White kidney beans are healthy since they are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein. As they have high fiber content, they help you lose weight by keeping you full for longer and reducing untimely cravings.
In this article, we will discuss the various benefits of white kidney beans. Also, we will share a few basic recipes and other vital details about this legume.
Table of Contents
Health Benefits Of White Kidney Beans
Kidney beans offer various health benefits to you. It can help you fight diseases and improve overall health. The health benefits offered are –
1. Cancer-Fighting
Legumes like white kidney beans are rich in antioxidant content. Antioxidants destroy free radicals produced by the body. Free radicals are compounds, which are produced when the body metabolizes.
Free radicals on binding to cells cause aging, cancer, and other chronic diseases. White kidney beans can help you counter these harmful effects of free radicals from antioxidants.
2. Fibre Content Aids Digestion
White kidney beans and other legumes are rich in fiber content. This aids in digestion, averting problems such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Diverticulitis. These kidney beans contain soluble as well as insoluble dietary fiber. Different digestible food should be included in your diet.
Insoluble dietary fiber is also called alpha-galactosides, which may cause problems like diarrhea in some people. Restraint starch is also found in white kidney beans.
The restraint starch along and alpha-galactosides stimulates the growth of good bacteria in the colon. This helps in averting the risk of colon cancer.
3. Good For The Heart
White kidney beans have a high vitamin B9 content, which is also known as folic acid. Folate or folic acid helps in reducing the levels of amino acid homocysteine in the bloodstream.
As per publications of American Medical Association in their 2002 journal, the risk of a heart attack in Americans would reduce by about 10 percent if they consumed the required amount of folate.A cup of white kidney beans serving makes up for half of your daily folate requirement.
4. Better Memory And Mental Health
White kidney beans are a good source of vitamin B1 or thiamine. This vitamin is vital for development and operation of brain cells.B1 also helps in improving your memory and overall mental health.
A daily serving of one cup of white kidney beans can be helpful for maintenance and improvement of your mental health on an overall basis.
5. Blood Sugar Control
Being a source of slow release carbohydrates, kidney beans are a great nutritional choice for maintaining proper blood sugar levels. These rank very low on the glycemic index and lead to a gradual rise in blood sugar levels.Therefore, it is a good choice for you if you suffer from diabetes.
6. Help To Maintain Wrinkles – Free Skin
White kidney beans protect the skin against premature aging. Skin ages prematurely due to exposure to sunlight. It also prevents the formation of wrinkles.Thus, white kidney beans keep you in good health and looking younger for longer.
7. Helps Lose Weight
White kidney bean extract can help you lose weight by blocking carbohydrates from converting into sugar. This does not have any severe side effects, although you may experience flatulence for a short period after consumption.Other products which claim to block carbs have serious side effects, and this makes white bean extract highly preferable.
However, you must exercise caution while taking this extract. If you cannot take it, in the long run, it might lead to weight gain once you stop taking it.It, therefore, increases the risk of weight gain in the medium and long-term.
8. Detoxification Of Sulfites
Kidney beans contain trace mineral called molybdenum. It is a key constituent of an enzyme called sulfite oxidase. This enzyme detoxifies sulfites present in foods such as salad bars. But, if you are sensitive to sulfites, you may experience adverse side effects such as headache or rapid heartbeats.
White Kidney Bean Extract & Weight Loss
Extracts made from white kidney beans are helpful in weight loss. They are known to be “starch blockers” and work on weight loss when taken along with carb-filled meals. It also inhibits the digestion of starches.
Supplements of white bean extract, when taken 15 minutes before a meal on a regular basis help in reduction of weight as well as inches from the waist area. This extract ensures that the weight lost is unwanted body mass and not lean muscle.
Cardiovascular exercises coupled with resistance training and this supplement can ensure effective weight loss. But the effectiveness of this extract is yet to be completely verified, and more research is required in this area.
Side Effects Of White Kidney Beans
Despite the various benefits offered, white kidney beans are toxic when consumed without boiling properly. You may also experience bloating or flatulence due to consumption of white kidney beans. It is, therefore wise to limit consumption as per individual suitability.
a. Toxicity
Raw beans are high in toxicity content because of high levels of toxic protein. Humans, as well as animals, have suffered from poisoning due to kidney beans.
The symptoms of kidney beans poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea. In some cases, it may also require hospitalization. To avoid the negative effects of toxicity, you must soak kidney beans in
To avoid the adverse effects of toxicity, you must soak kidney beans in water overnight or for at least 5 hours before cooking.
Before consumption, you should boil it well for at least 10 minutes. This makes the beans safe to consume and free of toxicity.
b. Antinutrients
Uncooked or semi-cooked kidney beans contain antinutrients. These antinutrients reduce the nutritional value of the beans by reducing its ability to absorb nutrients from the digestive tract. But, if the beans are properly soaked and boiledBut, if the beans are properly soaked and boiled before-hand, these antinutrients can be eliminated or reduced.
c. Bloating
You may feel bloated after consumption of white kidney beans if they are not properly cooked. This is because of the presence of insoluble fibers.
Other symptoms include flatulence and diarrhea. It may also increase symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. These effects can be countered by properly cooking kidney beans prior to consumption.
White kidney beans are very healthy and should be a part of your daily diet. There are various innovative recipes which you can use for this. The beans offer a wide range of benefits from protection to improvement of health and fighting deadly diseases.
Since these beans help in weight loss, it is ideal for you if you are on a diet or exercising to lose weight. Being low on calorie count, it is the ideal choice for you if you prefer to eat healthily.
Also, it is widely available and is not very expensive. But, it is very important to soak the beans overnight and boil them well before use to overcome the negative effects of toxicity.
Raw or undercooked beans should be strictly avoided. These beans can be stored for a long time, without worrying about deterioration. They can be kept in airtight containers in a cool place.
However, if you have stored them for a long time, they will take longer to soften on being soaked and boiled. Therefore, if you have been looking for healthier food options, white kidney beans would be an ideal choice.
