Yes. A daily serving of beans, lentils, chickpeas or peas lowers LDL, and they replace higher-saturated-fat foods.
A half-cup serving of beans or lentils has 6 to 8 g of fibre and well under 0.5 g of saturated fat. A 2014 meta-analysis of 26 randomised trials found that eating about one serving (130 g) of pulses a day lowered LDL by 0.17 mmol/L (about 7 mg/dL) compared with diets without them. They also keep you full, so they are an easy swap for meat and cheese.
Beans and lentils: nutrition per serving
| Food and serving | Sat fat | Cholesterol | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lentils, boiled½ cup (99 g) · FDC 172421 | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 7.8 g | 115 |
| Black beans, boiled½ cup (86 g) · FDC 173735 | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 7.5 g | 114 |
| Kidney beans, boiled½ cup (89 g) · FDC 173740 | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 5.7 g | 113 |
| Pinto beans, boiled½ cup (86 g) · FDC 175200 | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 7.7 g | 123 |
| Chickpeas, boiled½ cup (82 g) · FDC 173757 | 0.2 g | 0 mg | 6.2 g | 134 |
| Baked beans, canned, no salt added½ cup (127 g) · FDC 168128 | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 7 g | 133 |
USDA does not split bean fibre into soluble and insoluble; pulses contain both. Canned beans have similar fibre to boiled dried beans, but check the label for salt and sugar. Source: USDA FoodData Central (public domain); search the FDC number to see the full record. Values are rounded and vary by brand and recipe.
Beans against your daily saturated fat
Beans and lentils use almost none of a 13 g day, so they are one of the easiest foods to add. What they replace is what matters: a bean chilli instead of a cheese-topped pasta bake saves several grams.
Bars show each serving against about 13 g a day, the American Heart Association's target (under 6% of 2,000 calories) for people lowering LDL. Work out your own number with the saturated fat calculator.
What the research says
Ha and colleagues pooled 26 randomised controlled trials (1,037 people) in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2014. Diets with about 130 g of cooked pulses a day lowered LDL by 0.17 mmol/L compared with control diets, with no clear effect on apoB or non-HDL. The authors noted that longer, higher-quality trials are needed. Pulses are also part of the Portfolio Diet, which lowered LDL by about 13 to 17% in trials. See the Portfolio Diet guide.
How to eat more
- Swap some mince for lentils in bolognese, chilli and shepherd's pie. Half and half is an easy start.
- Add a tin of beans to soups, salads and curries. Rinse canned beans to remove some of the salt.
- Beans on wholemeal toast for breakfast or lunch.
- Hummus and roasted chickpeas as snacks. See the hummus food check and low-cholesterol snacks.
- Introduce them gradually and drink water: a sudden increase in fibre can cause gas and bloating.
- Cook dried beans from scratch in batches, or use tinned beans, lentils in pouches or frozen edamame for speed.
General information, not medical advice
This page is for education and doesn't diagnose or treat anything. If you have high cholesterol, take medication or have another health condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Frequently asked questions
Do beans lower cholesterol?
Yes. A meta-analysis of 26 trials found that about one serving (130 g) of cooked pulses a day lowered LDL by 0.17 mmol/L (about 7 mg/dL). Beans are high in fibre and replace higher-saturated-fat foods.
Which beans are best for cholesterol?
All pulses were included in the research, so choose the ones you will eat: black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas all work.
Are canned beans as good as dried beans?
Canned beans have similar fibre and almost no saturated fat. Rinse them to reduce salt, and choose versions with no added sugar.
How many beans should I eat a day?
The studies used about 130 g of cooked pulses a day (roughly ¾ cup). Aim for a serving most days, and build up slowly.
Are baked beans good for cholesterol?
Yes, they contain fibre and almost no saturated fat. Choose lower-sugar and lower-salt versions when you can.
Scan or log beans and lentils in Heart Tracker
Scan the can or search lentils and beans to log fibre and saturated fat per serving, and see how pulses build your daily fibre total.
- Barcode scanner
- LDL & HDL trends
- Voice meal logging
Related guides
Sources
- Ha V, et al. Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ. 2014;186:E252–E262.
- USDA FoodData Central: lentils (FDC 172421), black beans (173735), kidney beans (173740), pinto beans (175200), chickpeas (173757), baked beans (168128).
- Blumenthal RS, Morris PB, et al. 2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026;87(19).
- American Heart Association: Saturated fat (aim for under 6% of calories, about 13 g on 2,000 calories).