As you might have guessed, the small, white, mild-flavored legumes known as navy beans got their name because of their use in the early 1900s by the U.S. Navy. Dried navy beans are inexpensive, have a long shelf life, and are chock-full of nutrition, making them an ideal staple for long voyages at sea.
When consuming a cup of cooked navy beans, sailors would have taken in 255 calories to help fuel their workday. That same 1-cup serving would have provided them with 23% of their protein needs (based on a 2,000-calorie diet), virtually no artery-clogging saturated fat, and a whopping 68% of their Daily Value (DV) of fiber. Navy beans are also a rich source of iron, copper, folate, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, and thiamine. Additionally, they contain a moderate amount of important minerals, such as calcium and potassium.
Given their high nutritional value, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that eating navy beans every day can come with some surprising side effects, including lower cholesterol and blood sugar as well as stronger bones.
Fiber-rich navy beans can help lower cholesterol and blood sugar
Per the authors of a 2017 clinical trial in Sage Open Pediatrics, the secret to the ability of navy beans to improve cholesterol lies in their soluble and insoluble fiber content. Fiber helps by binding to bile acids, leading to decreased reabsorption of cholesterol in the small intestine as well as increased excretion of cholesterol through the feces. In this particular study, they found that supplementation with cooked navy bean powder was a tolerable way to increase fiber intake in children while simultaneously improving their cholesterol levels.
According to a 2023 study published in Nutrients, even small amounts of beans (including navy beans) – as little as ¼ cup – can help lower blood sugar after meals and reduce blood sugar spikes compared to high-carb foods like pasta, rice, and potatoes. The authors explained that the high fiber content of beans, as well as various starches, contributes to them having a low glycemic impact. This, in turn, helps with the maintenance of stable blood sugar.
Navy beans are also packed with calcium for stronger bones
As previously mentioned, navy beans have a moderate amount of calcium – 13% of your DV (this is how much calcium you should get every day). The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases states that calcium is one of two nutrients that are necessary for strong bones (vitamin D is the other). When bound with other minerals, in particular with phosphate, calcium makes bone hard.
Calcium is also essential for the function of the muscles, heart, and nerves. This means that if we are not taking in enough through the foods we eat, our body will rob our bones to fulfill these other vital functions. Over time, our bones can become weak and brittle, a condition known as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis leaves us at risk for broken bones, especially as we grow older.
