A top nutritionist has revealed how a $2 pantry staple can help dieters effectively shed weight without turning to weight loss drugs like Ozempic.
Autumn Bates, a nutritionist from California, said she recently lost 15lbs of baby weight in four weeks following the birth of her second child after stocking up on black beans.
The diet expert explained in a YouTube video that the legumes are full of protein and fiber which help the body feel fuller for longer, and they also contain vitamins and micronutrients to boost the immune system.
A one-cup serving (about 170g) of cooked black beans provides around 15g of protein and fiber, which is 30 percent and 54 percent of your daily allowance respectively.
Meanwhile, this portion contains around 3.6mg of iron and 120mg of magnesium, which represents 20 percent and 28 percent of your daily values.
But one of the key things that black beans do, Bates said, is increase the hormone GLP-1 in your body, which is the same hormone that drugs like Ozempic mimic.
In one 2023 study, mice put on a black bean diet saw their GLP-1 levels increase by 21.6 percent compared to rodents which were fed a high-fat diet.
Bates said: ‘This is that really powerful satiety hormone that weight loss medications like Ozempic are targeting.
‘So when your gut bacteria munches on that fiber that is within beans, it then produces something called butyric acid. On its own, butyric acid is really anti-inflammatory, which is why it’s so great for the gut.
Autumn Bates, who is based out of California , said she recently lost 15lbs of baby weight following the birth of her second child after stocking up on black beans
‘But this also then triggers your body to release the satiety hormone GLP1, which is one of the reasons why it can make achieving a fat loss goal so effortless because you feel so full and satisfied.’
In a bid to lose her postpartum weight, Bates said she started to eat at least one cup of beans a day in combination with other ingredients and it made her ‘fat loss journey just feel essentially effortless.’
She noted that cooking raw black beans from scratch offers more health benefits over the canned version.
This is because the high-heat canning process destroys some of the nutrients.
To prepare the beans for cooking, Bates pours a measuring cup of black beans into a bowl and adds at least double the amount of water.
She then soaks the beans overnight or at least for eight hours.
After soaking the beans, she drains out the water and gives then another quick rinse and drain before putting them in a pot.
The final step involves adding at least double the amount of water again and a teaspoon of salt before boiling and simmering until the beans are ‘al dente’, with a slight resistance when bitten.
The nutritionist added: ‘Usually this takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
‘During the cooking process, you could even add in things like onions or bay leaf or cumin.
‘That way, you’re infusing those flavors into the beans and making them even more tasty.
‘A hack that I do, is I’ll just cook a lot of black beans at once and then store them in individual bags in the freezer.’
In a bid to lose her postpartum weight, Bates said she started to eat at least one cup of beans a day and it made her ‘fat loss journey just feel essentially effortless’
Bates said: ‘I’ve been eating black beans every single day for the last four weeks and after seeing the truly incredible results, I’m convinced that everybody needs to be doing the same’
Bates said she likes to add a protein and fat to her cup of black beans, with one of her menu suggestions being grilled chicken and avocado on the side.
Along with helping her to lose weight, Bates said the black beans helped improve her mood and beat any signs of postpartum blues due to the high amount of fiber in black beans, which helps to feed your good gut bacteria and keep it healthy.
In turn, this ‘can enhance our serotonin production, which is that feel-good hormone.’
Bates continued: ‘Especially when you consider most of our serotonin production happens in the gut. That’s a pretty big deal.
‘Research also just generally shows that a healthier gut leads to better mental health.
‘Which honestly I can also attest to that because when my gut health was the worst [or] when my bloating was the absolute worst, that’s also when my anxiety was the worst too.’
Dr Natalie Romito, who is a registered dietician at the Cleveland Clinic, reveals that lab studies suggest that some molecules in black beans may help destroy unhealthy parasites and bacteria in the digestive tract.
She describes on black beans on the hospital’s website as ‘a gold mine of nutrients for your gut’.
With improved gut health, Bates said she saw her skin health get better, with less breakouts.
Lastly, the health content creator talked about how black beans can benefit both heart health and blood sugar control.
A study by the Illinois Institute of Technology released earlier this year suggested that regularly eating a cup of beans a day may offer measurable benefits for heart and metabolic health.
In a 12-week study of 72 people with prediabetes, an association between chickpea consumption and improved cholesterol levels surfaced, while eating black beans was linked with reduced inflammation.
Black beans support heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol through their high soluble fiber content. They also provide potassium and magnesium, which help reduce blood pressure and support healthy heart function
For those eating black beans, the average level of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (a marker of inflammation) was 2.57 picograms per milliliter at baseline and significantly decreased to 1.88 picograms per milliliter after 12 weeks.
Black beans support heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol through their high soluble fiber content.
They also provide potassium and magnesium, which help reduce blood pressure and support healthy heart function.
Their antioxidant compounds reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to heart disease.
For insulin regulation, black beans have a low glycemic index Bates said, meaning they cause a gradual rise in blood sugar.
The combination of fiber and protein slows digestion, prevents blood sugar spikes, and promotes satiety. Additionally, the fiber acts as a prebiotic, improving gut health and enhancing insulin sensitivity over time.
Bates concluded: ‘I’ve been eating black beans literally every single day for the last four weeks to help me lose weight after having my second baby.
‘And after seeing the truly incredible results, I’m convinced that nearly everybody needs to be doing the same.
‘I just feel so full and so satisfied from my meals, I just don’t even crave other foods that work against my goals.
‘I can open the fridge and see that huge chocolate bar that is just staring me in the face and not even feel tempted to eat it, which is honestly so impressive for me.’
