How To Use Black Beans For Weight Loss (Rules + Recipes)

This is how to eat black beans for reduced hunger and a much easier time losing weight — including the specific rules and delicious recipes.

As a Nutritionist, I ate black beans everyday during my postpartum 15 pound weight loss journey, and it made the whole process so much easier.

I was less hungry. I had less cravings. My gut health improved.

By eating more black beans, I was able to tap into the hormones that managed hunger and satiety (feeling of fullness). As a result, I had control over what I craved and naturally started to burn fat as fuel — without having to actively restrict my calories.

If you want to checkout the details behind my experience of eating black beans for fat loss, you can watch this video.

But how you eat black beans (or any bean) matters if you want to prioritize losing body fat without feeling hungry. Today I’m sharing the three rules of eating black beans for weight loss, plus delicious black bean recipes to support your journey.

3 Rules for Eating Black Beans for Weight Loss

These are the three rules every meal that includes black beans for weight loss should follow.

Rule 1: Use 1/2 to 1 Cup Black Beans

Measure out 1/2 to 1 cup of cooked black beans. It can be from a can or home-cooked. If you use canned, make sure to rinse it thoroughly in a colander until the water stops “foaming”. This helps to get rid of the oligosaccharides that cause bloating. This range of black beans provides 9 to 18 grams of fiber while still keeping blood sugar levels stable for most people.

For a science-backed breakdown of why this range works for weight loss, read the next section (Are Black Beans Good For Fat Loss?) below.

Rule 2: Pair With 4+ Ounces of Cooked Protein

Beans don’t provide complete protein. Getting enough complete protein is needed to maximize fat loss while preventing muscle loss. For most people, this means eating between 30-50 grams of protein at every meal. Without it, you can lose weight, but you’ll also lose muscle and slow the metabolism in the process. This is why every meal should include 4 to 6 ounces of a high quality, complete protein.

Complete proteins include foods like beef, chicken, pork, fish, greek yogurt, and whey isolate protein powder.

You can find a complete list of the best proteins for weight loss here.

Rule 3: Add A High Quality Healthy Fat

There should be at least one serving of a healthy fat. Examples of one serving equivalents include:

• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup olives
• 1 ounce cheese
• 2 tablespoons whole nuts or seeds
• 1 tablespoon nut or seed butter
• 1/2 cup guacamole

These raise a different hormone (cholecystokinin) that tell your brain that you’re full. By combining protein, fat and fiber (from the beans), you can help shut down cravings for foods that work against your goals. This is why every meal in our meal plans focus on combining protein, fat, and fiber to help naturally prevent hunger while burning fat as fuel.

Are Black Beans Good for Fat Loss? (The Satiety Science)

To put it simply, black beans help with fat loss because they make you feel full. In science-speak, they make you feel “satiated”. But how black beans do this is through two distinct steps.

Soluble Fiber & The Stretch Mechanism

Black beans are very high in fiber. Just one cup of black beans has 18 grams of fiber with a good portion of that coming from soluble fiber. When soluble fiber enters the GI tract, it expands and stretches out the stomach. This stretch mechanism sends a signal to our brain that we have a lot of food in there and we don’t need to keep eating.

It only takes a few minutes after eating black beans (or any high soluble fiber food) to feel those satiating effects. As a result, you won’t feel that nagging desire to eat “a little something” after your meal. No more bags of chips or bites of chocolate — you just feel good and satisfied.

Grab the full list of 22 high protein high fiber foods for weight loss here.

Gut Bacteria & GLP-1 Triggering

Once the soluble fiber leaves your stomach, it then works its way down through the small intestines and into your colon. Here you get a second layer of satiety benefit thanks to the microbiome.

Gut bacteria love soluble fiber. It munches away at it and in exchange provides you with butyric acid. This molecule causes the body to release GLP-1 — the same hormone targeted by weight loss medications like Ozempic.

The increase in GLP-1 isn’t drastic — high protein foods provide a much larger release. But it’s definitely present and contributes to lasting satiety (especially when you use rule 2 from this blog post).

Canned vs. Dried Black Beans: Which Is Best for Weight Loss?

Canned black beans provide the same nutritional value as black beans cooked from scratch. The only difference is that canned black beans are more likely to make you bloated.

Black beans are canned in their cooking liquid which is rich in a type of carbohydrate called oligosaccharides. These can’t be broken down by the body and instead are broken down by the gut bacteria. The bacteria ferments the oligosaccharides and creates a massive build up of gas — cue belly bloat.

Here are two ways you can avoid belly bloat from black beans:

• Canned beans: Pour the beans into a colander and rinse thoroughly until the beans stop “foaming”. This will take about 30 seconds.
• Dried beans: Soak the dried beans for 8 hours or overnight. Rinse, then cook in new fresh water until fully cooked.

You can checkout my step-by-step video for how to properly use canned or dried black beans without bloating above.

High-Protein Black Bean Recipes

Here are three delicious black beans recipes to help you feel full while supporting a weight loss journey.

Low Carb Burrito Bowl

This recipe perfectly combines beans with complete protein and healthy fats to make you feel satisfied. It takes 15 minutes to throw together for an easy and delicious weeknight dinner.

Try the Low Carb Burrito Bowl Recipe.

Poblano Black Beans

If you’re sick of regular ol’ beans, then this recipe is for you. It’s loaded with citrusy lime and smoky poblano to completely transform your plain can of black beans. It’s very high in fiber and pairs perfectly with grilled meats, tacos and guacamole.

Try the Poblano Black Beans recipe.

Spicy Bone Broth Chili

Protein, healthy fats, and fiber — you get everything you need in one bowl. It’s also great to batch and meal prep for the week.

Try the Spicy Bone Broth Chili recipe.

Frequently Asked Questions About Black Beans and Fat Loss

Final Thoughts

When done right, black beans can be an excellent tool to help naturally support a sustainable fat loss goal. Just remember to always pair it with supporting foods (protein and fat) for best results.

If you’re looking for delicious meals that put all this information together for you, check out our Body Recomposition Program. It follows the same protein, fat and fiber framework to help you achieve your fat loss goals without counting calories. Plus, over 50 recipes and 6 weeks of meal planning to make your life a lot easier (and more delicious). Check out the Body Recomposition Program here.

Studies

Protein and Weight Loss Mechanism