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Add Beans to Meals and Snacks

Beans are versatile and full of heart- and brain-healthy nutrients

By

Staying Sharp

Updated August 21, 2025

Updated August 21, 2025

An up-close view of black beans on a wooden spoon

Shutterstock

Quick Win

These inexpensive legumes are packed with protein, fiber and B vitamins.

Try This Today

Incorporate beans — try black, white, kidney and garbanzo beans — into your meals and snacks for one week.
Add beans to salads, wraps, soups, chili, rice, pizzas, quinoa and tacos.
Enjoy a recipe like Mexican Black Beans — and get an omega-3 boost!

Why

Beans are packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats and can help control blood pressure, blood sugar and inflammation, according to a 2024 report in Frontiers in Nutrition. They are also an important part of the Mediterranean diet, which is linked to lower risk of heart disease, cognitive decline and diabetes.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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