Kidney beans are a heart-healthy food that can improve digestion and keep you fuller longer. The appropriate serving size for kidney beans is one-half cup.
Calories
Video of the Day
Half a cup of kidney beans contains 310 calories, according to the USDA. The highest percentages of the components of these calories are the carbohydrates and protein, as you'll see below.
Video of the Day
Fat and Carbohydrates
There is less than 1 gram of fat in half a cup of kidney beans and 56.5 grams of carbohydrates. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, carbohydrates should make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories. In a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet, that means 900 to 1,300 calories could come from this source, or about 225 to 325 grams of carbohydrates every day.
While you probably wouldn't eat an entire can of kidney beans in a day, it could very well be a significant portion of your daily carbohydrate intake.
Fiber
A half-cup of kidney beans contains 14 grams of fiber. The recommendation is to aim for between 21 and 38 grams of fiber each day for optimal bodily function.
Protein
Half a cup of kidney beans contains 20.7 grams of protein, according to the USDA. Daily protein intake should be about 46 to 56 grams.
Anyone who is more active may need to up their protein intake especially on very active days. Kidney beans can be a good source of protein, especially when added to meals with a meat or vegetarian protein included.