The mighty black bean

Research has shown that consuming cooked black beans leads to lowered risk and incidence of breast, colon, liver, lung, and prostate cancers. The exact mechanism of this phenomenon is unknown, but it is suspected that the phytochemicals of black beans, including phenolic compounds (flavonoids and tannins), phytic acid, triterpenes, and phytosterols may be responsible for their anticancer properties.

In Brazil, where more black beans are grown than any other country in the world, beans have been given an exclusive place on the Brazilian Food Pyramid. They are viewed as being so vital to their nation's health that the country's food pyramid recommends that one-half cup of beans be consumed at least once every day. Recent research linking bean intake to lower risk of Type II diabetes, various types of cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer were some of the key factors used by the Brazilian government in establishing their bean intake recommendations.

Research has shown that black beans are some of the most phytonutrient-condensed foods on the market today. Phytonutrients like lycopene, lutein, and capsaicin are chemicals that help protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs, and are have been long heralded to provide significant health benefits to humans.

The nutrients and associated percentages of the recommended daily values in one cup of cooked black beans include: 

molybdenum (172 percent); 

folate (64 percent); 

fiber (59.8 percent); 

tryptophan (56.2 percent); 

manganese (38 percent); 

protein (30.4 percent); 

magnesium (30.1 percent); 

vitamin B1 (28 percent); 

phosphorus (24 percent); 

iron (20 percent).