Are Refried Beans Healthy, and Are They Good for Weight Loss?

Refried beans are a delicious and versatile dish that appears on the menus of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. Refried beans are healthy because they are high in protein, fiber, minerals, and other nutrients and they may help you lose weight.

Refried beans are a delicious and versatile dish that appears on the menus of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants. You can also easily make this meal at home or buy it in a can. But if you want to lose weight, you may be concerned about refried beans' calories and nutritional value. 

Are refried beans good for weight loss? The answer depends on several factors, including the types of ingredients used and the portion size. Discover the history and uses of refried beans, and learn about how this tasty dish could affect weight loss. 

Refried beans are an affordable dish commonly prepared in Mexico and other countries in Central and Southern America. Many people assume that refried beans are unhealthy because the term “refried” suggests that the cook must fry the beans twice But the name is a mistranslation of frijoles refritos. In Spanish, refritos means very fried or well-fried, not twice-fried. 

Many refried bean recipes from America and Northern Mexico use pinto beans, but you can use any bean. For example, some people use black, cranberry, kidney, or red beans. 

Traditional methods of preparing this dish involve a few basic steps:

• Soak dry beans overnight 
• Boil the beans 
• Cook the beans in the oven for two to three hours until soft 
• Pan-fry the beans once in bacon fat or another type of lard, like butter  
• Mash the cooked beans into a thick paste 

You can incorporate other ingredients in refried beans for additional flavors, like fresh cilantro, garlic, grated cheese, powdered spices, savory broth, and tomatoes. 

Refried beans are a flexible dish with numerous culinary uses. Here are a few ways that you can use this food: 

• Add to grain bowls with quinoa or rice 
• As a dip for chips and vegetables
• As a filling for burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos 
• Include in casseroles 
• Mix with salsa 
• Nacho topping
• Spread on a tostada with tomatoes and other vegetables 
• Serve as a side dish with rice
• Serve breakfast foods like eggs 
• Use in seven-layer dip 

You can safely store refried beans in the refrigerator for three to four days, so you can easily make a big batch and use the beans in several meals. 

A 1-cup serving of restaurant-style Mexican refried beans has 231 calories.  

The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans estimate that moderately active men aged 26 to 45 require 2,600 calories daily, while women in this group should consume 2,000 calories. Based on these guidelines, one cup of refried beans would provide 8% of daily calories for men and 10% for women, making them a relatively low-calorie option. 

The specific nutrients in a serving of refried beans depend on the recipe used to  create the dish. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, here are the nutrients in a 1-cup portion of restaurant Mexican refried beans: 

• Protein: 10.2 grams 
• Total lipid (fat): 10 grams
• Carbohydrate, by difference: 24.9 grams
• Fiber, total dietary: 11.8 grams 
• Sugars: 1.15 grams 
• Calcium: 84.4 milligrams
• Magnesium: 65.1 milligrams
• Phosphorus: 189 milligrams
• Potassium: 595 milligrams

Refried beans are a good source of protein, a vital macronutrient that forms the building blocks of your body’s organs and tissues. This food also provides a large serving of dietary fiber, a nondigestible carbohydrate that helps regulate blood sugar and reduces appetite. 

This food is also an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals, including: 

• Magnesium: This mineral supports many chemical reactions in your body, like creating proteins and regulating blood pressure. It also helps your heart maintain a steady beat. 
• Phosphorus: Your body uses this mineral to activate enzymes and maintain normal muscle and nerve functions. Phosphorus is also a crucial component of DNA and RNA strands. 
• Potassium: This mineral helps maintain physiological balance by regulating the fluid levels inside your body’s cells. 

Refried beans can be a great choice if you’re looking for a yummy food that provides plenty of fiber and essential minerals. 

Refried beans can be a good option for weight loss in some circumstances. A 1-cup serving of refried beans has 231 calories, so you could include this food in a low-calorie diet as a main meal. 

This food is also an excellent source of dietary fiber. This carbohydrate can aid weight loss and stimulate the production of appetite-suppressing hormones. 

Finally, you can increase the nutritional value of refried beans by eating them with vegetables. For example, you can add tomatoes to refried beans or use the beans as a dipping sauce for broccoli florets and carrots. Vegetables can help control hunger and regulate blood sugar levels, and research has suggested that a diet rich in nonstarchy vegetables can contribute to weight loss. 

While refried beans can be a decent weight-loss option, they pose a few risks. 

Many people fry refried beans in butter, bacon fat, or lard. These foods can contain high amounts of trans fat, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. You can reduce the amount of trans fat in refried beans by substituting butter or lard for healthier alternatives like canola or vegetable oil. 

One cup of refried beans also contains 556 mg of sodium. A diet high in sodium can contribute to hypertension, strokes, and other serious health conditions. 

It’s essential to consider the benefits and risks of refried beans carefully before deciding to use this food for weight loss. If you choose to include this food in your diet, pay close attention to portion size and toppings to avoid consuming too many calories.