Food creator Violet Witchel’s dense bean salad recipe has exploded in popularity on TikTok. The dish, which features white beans, chickpeas, and peppers, has racked up 12.5 million views on the social network so far and inspired a slew of spin-off recipes. I imagine all of the fanfare for this dish is due to the fact that it’s packed with tons of nutrients, is aesthetically pleasing, and is a nice change from your typical leafy green salad.
Even though beans are trending, a 2021 study published in Frontiers in Nutrition concluded that most Americans aren’t even getting close to the recommended amount. The latest proposed dietary guidelines, which are from an advisory committee to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), recommend that people eat at least 2.5 cups of beans and lentils per week. That’s a big increase from the current recommendation of 1.5 cups of legumes per week.
Beans, which are full of vitamins, aren’t just a good base for a salad—they may give you an athletic edge. They’re also easy to incorporate into your diet.
What’s Behind the Push to Eat More Beans?
“Beans are one of the healthiest foods to consume,” says Kacie Vavrek, a certified sport specialist in dietetics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
“They’re nutrient powerhouses, offering protein, iron, and B vitamins, all while being low in fat and highly sustainable to produce,” says Scott Keatley, co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, a practice that offers nutritional guidance for people with and without underlying health conditions.
Beans Are High in Protein
The small legumes are a significant source of plant-based protein, making them a good option for vegetarians, vegans, or anyone looking to lower their meat consumption, says Vavrek.
“Beans are lower in fat than red meat (yes, beans contain a very small amount of fat), and they are a good source of fiber,” says Kelli Metzger, a registered dietician at George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates. So, consistently swapping a cut of steak for a cup of beans may lower cholesterol.
They Help Boost Energy and Lower Disease Risk
The complex carbohydrates in beans are an excellent source of energy, says Lisa R. Young, an adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University. Complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and corn take longer to digest and provide more energy for a longer duration than simple carbohydrates such as white pasta or white bread. They also contain more nutrients, including fiber and vitamin B, than simple carbs.
A growing body of research links eating more legumes with better health, including a lowered risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. One scientific review published in the journal Advances in Nutrition in 2023 found that people who consistently included beans in their diets had a lower risk of death from any cause.
Still, beans aren’t a staple food in most American diets. “Beans really haven’t gotten the love they deserve,” says Jessica Cording, a registered dietician and author of the healthy-living guide titled The Little Book of Game-Changers. Cording says the reason isn’t entirely clear, but it’s possible that Americans have simply gotten used to thinking of animal sources for protein. “Also, I find that often people don’t know what to do with them,” she says.
How Beans Can Optimize Athletic Performance
“Beans are high in carbohydrates, and, as we know, athletes need carbohydrates to help fuel performance,” Vavrek says. That, combined with their protein levels, “make them an excellent choice for fueling recovery,” Keatley says.
Keatley says that beans’ high-fiber content also helps regulate blood sugar to deliver consistent, sustained energy while you train. That fiber content also supports gut health and digestion, which makes it easier for your body to absorb nutrients, Metzger adds. It also may help your body recover after workouts, she says.
Beans even contain electrolytes like potassium, which are often found in sports drinks and are essential for hydration, muscle function, and preventing cramps, Young says.
Beans May Enhance Agility and Speed
There isn’t a lot of research directly looking at the impact of legumes on athletic performance, but there is some.
A small, randomized, double-blind study published in the journal Nutrients in 2020 had eight soccer players either eat a lentil-based nutrition bar or a carbohydrate-based bar two hours before a simulated soccer match. The participants were given an agility test of paced jogging, running, walking, and sprinting, along with three-minute intervals of soccer agility skills. Study participants who had the lentil-based bar performed better on the agility test and had a lower carbohydrate oxidation rate (the speed at which the body breaks down carbs for energy) during the match. As a result, the researchers concluded that the lentil-based bar provided an improvement in agility, running, and jumping high later in the game.
A small 2020 study published in European PMC divided 19 soccer players, 12 women and 7 men, into two groups. The first group ate a pulse-based diet (including beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.), and the second group consumed their regular diet for four weeks. The researchers found that only the female participants, who made up the majority of the study participants, reduced their total cholesterol levels on the pulse-based diets and also increased their levels of high-density lipoproteins, which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the researchers didn’t conclude that the beans enhanced athletic performance—only that they supported other factors that contributed to good health.
Is It a Good Idea to Eat Beans Before a Workout?
Cording stresses that everyone’s body processes beans differently, but in general, she doesn’t recommend having a hefty serving of beans before a workout. “That’s going to be really uncomfortable because of the impact it can have on digestion,” she says. The high fiber content can lead to bloating or gas, which could interfere with performance.
Because of this, Keatley suggests eating beans at least 12 to 24 hours before a workout and consistently sprinkling them throughout your diet, focusing on smaller servings at each sitting versus larger ones to minimize side effects. “Incorporating them regularly into meals throughout training is more effective than relying on a one-off ‘bean boost,’” he says. Another reason to focus on consistency, according to Young: “Regularly including beans in your diet helps your body adapt to digesting them efficiently.” Making sure the beans are thoroughly cooked can also make them easier to digest.
If you’re concerned about timing beans around your performance or aren’t sure how you’ll react to them, Cording says it’s better to have them after your workout and gauge how you feel from there.
How to Get More Beans in Your Diet
If you’re not currently a bean eater, Cording suggests starting slow. Vavrek recommends drinking plenty of water to help move legumes through your digestive system and prevent constipation. Metzger also suggests soaking beans overnight in cool water, which removes some of the gas-producing sugars.
Here are some easy ways to eat more beans, according to Metzger:
- Add chickpeas to a salad or soup, or make a chili
- Eat black beans with rice or as a side dish
- Sauté white beans with garlic and olive oil
- Snack on roasted soybeans
- Dip pita chips or vegetables in hummus
- Toss lima beans into your salad or create a succotash (a combo of corn and lima beans)
You can even put beans in smoothies, Cording says. “The key is to integrate them consistently across meals, allowing their benefits to support overall training and performance,” Keatley says.
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