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Beans Good for Lowering Body Fat

Only about 8 percent of adults eat beans on any given day, but eating beans more often may help lower your risk for health conditions including heart disease, obesity and diabetes, according to North Dakota State University Extension. These nutritious foods provide significant amounts of fiber, protein, magnesium, potassium and folate and may also help you lose body fat.

  1. Beans and Body Fat

    • If you want to lose body fat, consider adding more beans and other legumes to your diet. People who eat beans more often tend to weigh less and have smaller waist circumferences than those who don't eat beans, according to an article published in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition" in 2008. While not all of the weight you lose will consist of body fat, on average about 75 percent of the weight you lose will consist of fat, according to the American Council on Exercise. Combining your reduced-calorie diet with both cardiovascular exercise and strength training will help you decrease the amount of muscle you lose.

    Compared to Other Protein Sources

    • Beans are lower in fat and saturated fat than meat, poultry and fish and don't contain any cholesterol, making them a healthier choice. In a study published in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" in February 2009, people who followed a diet rich in beans lost more weight than those who followed a typical American diet or a diet high in fatty fish, and just slightly less than those who followed a high-protein diet.

    Potential Mechanisms

    • Beans have fewer calories per gram than meats, allowing you to eat more of them without going over your calorie limit. They also contain slowly digested carbohydrates and high amounts of fiber, both of which potentially increase feelings of fullness so you eat less food overall. Because of these factors, as long as you follow a low-calorie diet beans are likely to help you lose weight, some of which will consist of body fat.

    Use

    • Eat vegetarian meals based on beans sometimes instead of always relying on animal-based protein sources, replace up to half of the fat in baked goods with pureed white beans and make meat-based casseroles and sauces with a mix of beans and meat instead of using meat alone. Add beans to your green salads and serve a bean salad or baked beans as a side dish. Use a pureed bean dip such as hummus or a salsa that includes beans the next time you need a dip, and use pureed white beans in place of the cream in soup recipes.

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