Kidney Bean Health & Wellness

Kidney beans come in a variety of colors (mainly red) but are kidney-shaped beans. Their firm, creamy, white flesh and full-bodied flavor make these beans a popular choice for chili, soups, and salads because they absorb the flavors of seasonings and the other foods with which they are cooked. Both dried and canned kidney beans are available throughout the year. Dried beans are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as in bulk bins.

Health Benefits
Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein.

But this is far from all the excellent benefits kidney beans have to offer. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans supplies 177.0% of the daily value for molybdenum. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars. Persons who are sensitive to sulfites in these foods may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation if sulfites are unwittingly consumed. If you have ever reacted to sulfites, it may be because your molybdenum stores are insufficient to detoxify them.

Great Fiber!
In addition to the other health benefits that kidney beans offer, they also serve as an excellent source of fiber. The average American consumes somewhere in between 5 to 14 grams of fiber daily when they should be consuming 21 to 38 grams of fiber depending on their gender.  That's where kidney beans come in - a cup of cooked kidney beans provides 45.3% of the recommended daily intake for fiber.

Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that binds with bile (which contains cholesterol) and ferries it out of the body. Research studies have shown that insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk and prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.