Have you ever ever puzzled concerning the variations between beans? Does it actually matter which one you select to eat? On this article, we’ll speak concerning the variations in look, taste, and vitamin between pinto beans vs black beans.

As a plant-based dietitian, I like speaking concerning the wholesome advantages of incorporating extra beans into your weight loss plan. In truth, if I needed to choose one meals that I want extra individuals ate – it might in all probability be beans!
On this article, we’re going to debate the variations between two widespread beans: pinto beans and black beans. Each have been a staple ingredient in Mexican and Latin American delicacies for a whole lot of years.
Look and Taste
What do pinto beans seem like?
Pinto beans are a medium-sized bean that’s mild brown with darkish brown or purple flecks. When cooked, they flip a medium-brown/pink coloration and lose their speckled look. They’re named after the Spanish phrase for “painted” which is “pintado”.
What do pinto beans style like?
Like most beans, pinto beans have a gentle taste that’s nutty and earthy. Their gentle taste pairs nicely with quite a lot of different spices like chili, garlic, cumin, and extra. As soon as cooked, the within takes on a smooth, creamy texture whereas the pores and skin stays barely chewy. The softer texture of pinto beans makes them an ideal choice for dishes like refried beans. Like most bean varieties, pinto beans are thought to have originated within the Peruvian highlands of South America. They had been then transferred to throughout the Americas and different components of the world when used as a commerce commodity.
What do black beans seem like?
Black beans (ie. black turtle beans) are a medium-sized bean with an oval form that has a black pores and skin and white inside. Even after cooking, they keep their black coloration.
What do black beans style like?
Black beans have a wealthy earthy taste that pairs nicely with quite a lot of seasonings. They preserve their form and chewy texture nicely even after cooking.

Diet Comparability
Each pinto and black beans are full of vitamins like protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and folate. Here’s a side-by-side comparability of the dietary worth for every.
Pinto Beans (1 cup cooked, 171 g)
- Energy: 245 kcals
- Carbohydrates: 44.8 grams
- Fiber: 15.4 grams
- Protein: 15.4 grams
- Fats: 1 gram
- Calcium: 6.5% of the Every day Worth (DV)
- Iron: 19% DV
- Magnesium: 20% DV
- Phosphorus: 20% DV
- Potassium: 16% DV
- Folate: 74% DV
- Thiamin: 28% DV
- Choline: 11% DV
Black Beans (1 cup cooked, 172 g)
- Energy: 227 kcals
- Carbohydrates: 41 grams
- Fiber: 15 grams
- Protein: 15.2 grams
- Fats: 1 gram
- Calcium: 4% of the Every day Worth (DV)
- Iron: 20% DV
- Magnesium: 29% DV
- Phosphorus: 19% DV
- Potassium: 13% DV
- Folate: 64% DV
- Thiamin: 35% DV
- Choline: 10% DV
Well being Advantages of Pinto Beans and Black Beans
- Intestine Well being: Most individuals don’t eat sufficient fiber, however it’s so vital for supporting a wholesome intestine because the fiber we eat helps feed the useful micro organism that lives in our digestive tract. Girls ought to goal for 25 grams of fiber per day; males ought to goal for 38 grams per day. Only one cup of both black beans or pinto beans gives 40-60% of the day by day worth for dietary fiber. As well as, beans present each soluble and insoluble fiber which helps the manufacturing of brief chain fatty acids like butyrate within the intestine. Butyrate may help cut back irritation and cut back most cancers threat.
- Coronary heart Well being: Consuming a weight loss plan wealthy in excessive fiber meals like beans has been related to higher blood strain management, decrease ldl cholesterol, and decrease threat of coronary heart illness. Beans are low in saturated fats and cholesterol-free however wealthy in protein so they could be a coronary heart wholesome various to meat.
- Blood Sugar Administration: Black beans and pinto beans are low glycemic index meals so they’re digested slowly and don’t create a blood sugar curler coaster impact after consuming. Since they’re excessive in fiber and protein, these beans assist sluggish the discharge of sugar into the bloodstream after a meal.Â
- Wealthy in Antioxidants: Each pinto beans and black beans are wealthy in antioxidants like polyphenols and flavonoids. Antioxidants assist shield cells from free radicals that are unstable molecules that may improve the chance of continual illness over time.Â
- Bone Well being: Bean varieties like black beans and pinto beans are an excellent supply of magnesium and phosphorus which each play and vital position in bone formation.Â
- Superfood for Being pregnant: together with beans in your weight loss plan whereas pregnant may help you get a few of the key nutritional vitamins and minerals you’ll want resembling: calcium, iron, folate, and choline.

Are Black Beans or Pinto Beans More healthy?
Each black beans and pinto beans supply quite a lot of wholesome advantages from fiber and protein to important vitamins like 7 out of 8 of the B nutritional vitamins (particularly folate), magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. They each present about 15 grams of fiber per 1 cup serving, which is about half of the day by day wants for fiber for each women and men. the mix of soluble and insoluble fibers help wholesome intestine micro organism and manufacturing of useful brief chain fatty acids.
Each beans are an ideal supply of protein (15 grams per 1 cup). Though they don’t present each important amino acid to be a “full” protein, they’re nonetheless a worthwhile supply of protein as a part of a balanced weight loss plan. Black beans and pinto beans are an excellent supply of iron. To assist with iron absorption, attempt to eat beans with a meals excessive in vitamin C like peppers or tomatoes.
Backside line: Since there are not any important variations between the 2 by way of dietary content material, select the kind of bean that can work finest in no matter dish you are attempting to make.
Storage
- Dry Beans: You possibly can retailer dried black beans and pinto beans for a number of years in a cool and dry place. Keep away from excessive temperatures and humidity to keep up freshness.
- Fridge: Retailer beans (both cooked from dry or open canned beans) within the fridge in an hermetic container for as much as 3-4 days. The USDA recommends transferring leftover canned beans out of the can and right into a storage container quite than storing them within the can.
- Freezer: Cooked beans may be saved in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 6 months. Retailer in single serving dimension containers if potential so you’ll be able to defrost smaller parts at a time.
Steadily Requested Questions
Sure! Black beans are an ideal supply of plant-based protein. One cup of black beans gives 15 grams of protein.Â
Add taste to black beans with garlic, onion, cumin, and smoked paprika. Brighten the flavour by including a squeeze of lime close to the tip of cooking.Â
Sure, canned black beans are wholesome! Black beans are an ideal supply of fiber, protein, magnesium, folate, and thiamin. If you could restrict your sodium consumption, search for diminished sodium or no salt added canned black beans. Draining and rinsing canned beans additionally helps cut back the sodium content material.
Pinto beans and kidney beans are very related however they’re two several types of beans. When cooked, pinto beans are likely to have a softer, creamier texture than kidney beans.
Pinto beans have a really gentle taste to allow them to be paired with quite a lot of totally different spices resembling: chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika.Â

Cooking with Black Beans vs Pinto Beans
Now that you just’ve realized concerning the dietary advantages of black beans and pinto beans, how are you going to eat them? Fortunately, there are such a lot of low effort methods to include extra beans into your weight loss plan! Listed here are a few of my favourite methods to eat them:
- Add to soups and chilis: add a can of black beans or pinto beans to a favourite soup or chili recipe as a fast approach so as to add protein and fiber. For chili, you would substitute or cut back the meat with canned beans to cut back the ldl cholesterol and fats within the dish and improve the fiber content material.
- Use as a salad topper: each black beans and pinto beans make an ideal addition to taco salads.
- Puree into bean dips: add both bean to a meals processor with some seasonings like cumin and cayenne. Puree till easy and serve with chips for dipping.
- Make a bowl: prime a grain bowl or rice bowl with some seasoned black or pinto beans for a wholesome meal choice.
- Wrap right into a burrito: each black beans and pinto beans make an ideal addition to burritos.
Recipes
Listed here are a few of my favourite recipes utilizing black beans and pinto beans. I nearly all the time hold a can or two of beans in my pantry because it’s such a simple method to embody extra fiber, protein, and vitamins right into a meal.
The submit Pinto vs Black Beans: Diet, Cooking, and Storage appeared first on Dietitian Debbie Dishes.