Are Refried Beans Healthy, and Are They Good for Weight Loss? (2024)

What Are
- What are refried beans, and how are they made?
Common Uses
- What are the common uses of refried beans?
Calories
- How many calories are in refried beans?
Nutrients
- What nutrients are in refried beans?
Weight Loss
- Are refried beans good for weight loss?
Risks
- What are the risks of eating refried beans?
Comments
More

What are refried beans, and how are they made?

Refried beans are a delicious and versatile dish that appears on the menus of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. Refried beans are healthy because they are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and other nutrients and they may help you lose weight.

Refried beans are a delicious and versatile dish that appears on the menus of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. You can also easily make this meal at home or buy it in a can. But if you want to lose weight, you may be concerned about refried beans' calories and nutritional value.

Are refried beans good for weight loss? The answer depends on several factors, including the types of ingredients used and the portion size. Discover the history and uses of refried beans, and learn about how this tasty dish could affect weight loss.

Refried beans are an affordable dish commonly prepared in Mexico and other countries in Central and Southern America. Many people assume that refried beans are unhealthy because the term “refried” suggests that the cook must fry the beans twice But the name is a mistranslation offrijoles refritos. In Spanish,refritos means very fried or well-fried, not twice-fried.

Many refried bean recipes from America and Northern Mexico use pinto beans, but you can use any bean. For example, some people use black, cranberry, kidney, or red beans.

Traditional methods of preparing this dish involve a few basic steps:

What are the common uses of refried beans?

Refried beans are a flexible dish with numerous culinary uses. Here are a few ways that you can use this food:

Add to grain bowls with quinoa or rice
As a dip for chips and vegetables
As a filling for burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos
Include in casseroles
Mix with salsa
Nacho topping
Spread on a tostada with tomatoes and other vegetables
Serve as a side dish with rice
Serve breakfast foods like eggs
Use in seven-layer dip

You can safely store refried beans in the refrigerator for three to four days, so you can easily make a big batch and use the beans in several meals.

How many calories are in refried beans?

A 1-cup serving of restaurant-style Mexican refried beans has 231 calories.

The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimate that moderately active men aged 26 to 45 require 2,600 calories daily, while women in this group should consume 2,000 calories. Based on these guidelines, one cup of refried beans would provide 8% of daily calories for men and 10% for women, making them a relatively low-calorie option.

What nutrients are in refried beans?

The specific nutrients in a serving of refried beans depend on the recipe used to create the dish. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, here are the nutrients in a 1-cup portion of restaurant Mexican refried beans:

Protein: 10.2 grams
Total lipid (fat): 10 grams
Carbohydrate, by difference: 24.9 grams
Fiber, total dietary: 11.8 grams
Sugars: 1.15 grams
Calcium: 84.4 milligrams
Magnesium: 65.1 milligrams
Phosphorus: 189 milligrams
Potassium: 595 milligrams

Refried beans are a good source of protein, a vital macronutrient that forms the building blocks of your body’s organs and tissues. This food also provides a large serving of dietary fiber, a nondigestible carbohydrate that helps regulate blood sugar and reduces appetite.

Are refried beans good for weight loss?

Refried beans can be a good option for weight loss in some circ*mstances. A 1-cup serving of refried beans has 231 calories, so you could include this food in a low-calorie diet as a main meal.

This food is also an excellent source of dietary fiber. This carbohydrate can aid weight loss and stimulate the production of appetite-suppressing hormones.

Finally, you can increase the nutritional value of refried beans by eating them with vegetables. For example, you can add tomatoes to refried beans or use the beans as a dipping sauce for broccoli florets and carrots. Vegetables can help control hunger and regulate blood sugar levels, and research has suggested that a diet rich in nonstarchy vegetables can contribute to weight loss.

What are the risks of eating refried beans?

While refried beans can be a decent weight-loss option, they pose a few risks.

Many people fry refried beans in butter, bacon fat, or lard. These foods can contain high amounts of trans fat, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. You can reduce the amount of trans fat in refried beans by substituting butter or lard for healthier alternatives like canola or vegetable oil.

One cup of refried beans also contains 556 mg of sodium. A diet high in sodium can contribute to hypertension, strokes, and other serious health conditions.

It’s essential to consider the benefits and risks of refried beans carefully before deciding to use this food for weight loss. If you choose to include this food in your diet, pay close attention to portion size and toppings to avoid consuming too many calories.

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Medically Reviewed on 1/4/2023

References

SOURCES:

FoodData Central: “Restaurant, Mexican, refried beans."

Food Timeline: “FAQS: Mexican & Tex Mex foods."

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: "Ask the Expert: Healthy Fats," "Fiber," "Magnesium," "Phosphorus," "Potassium," “Protein," "Salt and Sodium," "Vegetables and Fruits."

Idaho Bean Commission: "Refried Pinto Beans."

Illinois Extension: "Save on sodium with homemade refried beans."

PBS: "Prepare a Comforting Bowl of Refried Beans."

Proceedings of the Nutrition Society: "Understanding the interplay between food structure, intestinal bacterial fermentation and appetite control."

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