5 Reasons to Eat More Beans

If beans could talk, they would probably humble-brag. Here are five reasons they deserve to boast.

​1. They’re nutrient-dense​

These unassuming little legumes are nutritional powerhouses packed with fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron and folate.

2. They might help you lose weight

People who eat beans tend to eat healthier and weigh less than people who don’t eat beans, according to a study published in Nutrition Journal in 2024 that analyzed data from more than 40,000 adults ages 19 and older.

3. They might lower your cholesterol, the bad kind

Eating about ¾ cup of beans each day could lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by up to 19 percent and slash your risk of heart disease by up to 11 percent, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies involving a total of more than 9,000 adults between the ages of 19 and 76 published in Nutrients in 2021.

4. They may decrease inflammation

People who ate a cup a day of black beans had lower levels of inflammation after three months in a study of 72 adults between the ages of 25 and 57 with prediabetes (meaning their blood glucose levels were elevated but weren’t high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes) published in Current Developments in Nutrition in 2025.

5. They may help you lower your risk of memory problems

Inflammation can contribute to memory and thinking problems, which helps explain the results of a 2024 study that found that eating anti-inflammatory foods, including beans, can lower your risk of cognitive impairment. Published in Nutrients, the study analyzed data from 8,692 participants with a mean age of 84.

Boost your bean intake with our recipes for Roasted Chickpea & Cauliflower Pitas, Bean and Barley Soup, Black Bean & Mango Salad and Salsa-Black Bean Burgers. And check out our seven-day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan; it’s full of beans — in the best way!