Which Is Healthier: Kidney Beans or Garbanzo Beans?

People who eat beans tend to weigh less, have lower blood pressure and consume more essential nutrients than people who don't eat beans, according to a study published in 2008 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." Beans are an inexpensive source of fiber and protein and may lower your risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. Both kidney beans and garbanzo beans are nutritious but contain different amounts of essential nutrients. Kidney beans may be slightly healthier than the garbanzo beans, as they are higher in some of the essential nutrients while being lower in calories and fat than the garbanzo beans.

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MACRONUTRIENTS

A 1/2-cup serving of canned kidney beans contains 113 calories, .5 gram of fat, 8 grams of protein and 20 grams of carbohydrate, including 6 grams of fiber. The same-sized serving of canned garbanzo beans contains 126 calories, 2 grams of mostly unsaturated fat, 7 grams of protein and 21 grams of carbohydrate, including 6 grams of fiber. Kidney beans are higher in protein and lower in fat than garbanzo beans.

VITAMINS

Garbanzo beans are a better source of vitamins than kidney beans. While both types of beans provide 2 percent of the daily value for vitamin C, the garbanzo beans also provide an impressive 33 percent of the daily value for folate, which the kidney beans do not contain in more than trace amounts. Vitamin C helps your body repair wounds and acts as an antioxidant to rid your body of free radicals that might otherwise damage your cells, and folate helps your body make new cells and prevents neural tube birth defects.

MINERALS

A serving of kidney beans provides you with 14 percent of the DV for iron, 13 percent of the DV for phosphorus, 10 percent of the DV for potassium and magnesium and 2 percent of the DV for calcium. A serving of garbanzo beans provides you with the same amount of phosphorus, more calcium at 4 percent of the DV and less of the other minerals, providing only 12 percent of the DV for iron, 6 percent of the DV for potassium and 9 percent of the DV magnesium. Your body needs iron to form hemoglobin, which transports oxygen around your body. Phosphorus is essential for nerve and muscle function, forming bones and teeth and storing energy in the body.

USE

For both kidney and garbanzo beans, discarding the soaking water for dried beans, rinsing canned beans and gradually adding more fiber to your diet help limit the gas that sometimes occurs after eating beans. Add either of these beans to salads, pasta dishes or main dishes to increase their protein and fiber. You can also puree beans and use them to replace up to half of the fat in baked goods. Kidney beans would work best in chocolate baked goods, as this would hide their color, but garbanzo beans would work in a wider variety of baked goods. Mix pureed kidney beans with cumin, chili peppers and garlic to make a spicy spread, or mix pureed garbanzo beans with tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt to make hummus spread.