White Kidney Bean – Benefits of a Starch Blocker

By Summer Banks FNS, SPT on Aug 19, 2022

The white kidney bean originated in South America. As is the case with other beans, they were imported to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 1400’s. Beans are a great source of protein and they are cheap.

White kidney beans are commercially produced almost solely in Italy. There, they are used in many popular dishes.

What are white kidney beans

Overview

What Are White Kidney Beans?

White kidney beans are beans that are part of the Phaseolus vulgaris class. They go by many different names. Some of these names include:

  • Cannellini beans
  • Italian kidney beans
  • Northern beans
  • Fasolia beans

For a long time, these beans have been a staple in Italian cooking.

They are named “kidney” beans because they have the shape of the body’s kidneys. Usually, you will find them in their dried form when you buy them.

These beans are rich in many nutrients. They are a great source of dietary fiber, and they contain antioxidants. A half cup of the beans contains the following:

  • 90 calories
  • 19 grams carbohydrate
  • 7 grams protein
  • 6 grams fiber
  • Calcium
  • Potassium

White Kidney Bean Benefits

Benefits

White Kidney Bean Benefits

While the extract might be mildly useful for halting the digestion of a certain amount of the carbohydrates that you consume, it does not seem to be a way to successfully manage your weight and health in the long term.

Carb-blockers essentially rely on a metabolic trick to stop you from digesting carbohydrates. However, your weight is determined not just by the carbohydrates you consume. The whole picture is far more complicated than that. Your total caloric intake is what determines your weight and the weight that you can lose.

Also, the idea that you can have “cheat” meals that are extremely heavy in carbs is not substantiated. White kidney bean benefits include the following:

White Kidney Bean and Weight Loss

There are many different kinds of beans that promote weight loss. This property of theirs can be attributed to the fact that they function to block the pancreas from producing a certain enzyme that is involved in carbohydrate digestion.

The white kidney bean is used to make supplements and extracts that will be discussed later in this article. White kidney beans are also low in calories, yet they make you feel full. This is very useful for people who wish to lose weight.

White Kidney Bean Weight Loss

White Kidney Bean Extract for Weight Loss

The question that is important here is whether you should use white kidney bean extract for weight loss. Carb blockers, in general, are only useful for a certain kind of person.

If you consume a lot of carbs, then a carb blocker will maybe help you lose a little extra weight. However, if you are already watching your carb intake carefully, then the carb blocker is not going to make too much of a difference. It may, in fact, deplete you of energy. The bottom line is that if you consume a lot of calories, the carb blocker is not going to help you erase them.

The chemistry works, but the carb blocker can’t do anything about your total caloric intake.

White Kidney Bean and Blood Sugar

The amylase inhibitor in white kidney beans can help to control blood sugar spikes.

White Kidney Bean Heart Health

White Kidney Bean and Heart Health

The alpha-amylase inhibitor of the beans has been known to reduce triglycerides. These cells are a type of lipid. If you have too many of them in your system, it can raise your chances of getting heart ailments. The extract of white kidney beans was found to lower triglycerides, NCBI states.

Does White Kidney Bean Work?

Does white kidney bean work? The answer to this question is complex. We need to distinguish between incorporating the beans into your diet, as opposed to taking a supplement.

About including them in your diet, the above research indicates that the beans are at least a healthy alternative to other foods that you may eat. Concerning the status of white kidney bean supplement, we need to have a separate discussion.

Does White Kidney Bean Block Carbs

Does White Kidney Bean Block Carbs?

Does white kidney bean block carbs? If you mean to ask whether the whole beans have this capability, it seems that they do.

However, the quantity of beans that you must eat is an open question.

What Is White Kidney Bean Extract?

What is white kidney bean extract? White kidney bean extract is a carbohydrate blocker that is supposed to function by inhibiting their digestion, Examine says.

According to Nutrition Journal, even if you are not on a diet, the extract is capable of reducing body weight. It acts in the same way as caloric restriction would.

Foods with a low glycemic index may reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease as well as their complications.

Research

Research Supporting White Kidney Bean

How is a starch transformed into sugar in your body? The process begins when you eat something that has carbohydrate in it. This could be a slice of bread or potatoes. The enzyme amylase begins the process of breaking down the starch in your mouth itself.

After you swallow the carb, your stomach acid halts the amylase from functioning. In your small intestines, the amylase finishes its job of breaking down the carb into glucose. Glucose is the body’s source of fuel.

What Does White Kidney Bean Extract Do?

What does white kidney bean extract do? The active ingredient in white kidney bean stops the secretion of amylase. What ends up happening is that the carbs that you consume are not broken down.

Does It Work?

Does White Kidney Bean Extract Work?

Does white kidney bean extract work? That is also a complex question. On the one hand, the chemistry is bona fide. The white kidney bean carb blocker does its job.

However, the white kidney bean carb blocker will not magically take care of a heavy dose of carbohydrates. It has a limited effect. So, if you want to eat a heavy sugary snack, the extract probably won’t do that much good for you.

Is White Kidney Bean Extract Safe

Side Effects

White Kidney Bean Extract Side Effects

Is White Kidney Bean Extract Safe?

According to ConsumerLab, white kidney bean extract side effects include:

  • Gas
  • Bloating

This tends to occur early on. People who have kidney or liver issues should consult a doctor before taking it. WebMD mentioned that there’s little research supporting the claims. They also mention the gastrointestinal side effects of the carb blockers.

Moreover, they recommend that a person on a diet should simply increase their intake of dietary fiber.

White Kidney Bean Extract Dosage

The white kidney bean extract dosage is as follows:

The typical dosage for the extract lies between 500 mg to 3000 mg daily. Most people who take it use 1000 mg twice per day with meals.

When to Take White Kidney Bean Extract

When to take white kidney bean extract? For the white kidney bean supplement to be effective as a carb-blocker, you must take it with meals.

In certain research studies, researchers use small doses of Phase 2 white kidney bean extract.

Phase 2 is the commercial brand of white kidney bean extract. In one study, the treatment group received 445 mg of extract once per day, NCBI states. This group also followed a calorie-restricted diet.

The results of the study were that the treatment group lost 6.6 pounds, while the placebo group lost only .8 pounds.

White Kidney Beans and Health

What must be remembered is that white kidney beans themselves are a very healthy food. Vitamins and minerals in white kidney bean include:

  • Molybdenum
  • Folate (Vitamin B9)
  • Iron
  • Copper
  • Manganese
  • Potassium
  • Vitamin K1
  • Phosphorous

White Kidney Bean Supplements

White Kidney Bean Supplements

If you choose to take the extract, then you should keep a few things in mind. You should always use a product from a manufacturer with a good reputation.

This way, you will get pills that have a consistent amount of the concentration of the extract.

Next, you should observe what the total cost per bottle is. You can calculate this by figuring out how many doses you get in the bottle and what they each cost.

Always consult with your doctor before taking any product, including white kidney bean supplements.

If you have any outstanding health problems, you want to make sure that the extract won’t have any complications for you.

 

White Kidney Bean Powder

White Kidney Bean Powder

You may also buy white kidney bean powder.

White Kidney Bean Capsules

You can also purchase white kidney bean capsules. You take them orally just like the pills.

White Kidney Bean Extract Liquid

You may also buy white kidney bean extract liquid.

How to Cook White Kidney Beans

How to Cook White Kidney Beans

There are different varieties of white beans. Other kinds of white beans include Great Northern beans and navy beans.

White kidney beans are great in salads and other dishes. However, they are mildly earthy with a nutty undertone.

Dry white kidney beans must first be soaked for many hours. The best prep method for white kidney beans is soaking overnight.

Cook about 45-60 minutes. Add salt to avoid toughening.

They will stay fresh for many days after you cook them.

You can use the beans to replace meat in your cooking if you are a vegetarian or vegan.

An innovative idea is to use the pureed beans as a replacement for shortening. In recipes for brownies, many people will use the puree to replace even up to 50% of the shortening.

Bottom Line White Kidney bean

What Users Are Saying

“I like that White Kidney Bean is taken right before you eat, not trying to time it beforehand (like 30 minutes before eating). I take one capsule before eating a high carb meal and notice that I don’t bloat like I usually do with carbs. I don’t feel heavy after the carbs like I do when I don’t take this product.”

“I wish there were a guarantee on this product. It did NOTHING for me. I took as directed and took as directed and took as directed. Nothing happened. Waste of money for me.”

“This is my second bottle. I like it that it actually works, but it leaves me with bloating and stomach gas at night.”

Bottom Line

Bottom Line on White Kidney Bean

There is no doubt that white kidney beans are a healthy food to add to your diet. That much is not in dispute.

The issue relates to its ability to promote weight loss or block carbs.

However, as part of a permanent long-term solution to weight and health issues, the extract may not be what one expects.

The real resolution to weight problems is to adopt a healthy lifestyle; incorporating diet, exercise and the right supplementation.

About the Author:

Summer Banks has researched over 5000 weight-loss programs, pills, shakes and diet plans. Previously, she managed 15 supplement brands, worked with professionals in the weight loss industry and completed coursework in nutrition at Stanford University.

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