Also know as black turtle beans, black beans are a small, shiny variety of common beans, especially popular in Latin American cuisine. The black bean has a dense, meaty texture, which makes it popular in vegetarian dishes, such as the Mexican-American black bean burrito. It is native to the Americas, but has been introduced around the world. It is also used in Indian cuisine, Tamil cuisine and in Maharashtrian cuisine.

In Spanish, these are well known as porotos negros, frijoles negros, zaragoza, judías negras, habichuela negra, among others.

It is also common to keep the boiled water of these beans and consume it as a soup with other ingredients for seasoning, as a broth or to season or color other dishes.

Nutritional information

Provides nutrients such as proteins, anti-oxidants, fiber and minerals. Black beans also contribute to:

• Maintaining healthy bones and building up strength, since it provides the organism with iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc.
• Lowering blood pressure.
• Managing diabetes: since people with type 1 diabetes who consume high-fiber diets have lower blood glucose levels.
• Warding off heart disease.
• Preventing cancer: its content of saponins prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading throughout the body.
• Healthy digestion: they help prevent constipation and promote regularity for a healthy digestive tract.
• Weight loss