of riboflavin, niacin and pantothenic acid.
References
- Medline Plus: Fiber Information
- Medline Plus: Protein in Diet
- "The Healing Nutrients Within"; Eric R. Braverman, M.D.; 2003
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