What Are Fiber-Rich Beans?

What Are Fiber-Rich Beans?
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Dried beans are excellent sources of dietary fiber, a nondigestible carbohydrate that plays an important role in digestion. Healthy diets rich in fiber can help you control your weight and reduce your risk of constipation, diverticular disease, obesity, type-2 diabetes and heart disease. Women should get at least 20 g of dietary fiber per day, and men should get at least 30 g per day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.

Adzuki Beans

Adzuki beans, small red beans originally from Asia, have 13 g of fiber per ½-cup serving. This 110-calorie serving also provides 7 g of protein and 25 percent of your recommended daily iron intake. It has only 1 g of fat and no cholesterol or sodium. Adzuki beans have a much higher total carbohydrate content than many other dried beans, though, with 62 g per serving.

Navy Beans

Navy beans, commonly used in Boston and English baked bean dishes, are small and white. A ½-cup, 130-calorie serving of navy beans provides 10 g of dietary fiber, as well as 7 g of protein and 10 percent of your recommended daily iron intake. This serving has 24 g of carbohydrates, 1 g of fat and no cholesterol or sodium.

Cranberry Beans

Cranberry beans, popular in northern Italy and Spain, have red specks that disappear during cooking. A ½-cup, 120-calorie serving of cranberry beans provides 9 g of dietary fiber, as well as 8 g of protein and 10 percent of your recommended daily iron intake. This serving has only 22 g of carbohydrates and no fat, cholesterol or sodium.

Other Fiber-Rich Beans

A ½-cup serving of pinto beans provides 8 g of fiber, and a ½-cup serving of black or lima beans provides 7 g of fiber. Black-eyed, garbanzo, great northern, kidney and small red beans provide 6 g of fiber per ½-cup serving.

References

Article reviewed by Amy Richards Last updated on: Aug 2, 2011

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