I’ve always associated pinto beans as a comfort food, especially when prepared according to my mom’s recipe of pinto beans with beef and tomatoes.
Little did I know that pinto beans aren’t just a part of the common kidney beans used as the main ingredient for a bowl of chili, but they provide a number of health benefits as well.
Studies show that pinto beans lower the cholesterol level, even more so than the traditional bowl of oatmeal. A cup of cooked pinto beans contain almost 75% of the daily value of the dietary fibers that the body needs. It is also an excellent source of folate, molybdenum, protein, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin B1.
Aside from helping lower your cholesterol level, pinto beans are also a good alternative source of protein. This protein fix helps burn your energy while at the same time helping stabilize your blood sugar level. Pinto beans also have antioxidants which helps boost the immune system. Finally, they are a good memory booster due to their thiamine content from vitamin B1.
All in all, pinto beans can be set apart from the other members of the bean family due to the numerous health benefits that they provide.