Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet: Are Beans Keto-friendly?

December 1, 2021 Odiraa

Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet: Are Beans Keto-friendly?

Can I have beans on a low-carb diet?
Beans and the keto diet

Is it okay to eat beans on a low-carb or keto diet? Beans and other legumes are nutrient-dense and healthy, but with so many varieties, you might be wondering which, if any, are allowed on a low-carb diet.

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Nutritional Value of Beans: Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet

Beans come in a variety of flavors and are eaten all around the world. However, here are some of them, along with the number of carbs, protein, and fiber in one cup of boiled water:

Carbs: 35 g, Protein 13 g, Fiber 11 g in black-eyed peas. This is a common occurrence in West Africa.
Black beans have 41 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fiber. This ingredient can be found in a variety of Latin American recipes.
Soybeans (or soya beans) have 17 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of protein, and 10 grams of fiber.
Soybeans are native to East Asia, but they may be found just about anywhere.
Adzuki beans (also known as red mung beans) provide 57 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of protein, and 17 grams of fiber. This is also an East Asian native.
They are smaller than other beans and, due to their sweetness, are frequently used in sweets. As a result, the carb count is extremely high.
Carbs: 40 g, Protein: 15 g, Fiber: 11 g in kidney beans. These beans are typically crimson in color and kidney-shaped (though they could also be white or light-speckled).
Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) have 45g of carbs per day, protein 15g, and fiber 12g. Chickpeas are a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Carbs: 47g, Protein 15g, Fiber 19g in navy beans (haricot beans or white pea beans). Fun fact: the term “Navy bean” was coined by the US Navy since it has been a staple among sailors since the mid-nineteenth century.
Pinto beans include 45 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein, and 15 grams of fiber. This is a popular bean variety in the United States, and it’s usually seen in Mexican burritos, as well as being eaten whole or mashed.
Lima beans include 39 grams of carbohydrates, 15 grams of protein, and 13 grams of fiber. This is a rather common sight in South America.

Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet

The principal legume we consume as beans in Nigeria and most West African countries is the black-eyed pea, commonly known as the black-eyed bean (despite the name, it is beans and not a type of pea).

The black-eyed pea is a good source of carbohydrates, protein, fiber, folate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, and a variety of other vitamins and minerals.

Honey beans (also known as African brown beans) and cowpeas are two minor varieties of black-eyed peas (sometimes used interchangeably with black-eyed peas).

Honey beans have a sweet flavor, whilst cowpeas have a more earthy flavor.

Are beans good for you? Are beans healthy? Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet

Yes, beans are very good for you! Here are a few characteristics that most beans share:

They are quite filling and helpful for digestive health due to their high fiber content.
They’re high in vitamins and minerals, and they can help lower blood pressure and improve heart health, among other things.
They’re versatile and can be used in a range of sweet and savory meals.
Lastly, they contain a lot of carbohydrates, yet their glycemic index is very low. This means it will take a long time for it to be digested and processed in the body, which means you won’t experience the insulin spikes that come with afternoon crashes.

Are beans allowed on a low-carb diet? Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet

Some beans may be acceptable if you’re on a somewhat low-carb diet, but it depends on which ones.

On a fairly low-carb diet, black soybeans and lima beans are two alternatives that can work well in moderation (25–50g per day).

The majority of other types of beans are extremely heavy in carbohydrates and will soon push you over your carb limit.

How About Eating Beans and Losing Weight? Can Beans Help You Lose Weight?

It all depends on your eventual aim. Beans will work for you if you’re on a conventional, non-keto diet and exercise and limit your calories.

If you’re on a keto or low carb diet and want to reap all of the benefits, such as weight loss, hunger management, reduced inflammation, and improved insulin control, the goal is to educate your body to burn fat instead of carbs for energy.

Consuming carb-dense foods like beans will cause your body to switch from burning fat to burning carbohydrates, negating all of the benefits of a low-carb diet.

Are beans allowed on a keto diet? Are beans keto-friendly?

The term “keto” is suddenly ubiquitous—in your Instagram feed, in grocery store aisles, on food labels, in cookbooks galore, and so on. It’s a well-liked diet.

Beans, unfortunately, will not work for a keto diet due to their high carb content. The nutritional numbers mentioned were for one cup, which is more than enough to exceed your daily carb allowance.

What are a few bean alternatives? Consider substituting other low-carb vegetables with beans. “

Now that you know everything there is to know about beans and their keto diet connection, you might be wondering how you might incorporate additional low-carb, similarly textured items into your daily diet.

(Alternatively, if you don’t care for beans in general, you may be looking for alternatives.) According to Sheth, there are a few great options:

Mushroom
Eggplant
Peanuts
Avocado
Meat minced

The bottom line on Eating Beans on a Low-Carb Diet

Meanwhile, if you eat low-carb beans like green beans and black soybeans and keep track of your portions, beans can be a great addition to your keto diet.