Is it okay to drink black bean water every day?
Black beans, dubbed the "king of beans," offer numerous health benefits, including cancer prevention. But is drinking black bean water daily good for you, and who should limit their consumption?
Health benefits of black beans
Black beans are a readily available type of legume, rich in protein, and can be prepared in many dishes. While black beans are high in carbohydrates, they are in the form of starch and fiber, so they are digested slowly and can offer health benefits.
According to the Clinical Nutrition Center of K Hospital, black beans are rich in carbohydrates and are also an excellent source of fiber (4g fiber/100g) (including soluble and insoluble fiber). Black beans are very low in fat, most of which is polyunsaturated fat. Half a cup of black beans contains 90mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 108mg of omega-6 fatty acids.
Black beans offer many health benefits. Photo: NP
Black beans are a good source of protein, with 7 grams of protein in a half-cup serving. They are also rich in folate, vitamin B1, manganese, and magnesium. 100 grams of black beans contain 6.1 mg of iron. According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025," we should eat 3 cups (740 grams) of beans per week.
Consuming black beans offers numerous health benefits. Black beans have been shown to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer due to the flavonoids found in their hulls.
Eight different flavonoids have been found in the bean hull, and three of them are anthocyanins. Flavonoids are essentially plant pigments that give beans their color and function as antioxidants in the body to fight disease and free radicals. Black beans contain saponins, which have been shown to prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading throughout the body.
Consuming fiber from fruits and vegetables like black beans has been linked to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer. Black beans are also rich in folate, which plays a role in DNA synthesis and repair, thus preventing the formation of cancer cells from mutations in DNA.
Additionally, thanks to their high fiber content, diets that include legumes can help maintain weight and support weight loss. They are also beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Should you drink black bean water every day?
According to Dr. Huynh Tan Vu, a specialist at the University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City, Branch 3, black beans have a mildly sweet taste and a cooling nature. They are believed to nourish the blood, strengthen the liver and kidneys, relieve fever and heat, detoxify, lower qi, and promote urination. The diverse chemical composition of black beans allows for various uses, including treating back pain, insomnia, constipation, nourishing postpartum women, and aiding weight loss.
"However, we should only drink black bean water 2-3 times a week, with a quantity of 100-250ml each time. You should not drink black bean water instead of your daily water intake because black beans contain phytate, which hinders the absorption of minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, and phosphorus, potentially leading to anemia and osteoporosis," Dr. Vu emphasized.
People with diabetes should not add sugar to black bean water. This drink also has a diuretic effect, so people with kidney disease should be cautious when consuming it and should follow their doctor's dietary advice.
Furthermore, people with colitis, loose stools, diarrhea, or poor digestion should not consume black beans. Their high protein content makes them difficult for the elderly, children, or those with weak constitutions to digest, leading to bloating and abdominal pain.
