Red Beans vs. Kidney Beans: A Complete Nutrition Guide
Written by Isabel Vasquez RD, LDN
Red beans or kidney beans are enjoyed from Puerto Rico to New Orleans to India. As a Puerto Rican dietitian, nothing beats stewed red kidney beans with a bowl of white rice. Yum! But did you know that red beans and kidney beans aren’t the same thing?
Although red beans and kidney beans are often used interchangeably, they're actually two different kinds of beans. Red beans are small beans with an oblong shape similar to many other beans. Kidney beans, on the other hand, are big, plump, and kidney-shaped. They have thicker, darker red skin.
In this article, learn more about the similarities and differences between red beans and kidney beans and how to use them to prepare nutritious meals.
Red Beans Nutrition
Red beans are a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, and micronutrients. Here is the nutritional content of ½ cup (89 grams) of cooked red beans, per the USDA:
Carbs: 20 grams
Fiber: 6.5 grams (23% daily value)
Protein: 8 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 9 milligrams
Iron: 2.3 milligrams (13% daily value)
Magnesium: 60 milligrams (14% daily value)
Phosphorus: 193 milligrams (15% daily value)
Copper: 0.34 milligrams (38% daily value)
Manganese: 0.65 milligrams (28% daily value)
Folate: 139 milligrams (35% daily value)
Note that canned red beans have more sodium than this.
Kidney Beans Nutrition
Kidney beans are also rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and micronutrients. Here is the nutritional content of ½ cup (115 grams) of cooked kidney beans, per the USDA:
Carbs: 28 grams
Fiber: 8.5 grams (30% daily value)
Protein: 9 grams
Fat: 0 grams
Sodium: 2 milligrams
Iron: 2.6 milligrams (14% daily value)
Magnesium: 40 milligrams (9% daily value)
Phosphorus: 125 milligrams (10% daily value)
Copper: 0.21 milligrams (24% daily value)
Manganese: 0.42 milligrams (18% daily value)
Folate: 115 milligrams (29% daily value)
Just like other beans, note that canned kidney beans are higher in sodium.
Differences and Similarities Between Red and Kidney Beans
Macronutrients
Both red and kidney beans are a good source of plant-based protein, although kidney beans have a little more protein than red beans.
They’re both practically free from fat, with less than 1 gram per ½ cup. This makes them a heart-healthy, lean source of protein, per the American Heart Association.
The carb content of red and kidney beans is very similar, with about 22–25 grams of carbs per 100 grams of beans.
Although you may have heard that the carbs in beans like red or kidney beans are bad for blood sugars, they’re actually an amazing food for diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.
They have plenty of protein without any saturated fat and their fiber and micronutrient content is important for overall health, which we’ll get to next.
Fiber
Red and kidney beans both have about 7.5 grams of fiber per 100 grams of beans. (Note that the nutrition facts listed above are for the same serving size of ½ cup but different weights).
So between the two, you really can't go wrong if you want a fiber boost.
Fiber is incredibly beneficial for gut health, heart health, and blood sugar regulation, yet many Americans don’t eat enough fiber, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both red and kidney beans are an excellent way to incorporate more fiber in your diet.
Micronutrients
Red and kidney beans are full of vitamins and minerals, including folate, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, and more. These micronutrients are important for:
Red beans are generally richer in micronutrients than kidney beans. They have more magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and manganese. However, kidney beans have more iron and folate.
That said, both red and kidney beans are a good source of essential vitamins and minerals, so if you prefer kidney beans or they’re more accessible, they’re still an excellent choice.
Uses
Because kidney beans have thicker skin, they go well in dishes that take a while to cook like chili, curries, or stews. One example is Puerto Rican style beans, that may feature kidney beans as the main ingredient.
If you’re preparing them from dry, keep in mind that you usually have to soak kidney beans longer than red beans because of their thicker skin.
That said, you can often use red or kidney beans interchangeably. Many recipes aren’t even clear as to whether they call for red beans or kidney beans. Some may say red kidney beans. So, you can usually use whichever kind you prefer or have on hand.
Nutritious Meals With Red and Kidney Beans
Red and kidney beans are used to make well-rounded dishes in Latin America and other places around the world. Most often, they’re used to make some variations of rice and beans. Some examples of common cultural meals featuring red and kidney beans include:
Puerto Rican beans and rice. Red or kidney beans stewed with herbs, spices, cilantro, sofrito, and tomato sauce served with white rice.
Louisiana red beans and rice. Kidney beans cooked with andouille sausage, onions, peppers, and spices including Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. Served with white rice.
Rajma (Indian kidney bean curry). Kidney beans prepared with herbs, Indian spices, ghee, cilantro, sugar, chile peppers, and ginger. Served with rice and roti.
All of these meals contain carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and heart-healthy fats. They’re also full of micronutrients from the beans, herbs, spices, and vegetables.
Final Thoughts
Red and kidney beans are easy to mix up and the truth is they can often be used in the same recipes. That said, kidney beans have thicker skin so they generally take longer to soften when soaking or cooking them.
Nutritionally, you can’t go wrong between the two. While there are some minor differences between red and kidney beans when it comes to their protein and micronutrient content, they’re both excellent sources of plant protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
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