Top 5 Healthy Beans

Beans have a long history in the human diet, as they are fairly easy to grow in a variety of climates, offer a wide range of tastes and textures, and have a very good nutritional profile in general. Indeed, people in many cultures throughout the centuries have combined beans with rice, cheese, and other basic foods to form complete, affordable protein sources. Because of this ability to combine beans with other foods to increase protein quality, beans are also a staple in the diets of many vegetarians. So, there's no doubt that beans provide several health and economic advantages, but which ones are the absolute best? Here is a list of five of the healthiest bean varieties, and what each one has to offer (Note: all nutritional values are taken from dietbites.com).

Cranberry Beans

Yes, of course there's a burning question on your lips: just what in the heck are cranberry beans? As WiseGeek.com tells us, cranberry beans are known widely as borlotti or shell beans, and they tend toward hard, red shells in the dry state, with their color washing out when cooked. Ah, but color aside, cranberry beans are the nutritional heavyweight of the legumes. One cooked cup of borlotti packs nearly 18 grams of dietary fiber alongside more than 16 grams of protein. Add in a healthy 43 g of overall carbohydrates and a high standing in calcium content among other beans, and this cranberry is unparalleled amongst its peers. An added bonus is the delicious nutty flavor that shell beans add to any dish.

Black Beans

While not quite as power-packed as it's cranberry cousin, the black bean still offers 15 grams each of protein and fiber per cooked cup, and provides a rich, moist eating experience that really can't be matched by other beans. A favorite ingredient in many Mexican dishes, black beans can also be used in lieu of flour in chocolate baking recipes.

Kidney Beans

Kidney beans provide 11 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein per cup, which are respectable totals. Where kidney beans really win out, though, are in their iron content, which is the highest among all of the common beans. This is especially important for vegetarians who may have trouble getting enough iron without meat and dairy products.

Lima Beans

Lima beans are one of the few really "meaty" beans that still provides a fresh green taste, while also offering 9 grams of fiber and 11 grams of protein per cooked cup. Lima beans also have more potassium than just about any other type of bean, weighing in at 969 mg per cup. Potassium is an important counterpart to sodium, particular in the modern diet, which is often loaded with salt (sodium chloride, usually).

Green Beans

Would any list of great beans really be complete without this classic? The actual legume part of the green bean is pretty small, but the thick green pod more than makes up for it. All in all, green beans serve up about 4 grams of fiber and 2 grams protein per cooked cup while adding only 36 calories in the process.

Beans are good, beans are great, and it's hard to go wrong eating almost any type of bean, as long as you don't load them up with butter, salt, or other "goodies". The five varieties listed here, though, are just about the healthiest legumes that you can choose.