In a contemporary food culture where carnivore diets that exclusively feature meat and consumption of unpasteurized raw milk have become increasingly popular, it’s clear that animal products are having a moment. United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may soon drive America’s interest in animal protein even further along with a controversial update to the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

Issued every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), these guidelines advise Americans on what to eat and drink to promote long-term health and meet nutritional needs.

Although the DGA’s advisory committee — comprised of health experts, scientists, and doctors — has recommended prioritizing plant-based protein over red meat and officially recognizing legumes as sources of protein in the national guidelines, Kennedy indicated this spring that he’ll be ignoring the committee’s guidance.

Considering that the DGA sets the standard for what a healthy, balanced diet looks like and is used to develop school nutrition plans, the stakes are high. Kennedy wouldn’t just be leading consumers away from a valid source of protein; he’d also be devaluing a vital, comprehensively nutritious addition to our diets.

Beans provide a wide variety of nutrients

Before we dive into some of the most important nutritional benefits you can reap from beanspeas, and lentils — which are all legumes — it’s important to understand the bigger picture of what these plants will add to your diet.

Kinga Balogh, a health coach and registered dietitian with JM Nutritionemphasizes that “Beans are an essential part of a healthy diet for most people. They are packed with a variety of key nutrients, such as protein, dietary fiber, and powerful micronutrients. Health organizations across the globe recommend regular consumption of plant-based proteins, such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils.”

The many nutrients you can acquire from beans, per Balogh, include folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, and antioxidants — the latter of which are “responsible for combating cellular damage in the body.”

The inclusion of legumes in a healthy diet is not a new revelation. Health organizations around the world, such as the World Cancer Research Fund International, the World Health Organizationand the EAT-Lancet Commissionrecommend consuming beans as part of a healthy diet.

Beans are a valid source of protein

While protein is far from the only nutrient you’ll get from legumes, it is an important one. According to Kathleen Benson, CSSD, CPT, and RDN at VNutrition“Beans provide a moderate but valuable amount of protein (about 7–9 grams per half-cup serving). While they’re considered an ‘incomplete’ protein because they don’t contain all of the essential amino acids we need, they still contribute to the body’s amino acid pool, which can be drawn on to meet overall protein needs.”

Animal proteins are often labeled as “complete” proteins because they contain all nine essential amino acids, whereas legumes are considered “incomplete proteins” because they may not have sufficient levels of one or more amino acids. But this doesn’t mean they’re not still adding protein to your diet.

As Balogh details, “Plant proteins may be low in one or more essential amino acids. However, this is not a concern in most cases, as people consume a variety of protein-rich options throughout the day. This helps balance out all essential amino acids. For example, consuming rice and beans together gives rise to a complete protein.”

A 2021 study from the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients confirms that, “a half-cup serving of cooked beans provides up to 25 grams of protein, or approximately 20% of the recommended adult requirement. Although protein content varies in different bean types or cultivars and is influenced by the growing environment, it is comparable to that of meat…”

Beans are rich in fiber

What really makes beans a crucial addition to your diet isn’t just their protein content in isolation, but rather the amount of fiber you get alongside it. A 2016 study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine revealed that an alarming 95% of the U.S. population isn’t meeting the recommended daily fiber intake, and recent data confirms we’re still not consuming enough fiber.

As Benson explains, “Meat contains no dietary fiber, while beans are an excellent source. Fiber supports digestive health, can help lower cholesterol, and promotes blood sugar stability. This makes beans a protein source with added benefits.”

In contrast, Balogh points out that “Meats contain higher amounts of dietary fat and cholesterol, while beans are cholesterol-free and are mostly void of fat content.” This means that beans avoid some of the health risks associated with red meat, all while giving you a good dose of fiber.

Fiber is critical for supporting digestive health, feeding beneficial bacteria in your gut, which promotes a more diverse microbiome and helps slow down blood sugar absorption.

Adiana Castro MS, RDN, metabolic dietitian in NYC, and founder of Compass Nutrition, emphasizes several of these benefits, explaining that “In the microbiome, the more diverse the amount of (bacteria) strains you have, the less risk you have of many chronic diseases like IBS, obesity, and fibromyalgia. Lastly, fiber is an important nutrient to help manage blood sugar, reduce cholesterol and build up immune health.”

In addition to promoting digestive health, fiber can help lower cholesterol levels and support heart health. As a result, the long-lasting impacts of adding fiber — and beans — to your diet may be significant.

Beans are linked to long-term health

As Food & Wine reported earlier this year, a study from the University of Sydney published in Nature Communications found that countries with citizens who consume more plant-based proteins tend to have a longer life expectancy.

There’s a clear link between legumes and a lessened risk of heart disease. Consumption of beans has been shown to lower high blood pressure, cholesterol, and the likelihood of obesity, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. (On the opposite end of the spectrum, red meat is associated with higher levels of cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.)

By reducing the risk of chronic diseases like obesity and cardiovascular disease, eating more beans may be linked to a longer life overall.

One 2023 study published in Advances in Nutrition concluded that “Higher legume intake was associated with a reduced risk of all-cause and stroke mortality,” and “Each 50-gram increase in legume intake was associated with a 6% lower risk of all-cause mortality in the linear dose–response analysis. Our findings, therefore, strongly support current dietary recommendations to consume more legumes in the general population.”

A longer life and better digestive health are all excellent reasons to eat more beans — and to include them in official dietary guidelines — but if you need an extra reason, they happen to be affordable and delicious.