Black bean

Studies in people

• Benefit

  Blood vessel health²

  In people, eating black beans was linked to lower LDL cholesterol and better blood vessel function hours later.

• Benefit

  Blood sugar after meals³

  In women, eating black beans with white rice led to lower blood sugar than rice alone.

• Open question

  Kidney stone risk⁵

  People absorbed less oxalate from black beans than from almonds, which may matter for kidney stone formers.

• Concern

  Blood pressure after meals⁶

  In people with stiff arteries, eating black beans raised the lower blood pressure number slightly.

Animal and lab studies only

• Concern

  Iron absorption from food⁸

  In lab studies, black bean seed coat extracts blocked iron uptake, though some of its polyphenols actually helped it.

• Open question

  Cholesterol and blood pressure⁹

  In animal studies, how black beans were processed changed their cholesterol-lowering effect, but blood pressure stayed the same.

Study type not stated

• Benefit

  Blood sugar and gut health⁷

  Black beans have carbs that feed gut bacteria and may help keep blood sugar and cholesterol down.

Found in some samples or products

These come from where it was grown, how it was processed or cooked, or what it was made into. They are not about the ingredient itself, so the signal does not count them.

• Vomiting and diarrhea outbreak⁴

  In a food-poisoning outbreak, 139 people who ate fermented black beans got sick with vomiting and diarrhea.

The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.