Blog Diets Keto Are Beans Keto-Friendly? Let’s Show You Which Beans to Eat, Limit, and Avoid

Are Beans Keto-Friendly? Let’s Show You Which Beans to Eat, Limit, and Avoid

Are beans keto-friendly? It’s a critical question you’ll need to answer if you’re on the keto diet and love a warm bowl of chili. Chili can use the most amazing beans to create a burst of flavor. However, knowing which beans are keto-friendly will help you make a bowl of chili without thinking about your favorites.

Are beans keto-friendly? This isn’t the easiest question to answer if you love popular comfort foods like chili or soup. However, you’ll find clarity about which beans are keto-safe and which require careful tweaks with our secret on the keto diet. Let’s discover the secrets. 

Can You Eat Beans on a Low-Carb Diet?

Are beans keto-friendly? Some beans are suitable for keto without changing anything, including:

  • Green beans (6)
  • Edamame (14)
  • Black soybeans (11)

However, some beans aren’t suitable for keto or need careful changes to eat them in recipes like soup or chili. Let’s discover the secrets of beans on keto.

What to Eat or Avoid on Keto: Beans and More

Harvard U. states that while on the keto diet, you should receive 70-80% of daily calories from healthy fats, 10-20% from protein, and only 5-10% from carbs (13). This means you’ll only have up to 40 grams of carbs on a 2,000-calorie-per-day keto diet.

Counting net carbs is another method to keep your carbs lower than the recommended amount to stay in ketosis. Deduct the fiber amount from the total carbs to get your net or impact carbs, the type your body absorbs, which counts towards your daily allowance. 

Everything you eat should fit into your daily allowance of 40 grams. However, some people have only 15-30 grams of net carbs daily, to lose weight on keto (16). 

See also
15 Keto Diet Hacks That Make Keto More Sustainable

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Are Beans High in Carbs?

Some beans, even when they have other health benefits, are too high in carbs. Let’s discover which beans you shouldn’t eat on the keto diet unless you follow the bean secret. 

Can You Eat High-Carb Beans on Keto? A Secret Revealed!

Keto-friendly beans have a secret. One cup of beans can be split into 6 servings to fit your keto diet. For example, a cup of cooked and unsalted kidney beans has 27.3 g of net carbs (4). Divide that among six servings, and you only eat 4.55 g of net carbs. 

This won’t work with all recipes, especially those containing other ingredients with many carbs. However, some beans are possible to eat if you cook them first and add them to recipes with six servings. Check the macros of all the other ingredients before enjoying beans. 

Still, you can’t enjoy an unsalted, cooked cup to a cup of raw kidney beans, with 64.2 g of net carbs (3). You’ll still get 10.7 g of net carbs per serving in a 6-serving recipe, and that’s only from the beans. Secret two is that cooked beans are lower in carbs than raw beans. 

Are Black Beans Keto-Friendly?

Black beans are a legume loaded with fiber, which is normally good. However, the USDA shows that a cup of cooked and unsalted black beans contains 40.8 g of total or 25.8 g of net carbs (1). Black beans in a recipe with six or more servings have 4.3 g of net carbs.

See also
How to Make the Perfect Keto Taco With Multiple Stuffings, Shells, and Meats Variations

are beans keto  

Are Cranberry Beans Keto-Friendly?

Cranberry beans, also known as Roman beans, are only keto-friendly in multi-serving recipes. A cup of cooked and unsalted cranberry beans contains 43.3 g total or 28.1 g of net carbs (21). A 6-serving recipe will add 4.68 g of net carbs per serving. 

Are Fava Beans Keto-Friendly?

Fava beans, also known as broad beans, may work in multi-serving recipes. A cup of cooked and unsalted fava beans contains 33.4 g total or 24.22 g of net carbs (7).  Add 4.03 g of net carbs per serving in a recipe using at least six servings. 

Are Great Northern Beans Keto-Friendly?

Great Northern beans are another keto-friendly option in multi-serving recipes. A cup of cooked and unsalted navy beans contains 37.33 g total or 24.94 g of net carbs (2). Portioning the net carbs into a recipe with six or more servings yields 4.14 g per serving. 

Are Lima Beans Keto-Friendly?

Unfortunately, a cup of cooked and unsalted lima beans has 39.3 g total or 26.1 g of net carbs (18). Lima beans have a staggering 14.7 g of protein and 13.2 g of fiber but the carbs mean you should add a cooked cup to a recipe with at least six servings. 

Are Kidney Beans Keto-Friendly?

Kidney beans are only edible on keto in cooked form and are added to a recipe with six servings. The USDA shows a cup of cooked and unsalted kidney beans has 40.4 g total or 27.3 g of net carbs (4). Only use cooked kidney beans diluted with other ingredients. 

Are Mung Beans Keto-Friendly?

Cooked mung beans are only suitable for keto use in a 6-serving recipe. A cup of cooked and unsalted mung beans 38.68 g total and 23.33 g of net carbs (19). Using a cup of cooked and unsalted mung beans in a recipe with six servings equals 3.8 g of net carbs per serving. 

See also
Beat The Keto Flu: Symptoms, Prevention, And Cure

Are Navy Beans Keto-Friendly?

Navy beans only work in multi-serving recipes. A cup of cooked and unsalted navy beans contains 47.4 g total or 28.3 g of net carbs (22). Divide the net carbs into a 6-serving soup or chili recipe, and you can add 4.71 g of net carbs per serving.  

Are Pinto Beans Keto-Friendly?

Pinto beans are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. A cup of cooked and unsalted pinto beans has 44.84 g total or 29.45 g of net carbs (5). Dividing a cup of cooked and unsalted pinto beans into a 6-serving recipe has 4.9 g of net carbs per serving.

Are White Beans Keto-Friendly?

A cup of cooked and unsalted white beans won’t work with a 6-serving recipe because it has 44.9 g total or 33.6 g of net carbs (20). This equals 5.6 g of net carbs per serving and counts too much toward your daily net carb allowance for one ingredient. 

Read more: Is Pho Keto? The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying Pho on a Low-Carb Diet

Which Beans Are Keto-Friendly? The Low-Carb Choices

Some beans are suitable for keto without having to dilute them in recipes. Let’s discover the lower-carb beans you can eat to your heart’s content without multi-serving recipes.

Are Black Soybeans Keto-Friendly?

A cup of cooked and unsalted black soybeans has 16 g total or 2 g of net carbs (11). Meanwhile, the portion has 12 g fat, 22 g protein, and 14 g fiber for a well-rounded keto bean replacement. It’s a high-protein, low-carb bean for keto. 

See also
Keto Breath Smell: What It Is, Its Causes, & How To Get Rid Of It

Are Green Beans Keto-Friendly?

Green beans are a tasty and snappy choice for keto, pun intended. A cup of cooked snap green beans only has 5.3 g of total and net carbs (6). It’s ideal as a side dish, but only has  0.5 g of fat and 1.34 g of protein. 

Eat High-Protein, Low-Carb Beans (Soybeans)

Some beans are rich in protein with little carbs. For example, a cup of cooked edamame or soybeans has 13.8 g total or 3.8 g of net carbs with a whopping 18.4 g of protein (14). Meanwhile, the cup of soybeans has 8 g of fiber and 12.1 g of fat for a keto-friendly option.

are beans keto  

Can You Eat Rice on Keto?

White and brown rice isn’t good for keto. The USDA shows a cup of cooked brown rice has 49.6 g total or 46.48 g of net carbs (24). Meanwhile, a cup of cooked and unsalted white rice has 44.6 g total or 43.96 g of net carbs (25). Instead, consider cauliflower rice on keto. A cup of cauliflower rice has 5 g total or 2 g of net carbs (9). 

Are Lentils OK for Keto?

Are lentils keto-friendly? Lentils can replace beans in soup or chili recipes with at least six servings. A cup of cooked and unsalted lentils contains 40 g total or 24 g of net carbs (10). You’ll eat 4 g of net carbs toward your serving count in a 6-serving recipe.

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See also
Is Pho Keto? The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying Pho on a Low-Carb Diet

Low-Carb Bean Substitutes

Beans may have too many carbs to add to your recipes with other carb-heavy ingredients. In that case, it helps to have some replacements. Low-carb vegetables substitute beans in chili and soup. Healthline suggests these as the lowest-carb vegetables (26):

  • Artichokes
  • Asparagus
  • Avocado
  • Bell peppers
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Eggplant
  • Kale
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Zucchini

Keto Cycling to Eat More Carbs and Beans

Health suggests keto cycling for anyone missing beans or other ingredients not allowed on the keto diet (17). Keto cycling lets you follow the keto diet strictly for six days weekly and have one cheat day. The cheat day lets you eat higher-carb foods and beans. Alternatively, follow strict low-carb keto rules for two days and have one day to eat more carbs. 

Keto cycling may help your body transition between fuel sources better. However, Czech Republic researchers found that cyclical keto diets may negatively impact lean muscle mass, even if they promote weight loss (27). The researchers believe further study is necessary. Ultimately, keto cycling may help weight loss but also have negative effects on your muscles.

For more keto-friendly advice:

are beans keto  

FAQs

  • What Beans to Avoid on Keto?

Avoid black beans on the keto diet if you can’t add them to a recipe with at least six servings (1). Also, a cup of lima beans has 26.1 g of net carbs, and a cup of pinto beans has 29.45 g of net carbs (18, 5). Splitting the macros into recipes with six or more servings will mean you eat 4.35 g of net carbs per serving with lima beans and 4.9 g with pinto beans. 

  • Can I Eat Tomato on Keto?

You can eat raw tomatoes on keto. WebMD suggests a medium-sized tomato has 5 g total and 4 g of net carbs (15). However, processed forms of tomato have denser carbs. For example, a tablespoon of tomato puree contains 1.4 g total or 1.1 g of net carbs (8). 

  • Is Hummus Good for Keto?

Hummus isn’t suitable for keto because of the primary ingredient: chickpeas! The USDA lists a cup of cooked and unsalted chickpeas or garbanzo beans has 44.9 g of total or 32.4 g of net carbs (12). It’s rich in fiber, with 12.5 grams, but it has too many carbs. 

  • Is Quinoa on Keto?

Quinoa isn’t recommended for the keto diet. The USDA lists a cup of cooked quinoa at 39.4 g of total carbs or 34.22 g of net carbs (23). You should eat fewer than 40 g of total carbs or 30 g of net carbs daily to stay in ketosis (13, 16).

The Bottom Line

Are beans keto-friendly? Unfortunately, most aren’t. However, use our keto bean secret to incorporate beans into your diet, or use some alternatives, including green beans or edamame. Weight loss requires some sacrifice but doesn’t mean you avoid everything. Follow our guidelines to eat beans safely on occasion on the keto diet. 

DISCLAIMER:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.

BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.

You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.

SOURCES:

  1. Beans, Black, Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  2. Beans, Great Northern, Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt, 1 Cup (n.d., urmc.rochester.edu)
  3. Beans, Kidney, All Types, Mature Seeds, Raw (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  4. Beans, Kidney, Red, Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  5. Beans, Pinto, Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt, 1 Cup (n.d., urmc.rochester.edu)
  6. Beans, Snap, Green, Canned, Regular Pack, Drained Solids (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  7. Broad Beans (Fava Beans), Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt, 1 Cup (n.c., urmc.rochester.edu)
  8. Calories in 1 Tbsp Tomato Puree (n.d., nutritionix.com)
  9. Calories in Cauliflower Rice – 1 Cup (n.d., nutritionix.com)
  10. Calories in Cooked Lentils (n.d., nutritionix.com)
  11. Carbs in Eden Black Soy Beans (n.d., carbmanager.com)
  12. Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans, Bengal Gram), Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  13. Diet Review: Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss (n.d., hsph.harvard.edu)
  14. Edamame, Cooked (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  15. Health Benefits of Tomatoes (2022, webmd.com)
  16. How Many Carbs Can You Have on Keto? (2019, carbmanager.com)
  17. Is Keto Cycling Healthy? Here’s What to Know About the Controversial Diet (2023, health.com)
  18. Lima Beans, Large, Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  19. Mung Beans, Mature Seeds, Cooked, Boiled, Without Salt, 1 Cup (n.d., urmc.rochester.edu)
  20. Nutrition Facts for Cooked Large White Beans (n.d., tools.myfooddata.com)
  21. Nutrition Facts for Cranberry Beans (Roman Beans) (n.d., tools.myfooddata.com)
  22. Nutrition Facts for Navy Beans (n.d., tools.myfooddata.com)
  23. Quinoa, Cooked (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  24. Rice, Brown, Cooked, No Added Fat (2020, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  25. Rice, White, Long-Grain, Regular, Unenriched, Cooked Without Salt (2019, fdc.nal.usda.gov)
  26. The 21 Best Low-Carb Vegetables (2023, healthline.com)
  27. The Influence of Cyclical Ketogenic Reduction Diet vs. Nutritionally Balanced Reduction Diet on Body Composition, Strength, and Endurance Performance in Healthy Young Males: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2020, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

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