Your heart is arguably the hardest-working muscle in your body. Every day it pumps nearly 2,000 gallons of blood through your arteries to supply the oxygen and nutrients you need to function properly. As the blood travels through your body, it creates pressure on the walls of your arteries, which is referred to as your blood pressure. For nearly 120 million Americans—or 48% of adults—this pressure is higher than normal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And if left unchecked, prolonged high blood pressure, or hypertension, can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to keep your blood pressure under control. One of which is making changes in your eating habits that are aligned with a diet called the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)—which emphasizes consuming plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, healthy fats and whole grains, as well as low-fat and nonfat dairy products, fish and lean meats. Of the protein sources that the DASH diet highlights, there is one that tops the others. Are you ready? The No. 1 protein for lowering blood pressure is white beans! Let's break down why.
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Why Are White Beans the Best for Blood Pressure?
Along with being accessible and affordable, hearty white beans are filled with several noteworthy nutrients that help to lower blood pressure.
They're Packed with Potassium
If there is one mineral that is revered for its ability to aid in blood pressure control, it is potassium. According to the American Heart Association, adequate potassium intake lessens the blood-pressure-raising effects of sodium. Specifically, potassium prompts your kidneys to remove excess sodium through urine—and helps to lower blood pressure by improving fluid balance and relaxing blood vessel walls. Unfortunately, many men and women fall short of the recommended 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day. In fact, the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans has declared potassium a nutrient of public health concern. (A fancy way of saying that many of us aren't getting enough.) The good news is that ½ cup of cooked white beans contains an impressive 500 mg of potassium, which is 11% of the Daily Value, according to the USDA.
White Beans Are Loaded with Magnesium
The mighty mineral magnesium also plays an important role in blood pressure regulation. Similar to potassium, a 2022 study published in Cureus found that one of the ways magnesium lowers blood pressure is by promoting the relaxation of blood vessels, which helps improve blood flow. The researchers noted that a higher magnesium intake was associated with a reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. To reap this benefit, adults should consume 320 to 420 mg of magnesium each day. And oh, hey, white beans, there you are again—delivering a good source of this blood-pressure-lowering mineral, with 57 mg (about 14 to 17% of the DV) per 1/2 cup cooked.
They Contain Calcium
Calcium is often touted for its bone-building benefits. But it is also a key factor in blood pressure management because it helps the contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle cells that line your blood vessel walls. According to a 2019 study published in Nutrients, a low-calcium diet is associated with high blood pressure—especially during pregnancy. Due to inadequate calcium intake, the Dietary Guidelines has identified calcium as another nutrient of public health concern. So how much do you need? Adults should aim for 1,000 mg of calcium daily, while those who are pregnant need 1,300 mg. By consuming ½ cup of cooked white beans, you can get 81 mg or 8% of the DV for calcium for a non-pregnant person. Though white beans aren't the richest source of calcium out there, it's still nice to get a little boost from this plant-based protein.
Beans Are an Incredible Source of Fiber
Get this: Just 1/2 cup contains about 6 grams of fiber, which meets nearly a quarter of the recommended 25 to 38 grams of fiber you need each day. But how does fiber impact blood pressure? A 2022 study published in Current Hypertension Reports found that dietary fiber has a positive effect on your gut microbiome—the collection of trillions of microscopic organisms like bacteria, and their genes, that impact your overall health—including your blood pressure. The good bacteria in your gut feed on fiber and produce compounds called short-chain fatty acids, which is what may produce the benefit.
Ways to Eat White Beans for Healthy Blood Pressure
White beans have a pleasantly light, yet slightly nutty flavor that makes them perfect for a wide array of dishes. The most common types of white beans include cannellini beans, navy beans, great northern beans and lima beans.
Cannellini beans, also called white kidney beans, are the largest of the bunch, with firm skins that help them maintain their structure in salads, stews and soups, like this White Bean Soup with Pasta. On the other hand, navy beans are the smallest, with a creamier texture that makes them ideal for pureed soups and dips. And great northern beans are a happy medium. They're delicious in casseroles and soups, like this Creamy White Bean Soup. As for lima beans, they are often called "butter beans" for their distinctively rich and creamy texture that makes them a good match for stews like these Southern-style Stewed Lima Beans or as a side dish.
But before you head to the grocery store to stock up on one or all of these white bean varieties, there are a couple things to keep in mind. If you want the convenience of canned beans, check the Nutrition Facts label for the sodium content—because they can contain a lot of it. Reach for cans labeled "no salt added" and aim for options that contain 5% or less of the DV for sodium. And if you choose to purchase dry beans, make sure you soak them overnight or for at least six to eight hours to improve your body's absorption of protein, as well as the blood-pressure-lowering minerals calcium and magnesium.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to lowering blood pressure, it's important to focus on foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium and fiber while also being low in sodium. The protein source that checks all of these boxes is white beans. These versatile, hearty beans are not only an excellent source of plant-based protein, but they also contain ample amounts of the above nutrients that will help stabilize your blood pressure. So the next time you plan on making a soup, stew or salad, throw in a cup of white beans—your heart will thank you.
