Beans and the Ketogenic Diet: What You Need to Know
Beans offer numerous health benefits, such as reducing the risk of developing chronic diseases like obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes. However, due to their carbohydrate content, they are not the best choice for a strict ketogenic diet. Nevertheless, people can consume them in small amounts or include them during a keto cycle.
You may already have some knowledge about the ketogenic diet: it is a special dietary adjustment, a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet plan that severely restricts carbohydrate intake. Typically, the daily calorie intake from carbohydrates only accounts for 5% to 10% of the total. Based on a daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories, this means only 25 to 50 grams of carbohydrates can be consumed per day. At the same time, the protein intake in a ketogenic diet is relatively high, approximately accounting for 30% to 35% of the daily calorie requirement.
Beans are actually an excellent (and healthy) source of protein, which is especially important for those following a vegetarian-friendly ketogenic diet. One cup of legumes can provide up to 24 grams of protein (along with 10 grams of fiber). Legumes such as broad beans, chickpeas, and edamame can keep you feeling full for a longer time. But this makes one wonder, are legumes suitable for a ketogenic diet?
I. Are Beans Keto-Friendly?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Common beans like black beans, white beans, and chickpeas do not fit into a high-fat, low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet plan. For example, one cup of black beans contains 41 grams of carbohydrates. If a person's carbohydrate intake in a ketogenic diet is at the upper limit, then this one cup of black beans is almost equivalent to the daily carbohydrate intake. Even if the amount of black beans is reduced to half a cup, 20 grams of carbohydrates will still be consumed. For a ketogenic diet with a target carbohydrate intake of 5%, this is almost the upper limit of the daily carbohydrate intake. Looking at chickpeas (commonly used to make hummus), they contain 38 grams of carbohydrates per cup, and each cup of pinto beans contains 45 grams of carbohydrates.
II. How to Consume Beans During a Ketogenic Diet
If you really can't do without beans, there is another option to try, which is the keto cycle. Specifically, it means strictly following a ketogenic diet for several consecutive days and then having a rest day during which higher (or at least average) carbohydrate foods can be eaten, and beans can naturally be included.
This cyclic diet plan has certain advantages. As Robin Foroutan, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Health magazine: "It can improve or restore the body's ability to switch between different fuel sources." In addition, Foroutan also pointed out that when people strictly follow a high-fat diet, the fiber and antioxidant content in food is often low, and the inflammatory properties are strong.
So, in general, if following a strict ketogenic diet plan, beans are indeed not suitable; but if you are willing to make your diet plan more flexible, then beans may be a good choice.
III. The Health Benefits of Beans
The health benefits of beans are multifaceted and can effectively reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Adhering to a balanced diet rich in beans can bring the following benefits:
Reducing the risk of obesity.
Reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Improving colon health.
Optimizing the gut microbiota.
Reducing cardiovascular risk factors such as high cholesterol and hypertension.
IV. Beans Suitable for the Keto Cycle
Although almost all beans are beneficial to health, rich in fiber, phytochemicals, and macronutrients, some beans have a relatively high protein content and a lower carbohydrate content, making them more suitable for consumption during the keto cycle. Here are some good options along with their nutritional information per cup:
Mung Beans: 31 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein.
Soybeans (Edamame): 224 calories, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 18 grams of protein.
Black Beans: 240 calories, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of protein.
Green Beans: 125 calories, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein.
V. Alternatives to Beans
If it is difficult to include beans in your diet plan, you can also consider other substitutes and ketogenic recipes. Some low-carbohydrate, keto-friendly options with a similar weight and texture to beans, such as:
Diced mushrooms.
Eggplant.
Boiled peanuts (although they also belong to the legume family but have a texture similar to beans).
In addition, you can also consider using lean ground beef or ground turkey to pair with dishes that traditionally contain beans, such as chili, to meet dietary needs and maintain the balance of a ketogenic diet.
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