Know2eat

Cranberry beans

Phaseolus vulgaris

What cranberry beans has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About cranberry beans

A common bean with a cream skin streaked in crimson, the streaks fading to brown on cooking. Central to Italian and Portuguese cooking as borlotti. The USDA reference entry is for the raw dry seed.

Also known as Borlotti bean, Roman bean, Fagioli borlotti

Blood Sugar & Metabolic HealthHeart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Blood glucose response

Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health
Limited evidence

Evidence is limited for cranberry beans in particular. They behave like other common beans in single-meal glucose tests, but essentially all the trial evidence sits at the level of pulses as a category.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited. Pooled pulse trials report small LDL reductions, and cranberry beans are one of the many beans folded into that category rather than a separately evidenced food.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Cranberry beans

Ask about Cranberry beans

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories335 kcal17%
Protein23 g46%
Total fat1.23 g2%
Carbohydrate60 g22%
Fibre24.7 g88%
Water12.4 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.316 g2%
Monounsaturated fat0.106 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.527 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.287 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.747 mg62%
Riboflavin (B2)0.213 mg16%
Niacin (B3)1.46 mg9%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.748 mg15%
Vitamin B60.309 mg18%
Folate604 µg151%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Minerals
Calcium127 mg10%
Iron5 mg28%
Magnesium156 mg37%
Phosphorus372 mg30%
Potassium1332 mg28%
Sodium6 mg0%
Zinc3.63 mg33%
Copper0.794 mg88%
Manganese0.92 mg40%
Selenium12.7 µg23%
Other measured compounds
Ash3.31 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Beans, cranberry (roman), mature seeds, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 175189).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

  • boiledReduces phytohaemagglutinin

    A vigorous ten-minute boil destroys the lectin; sub-boiling temperatures do not.

  • cookedIncreases resistant starch

    Cooking and cooling raises resistant starch through starch retrogradation.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Avoid

    Undercooked common beans and phytohaemagglutinin

    Cranberry beans are Phaseolus vulgaris and carry the same toxic lectin as kidney beans. Soak, discard the water, boil hard for at least ten minutes, then simmer. Slow-cooking from dry at low temperature is the documented route to poisoning.

  • Worth knowing

    FODMAPs and IBS

    High in galacto-oligosaccharides and a frequent cause of bloating and gas in people with irritable bowel syndrome.

  • Worth knowing

    Phytate and mineral absorption

    Phytate binds iron and zinc in the meal and lowers absorption; vitamin C alongside partly offsets this for iron.