White Beans

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By the Nutriveda editorial team · Updated 4 November 2026

White beans are the bean of Mediterranean soups and stews: mild, creamy and very filling. Per 100 g cooked, small white beans give 142 kcal, 9 g protein and 10.4 g fibre, with almost no fat (USDA). Half a cup cooked covers more than a third of the 25 g of fibre adults need a day. “White beans” is a loose name in shops; USDA keeps separate data for small white beans, navy beans and a general “white beans” record, and the numbers differ more than you would expect.

Nutrition per 100 g

Nutrient	Small white, dry (raw)	Small white, cooked	Navy, cooked	White, cooked	White, canned
Energy	336 kcal	142 kcal	140 kcal	139 kcal	114 kcal
Water	11.7 g	63.2 g	63.8 g	63.1 g	70.1 g
Protein	21.1 g	9.0 g	8.2 g	9.7 g	7.3 g
Fat, total	1.2 g	0.6 g	0.6 g	0.4 g	0.3 g
Carbohydrate	62.2 g	25.8 g	26.0 g	25.1 g	21.2 g
of which fibre	24.9 g	10.4 g	10.5 g	6.3 g	4.8 g
Sodium	12 mg	2 mg	0 mg	6 mg	340 mg
Potassium	1540 mg	463 mg	389 mg	561 mg	454 mg
Calcium	173 mg	73 mg	69 mg	90 mg	73 mg
Iron	7.73 mg	2.84 mg	2.36 mg	3.70 mg	2.99 mg
Magnesium	183 mg	68 mg	53 mg	63 mg	51 mg
Zinc	2.81 mg	1.09 mg	1.03 mg	1.38 mg	1.12 mg
Folate	386 µg	137 µg	140 µg	81 µg	65 µg
Thiamin (vitamin B1)	0.74 mg	0.24 mg	0.24 mg	0.12 mg	0.10 mg

Data: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: “Beans, small white, mature seeds, raw” (FDC 173749), “Beans, small white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt” (FDC 173750), “Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt” (FDC 173746), “Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt” (FDC 175203) and “Beans, white, mature seeds, canned” (FDC 175204), all checked 2026-10-30. Cooked values are without salt. USDA does not say which varieties are behind the general “white” records. Values are rounded.

Per serving: half a cup cooked small white beans (about 90 g)

	Amount	Compared with
Energy	127 kcal
Protein	8.0 g
Fibre	9.3 g	about 37% of 25 g
Folate	123 µg	about 37% of 330 µg
Iron	2.5 mg	about 23% of 11 mg (men), 16% of 16 mg (women before menopause)
Potassium	414 mg
Magnesium	61 mg

The cup weight (179 g cooked) is from the USDA record. Percentages compare with EFSA reference values for adults: 25 g fibre a day, 330 µg folate (population reference intake) and iron 11 mg for men and 16 mg for premenopausal women (population reference intakes).

Small white, navy, “white”, canned: what is different

• Small white and navy beans are almost the same on paper: about 140 kcal, 8-9 g protein, 10.5 g fibre and 140 µg folate per 100 g cooked. Both are small, cook to a creamy texture and suit soups such as fasolada.
• The general “white beans” record has more protein, iron and potassium per 100 g cooked, but about 40% less fibre and less than two thirds of the folate. If a label says only “white beans”, the bean in the jar could be either kind.
• Canned white beans carry about 340 mg sodium per 100 g, compared with 2-6 mg for beans cooked at home without salt. They also have less fibre and folate per 100 g in the USDA data, partly because they contain more water.
• Dry vs cooked. Beans absorb water as they cook. Comparing the protein in the dry and cooked small white records, 100 g dry gives roughly 235 g cooked.

What the evidence says

• Fibre. Small white and navy beans are among the highest-fibre pulses in USDA data: 10.4 g per 100 g cooked, more than cooked lentils (7.9 g) or black beans (8.7 g). Half a cup gives over a third of the 25 g a day EFSA considers adequate for normal bowel function in adults.
• Protein. About a quarter of the energy in cooked small white beans comes from protein. Eaten with grains such as bread, bulgur or rice, they make a complete plant protein over the day.
• Folate and potassium. Half a cup of cooked small white beans covers more than a third of the adult folate reference intake and gives over 400 mg potassium, with almost no sodium if you cook them yourself.
• Iron. White beans contain non-heme iron, which is absorbed less well than iron from meat. The EU accepts that vitamin C increases iron absorption, so tomatoes, peppers or lemon juice in the same meal help.

White beans are not listed in the international GI tables, so we give no glycemic index value for them.

Risks and who should be careful

• Never eat them raw or undercooked. Raw dry beans contain a lectin (phytohaemagglutinin) that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Red kidney beans have the most, but white beans contain it too. Soak, then boil them properly until soft.
• Wind and bloating. Like other pulses, beans contain fermentable carbohydrates. Increasing portions slowly usually helps.
• Canned beans usually contain added salt; check the label, choose low-salt versions and rinse them.

Traditional view (Ayurveda)

In Usha and Vasant Lad’s food guidelines, white and navy beans are favourable for Pitta and Kapha and on the list to avoid for Vata; the traditional advice is to soak them, cook them until very soft and season them with warming spices and a little oil. This is a traditional view, not a clinical finding.

How to buy, cook and use them

• Soak dry beans in plenty of cold water for 8-12 hours, drain and rinse.
• Cook in fresh water at a full boil first, then simmer until creamy inside, usually 1-1.5 hours depending on size and age. Old beans take longer. Salt at the end.
• Store dry beans in a closed container in a cool, dry place. Cooked beans keep 3-4 days in the fridge and freeze well in their cooking liquid.
• Use: in fasolada and minestrone, mashed with olive oil and garlic as a spread, in salads with tuna, red onion and parsley, or baked with tomatoes.

Dishes to try

• Fasolada: Greek white bean soup
• Roasted Mediterranean vegetables (serve with warm white beans and olive oil)

Related entries

• How to cook white beans
• 10 delicious recipes using white beans
• Mediterranean diet
• Chickpeas per 100 g: dry, cooked, canned
• Lentils per 100 g: red, green, brown, Puy
• Mediterranean diet for beginners
• Extra virgin olive oil per 100 g
• Tomatoes

FAQ

How many calories are in white beans?

About 140 kcal per 100 g cooked without salt (small white, navy and general white beans all fall between 139 and 142 kcal) and 336 kcal per 100 g dry small white beans (USDA). Canned white beans have 114 kcal per 100 g.

How much protein is in white beans?

8-10 g per 100 g cooked, depending on the type, and about 21 g per 100 g dry small white beans.

Are navy beans the same as white beans?

Navy beans are one kind of small white bean. USDA keeps separate records for navy, small white and general white beans; navy and small white are almost identical, while the general white record has less fibre and folate and more iron.

Are canned white beans as healthy as dried?

They are a good shortcut, but in USDA data they have far more sodium (340 mg per 100 g) and less fibre and folate per 100 g than beans cooked at home. Rinse them and choose low-salt versions.

Do white beans need soaking?

Soaking is the usual method and shortens cooking. Whatever you do, boil them until fully soft: raw or undercooked beans can make you ill.

Sources

1. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Beans, small white, mature seeds, raw (FDC 173749). fdc.nal.usda.gov
2. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Beans, small white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173750). fdc.nal.usda.gov
3. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Beans, navy, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173746). fdc.nal.usda.gov
4. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Beans, white, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 175203). fdc.nal.usda.gov
5. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Beans, white, mature seeds, canned (FDC 175204). fdc.nal.usda.gov
6. USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Black beans, cooked, boiled, without salt (FDC 173735). fdc.nal.usda.gov
7. EFSA NDA Panel (2010). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for carbohydrates and dietary fibre. EFSA Journal 8(3):1462. efsa.europa.eu
8. EFSA NDA Panel (2014). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for folate. EFSA Journal 12(11):3893. efsa.europa.eu
9. EFSA NDA Panel (2015). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for iron. EFSA Journal 13(10):4254. efsa.europa.eu
10. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims (vitamin C and iron absorption). EUR-Lex
11. Lad U, Lad V. Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types, from Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing, 2nd ed. The Ayurvedic Institute. ayurveda.com

This page is for information only and is not medical or dietary advice.