7 Life Changing Health Benefits of Pinto Beans
The health benefits of pinto beans make them a no brainer choice for your next meal! Bonus, pinto beans are VERY BUDGET FRIENDLY. Say buh-bye inflation, hello pinto beans recipe!
Dried pinto beans are a staple ingredient in the cupboard and an excellent source of fiber and protein! As an added bonus, dried pinto beans won’t break the bank.
1. Knowing How to Cook Pinto Beans at Home will Leave You With More Money Every Month to Spend
You can purchase a pound sized bag of your favorite item for a fraction of the cost – usually less than $2 – from your local store, making it an incredibly economical and beneficial decision that will make you and your wallet much happier!
Press the easy button and click here to order pinto beans on Amazon and have them delivered directly to your doorstep!
Want to save even more money? Buy in bulk! You can get this 25 pound bag of pinto beans for $1.28 a pound!
Store Your Dried Pinto Beans in Pretty Glass Jars
Store your deliciously nutty and flavorful dried pinto beans in attractive, airtight glass jars to help preserve their shelf-life for extended time periods. Not only are these glass jars lovely to look at, but they are also an effective way to keep your beans fresh and safe from any potential contamination.
You can find a pack of 12 glass 32 ounce jars at Amazon here! These jars are also amazing for storing other dried goods like rice, split peas, and Northern beans. You can also use them to keep fresh extra bean stock for your soups, shaved parmesan cheese, extra soups, pickled red onions, and more!
2. The Health Benefits of Pinto Beans Mean More Fiber for Your Gut
Pinto beans are an amazing source of dietary fiber, which can have a great impact on your overall gut health. Not only that, but getting enough fiber in your diet can also help to improve your heart health, support the digestion process, aid in weight maintenance and even weight loss efforts, as well as keep blood sugar levels stable.
Pinto Beans Nutrition and Fiber
Dietary fiber is incredibly important for your gut health and overall wellbeing. Fiber helps to regulate your digestion, maintain regular bowel movements, and support the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. Additionally, it has been found to help reduce cholesterol levels and may even have a positive effect on weight management.
3. Cooked Pinto Beans Nutrition Gives You An Excellent Source of Antioxidants
Kaempherol, a powerful antioxidant found in pinto beans, has been widely studied for its potential health benefits. Studies have suggested that it may be helpful in reducing the risk of developing certain chronic diseases including cerebrovascular disease and associated conditions related to the regulation of healthy blood flow (Knekt et al., 2002).
As well as containing other polyphenols and flavonoids, fruits and vegetables are rich sources of powerful antioxidants that can help defend the body against disease. These antioxidants have been shown to have a variety of health benefits such as protection against heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses (Lobo et al., 2010
4. The Calories in 1 Cup of Beans Cooked Are Minimal
The calories in 1 cup of beans cooked not only are good for you, but also are low! Think, 245 calories per cup of cooked pinto beans.
Pinto beans have about 245 calories per one cup of beans cooked. And, despite what the sugar industry would like you to believe, a calorie is NOT a calorie! Pinto bean protein has a plethora of other gut healthy benefits!
Dr. Kait
Let’s dive into the health benefits of pinto beans. Aside from providing you an excellent source of antioxidants, doctors have found pinto beans to regulate blood sugar.
Dried Pinto Beans Regulate Blood Sugar
In a randomized clinical study on individuals with Type II diabetes, cooked pinto beans showed significant improvement to regulating sugar levels (Thompson et al., 2012). Given that pinto beans have a low glycemic index, they are able to digest in your body slowly. Slow digestion keeps blood sugar from spiking and keeps your energy levels more consistent over time (Thompson et al., 2012).
Food that digest in your body slowly keep your blood sugar from spiking and help keep your energy levels up.
Dr. Kait
These findings have been consistent across studies. In other research on the impact of food on our blood sugar levels, doctors found similar results (Ojo et al., 2018). To read the research yourself, click on the hyperlinks and take a look at the published articles!
5. Pinto Beans Can Lower Cholesterol
Eating approximately 1/2 a cup of pinto beans every day has been linked to many positive health benefits, including the potential to help lower cholesterol levels (Finley et al., 2007; Winham et al., 2007). This is due to the beans’ rich source of dietary fiber and other essential nutrients, making them an excellent addition to any healthy eating plan. Despite being relatively small studies, the results of these medical trials have been highly promising, with doctors observing a significant reduction in total cholesterol levels as well as an impressive improvement in the good to bad ratio of cholesterol within the participating patients.
6. Cooked Pinto Beans Can Reduce Your Blood Pressure
Additionally, pinto beans are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium which are both essential for regulating blood pressure. Kale is also a great source of these minerals and can be consumed to further support a healthy heart. If you’re interested in learning more about the incredible health benefits of kale, take a look at my post 9 Insanely Good Kale Health Benefits and Side Effects That Will Make Your Skin Glow!
7. Are Pinto Beans Good For Weight Loss? Yes!
Pinto beans are a nutritional powerhouse that can be instrumental in helping you reach your weight loss goals, or simply supporting the maintenance of your current weight (Papanikolaou & Fulgoni, 2008). As a rich source of protein and fiber, pinto beans are known to keep you feeling full for longer periods of time, making them an ideal food choice for those looking to shed some extra pounds (McCrory et al., 2010).
Looking for the Best Pinto Beans Recipe? Try Some of Kait’s Cupboard Recipes below!
If you are looking for a pinto bean recipe, check out some of our favorites below! You can save money, support your gut health, and make healthy lunches ahead to pack for your work or school week.
Before you start cooking, you should seriously consider using a pressure cooker. The Instant Pot is an amazing cooking tool that literally will be a game changer in your kitchen. So many people with Instant Pots think they can only make “Instant Pot recipes” with an Instant Pot. Wrong!! To learn all about the amazing things this little kitchen essential can do, check out my post on What No One Tells You About EASY Instant Pot Benefits!
Or, just dive in and find the instant pot on Amazon here.
You can find the Ninja version of the Instant Pot pressure cooker here. This one also air fries!
5 Reasons You Didn’t Make Refried Beans from Scratch But You Need To Now
Refried beans from scratch are so good and so easy that you will be wondering why you haven’t ever made them before! Don’t question it, this easy refried beans recipe is big enough for any large family or for your biweekly meal prep!
Making homemade refried beans in the instant pot is an easy way to get healthy protein in your meals, prep for school lunches, or quick dinners on the go. Did I mention refried beans from scratch are CHEAP?! This inflation buster recipe uses pinto beans as the main ingredient keeping you and your pocketbook lean!
3 Smart Strategies to Make Easy Instant Pot Baked Beans
This Instant Pot Baked Beans recipe is SO good and as Americana as it gets! Best of all, it takes about 5 minutes prep to do this and you’ll have enough to bring to your next party, picnic, potluck, or tailgate!
This baked beans recipe is seriously going to have you checking the recycling for Bush’s Baked Beans cans. It tastes so much like the homestyle baked beans we all have grown up eating. Best of all, it has none of the processed ingredients or bacon! Yep, these baked beans from scratch are vegan, vegetarian, and 100% homemade!
Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers with Lime Vinaigrette
This recipe for Roasted and Stuffed Bell Peppers with Lime Vinaigrette combines some favorite ingredients into one dish. Including refried beans, black beans, lime, onion and garlic, and of course cheese, you can top with some leafy greens and cherry tomatoes or serve à la carte.
This recipe has all the flavors of your local Mexican restaurant without the grease. In fact, by cooking your own refried beans and roasting your own peppers you can nix the hydrogenated oils and maintain the healthy superhero bacteria in your fresh vegetables and fruits!
The Health Benefits of Pinto Beans Make It a Staple Ingredient in Anyone’s Cupboard
You can incorporate dried pinto beans into soups or make refried beans and serve them with tacos, stuffed in roasted bell peppers, or in quesadillas. Available at nearly every grocery store, try adding them to your cupboard today!
Finally, for more details on how gut healthy food can supercharge your immune system and health, check out my gut health page!
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