9 best beans, legumes and pulses to eat when low carb (and what to prioritise for blood sugar)

Legumes, pulses and beans have many health benefits. They can assist with reducing inflammation¹  and heart disease²  and are popular nutritional powerhouses for vegetarians and vegans.

However, lentils, legumes, pulses and beans can also be very high in carbs. Remember that on a low carb way of eating, we recommend sticking to 50 g or less of net carbs daily³.  

What are legumes, pulses and beans?

A legume is a plant, fruit or seed from the family Fabaceae. The legume family includes peanuts, soy, lupin, green peas, beans and fenugreek.  When used as a dry grain, the seed is called a pulse and includes chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, and other dried beans.

So which legumes, pulses and beans are best for those following a reduced carb approach such as the Defeat Diabetes Program⁴ Let’s find out!

9. Baked Beans in Sauce: Net carbs: 34 g

•       Baked beans are the worst carb offenders on my list. They are incredibly high in carbs, with a whopping 47 g of total carbs per cup of baked beans in sauce. They contain 13 g of fibre, bringing net carbs down to 34 g, but that’s  8.5 teaspoons of sugar you’re dumping in your bloodstream!
•       They also provide less protein than the top 3 beans at just 12 g per cup cooked AND contain added sugar.
•       Health benefits: Er… let me think about that!

8. Chickpeas: Net carbs: 32.5 g

•       Chickpeas are touted as healthy, but they’re also high in carbs per cooked cup (45 g carb), 12.5 g of which is fibre, so net carbs are still high at 32.5 g. Remember, we want to stick to around 10-20 g net carbs per meal!
•       Chickpeas are also lower in protein, with 12 g of protein per cup cooked, far lower than number 1 on this list! 
•       Health benefits: Chickpeas contain 71% of our RDI for folate (vitamin B9), a critical vitamin for reducing stroke risk and neural tube defects in pregnancy.

7. Kidney beans: Net carbs: 27 g

•     Kidney beans tend to be high in carbs compared to the other beans. One cup cooked contains 40 g of carbs, 13 g of which are fibre – so net carbs are 27 g, similar to our black bean friend. 
•       Kidney beans contain less protein than other beans, with only 15 g of protein in a cup (28% of our RDI). So again, my advice is to be mindful of your carb threshold if using these beans.
•       Health benefits: They contain good levels of folic acid, essential for preventing neural tube defects⁵, and can reduce stroke risk in patients with CVD⁶.

6. Black beans: Net carbs 26 g

•       1 cup of cooked black beans contains 41 g of carbs, 15 g of which are fibre, so net carbs come in at 26 g, a little better than our other options. But if you’re trying to follow a keto⁷ approach and are sticking to 25 g of carbs or less per day, I suggest steering clear of black beans.
•       One cup of beans provides up to 30% of our protein requirements and 50% of our fibre needs. So don’t rule them out but monitor blood sugar levels as they pack more carbs and less protein.
•       Health benefits: They are a great source of folic acid, providing 64% of the RDI. Folic acid is linked to a decreased risk of all-cause mortality and a wide range of chronic diseases⁸.

5. Lentils: Net carbs 24 g

•   One cup of cooked lentils contains 40 g of carbs, so they’re very high in carbs. 16 g of which are fibre, net carbs of 24 g –  still high for our liking. 
•   They are an excellent source of protein, providing 17.9 g of protein per cup, about 35% of our protein needs.
•   Health benefits: Lentils contain 15.6 g of fibre, about 60% of our fibre needs, and lentil fibre has been shown to assist with managing diabetes⁹. They also improve HDL¹⁰, our good cholesterol.

4. Green Peas: Net carbs: 16 g

•   These guys are legumes, and they are relatively lower in carbs compared to other legumes at 25 g per cup cooked, 9 g of which is fibre, so the net carbs impacting your blood is only 16 g.  That is still 4 teaspoons of sugar (the WHO recommends just 6 tsps per day), but it depends on how many carbs you can tolerate. 
•   Green peas provide less protein than many others in this list at 8.2 g per cup.
•   Health benefits: Peas contain a good amount of fibre, 8.8 g or 30% RDI. Pea fibre has health benefits and has been shown in some studies to improve insulin resistance and belly fat in overweight individuals¹¹. 

3. Lupini Beans: Net carbs: 11.4 g

•   These are my third favourite low carb bean. Lupini contains just 16 g of carbs per cup cooked, 4.6 g of which are fibre, so net carbs are 11.4 g, the lowest of all the legumes and lentils.  
•   They are also the highest bean in protein, with 26 g per cup. That’s a whopping 52% of our daily requirements. (Spoiler alert – it’s still not as high as my top 2 legumes!)
•   Health benefits: Lupini beans benefit our health and can assist with metabolic and heart¹² health and gut flora¹³.

2. Peanuts: Net carbs 11.1 g:

•       Surprise! Peanuts are technically a legume and are low in net carbs. One cup of peanuts provides 23.6 g of carbs, and 12.4 g is fibre which does not impact blood glucose. Net carbs are only 11.1 g per cup.
•       They contain the highest amount of protein, providing 37 g in one cup,  meeting 100% of RDI for women and 70% for men¹⁴!
•       Health benefits: They’re a good source of B vitamins, high in monounsaturated fats and can lower the risk of death from causes such as cancer, stroke, diabetes and heart disease¹⁵. Remember not to overindulge if weight loss is a health goal, as they are higher in fat.

  1. Soybeans: Net carbs 4 g

•       Drum roll, please, for my number one choice: Soybeans! At just 14.4 g of total carb, of which most is fibre (10.3 g), a cup of soybeans contains just 4 g of net carbs.
•       Soybean can be eaten in many forms, including tofu, making it an excellent high protein, low carb option for vegans or vegetarians.
•       Soybeans provide 31 g of protein in one cup cooked, meeting 60% of your protein needs.
•       Health benefits: They contain high levels of isoflavones, particularly phytoestrogens, which reduce a number of risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure¹⁶, and they may be beneficial in reducing some cancers, particularly in women¹⁷.

The bottom line:

Beans, legumes, and pulses all have many nutritional benefits, provide fibre and can lower the risk for disease. They contain antioxidants and nutrients that are important for our health, such as folate and B vitamins, to name a few.  

But they also contain varying amounts of carbohydrates, which should be considered when considering your carbohydrate tolerance.¹⁸  Your low carb journey may benefit from including these beans, especially if you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, but my advice is to be mindful of which low carb beans, legumes and pulses you choose.