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Green beans vs. Navy beans — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Jack Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on May 19, 2023
Medically reviewed by Arpi Gasparyan Article author photo Arpi Gasparyan

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Nutritional content comparison
      1. Calories
        1. Glycemic index
          1. Carbs
            1. Fibers
              1. Protein
                1. Fats
                  1. Minerals
                    1. Vitamins
                    2. Health impacts
                      1. Gut health
                        1. Cardiovascular health and metabolism
                        2. References
                          Green beans
                          vs
                          Navy beans

                          Summary

                          Navy beans provide several positive health impacts. Navy beans are richer in proteins, fibers, vitamin B1, B6, and folate, and it has a richer mineral composition. Navy beans are higher in carbs and calories. In comparison, green beans are richer in vitamins A, C, and K.

                          Table of contents

                          1. Introduction
                            1. Nutritional content comparison
                              1. Calories
                                1. Glycemic index
                                  1. Carbs
                                    1. Fibers
                                      1. Protein
                                        1. Fats
                                          1. Minerals
                                            1. Vitamins
                                            2. Health impacts
                                              1. Gut health
                                                1. Cardiovascular health and metabolism
                                                2. References

                                                  Introduction

                                                  This article is a comparison between 2 types of beans, navy beans and green beans. Navy beans are also known as haricot, and they are legumes, whereas green beans are pods.

                                                  We will focus mainly on the difference in their nutritional content and health impacts.

                                                  Nutritional content comparison

                                                  In this section, we will be considering 100g of each bean. They are both in cooked form. 

                                                  Calories

                                                   Navy beans are higher in calories compared to green beans. Navy beans contain 4 times more calories than green beans. 

                                                  Glycemic index

                                                  Green beans have a lower glycemic index compared to navy beans. Navy beans have double the glycemic index of green beans.

                                                  Carbs

                                                  Navy beans are significantly higher in carbs compared to green beans. Navy beans contain 26g of carbs per 100g. In comparison, green beans contain 8g of carbs.

                                                  Fibers

                                                  Navy beans are richer in fiber compared to green beans. Navy beans contain about 10.5g per 100g, whereas green beans contain 3.2g.

                                                  Protein

                                                  Navy beans are richer in proteins compared to green beans. Navy beans contain 8g of protein per 100g; in comparison, green beans contain 1.9g.

                                                  Fats

                                                  Their fat content is negligible. They contain less than 1g.

                                                  Minerals

                                                  Navy beans are richer in copper, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese, and iron.

                                                  Navy beans have a richer and more versatile mineral profile than green beans.

                                                  In the diagram below, we can visualize their distribution.

                                                  Mineral Comparison

                                                  Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 13% 13% 13% 24% 19% 6.8% 12% 0.13% 37% 1.1%
                                                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 38% 21% 34% 89% 70% 28% 62% 0% 69% 16%
                                                  Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +194.4%
                                                  Contains more CalciumCalcium +56.8%
                                                  Contains more PotassiumPotassium +166.4%
                                                  Contains more IronIron +263.1%
                                                  Contains more CopperCopper +268.4%
                                                  Contains more ZincZinc +312%
                                                  Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +396.6%
                                                  Contains less SodiumSodium -100%
                                                  Contains more ManganeseManganese +84.9%
                                                  Contains more SeleniumSelenium +1350%

                                                  Vitamins

                                                  Navy beans are richer in all B1, B6, and folate. In comparison, green beans are richer in vitamin A,C and K.

                                                  In the diagram below, we can visualize their distribution.

                                                  Vitamin Comparison

                                                  Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 32% 11% 9.2% 0% 19% 22% 12% 4.4% 13% 0% 120% 25% 9.2%
                                                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 3% 0% 0.2% 0% 59% 15% 12% 16% 32% 0% 1.5% 105% 24%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +977.8%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +4500%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +47%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +7883.3%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +220.3%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +259.5%
                                                  Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +146.4%
                                                  Contains more FolateFolate +324.2%
                                                  Contains more CholineCholine +164.5%
                                                  ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                                                  ~equal in Vitamin B3 ~0.649mg
                                                  ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                                                  Health impacts

                                                  The health impact section will focus on these foods' different health impacts. We will be focusing on the differences rather than the common points.

                                                  Navy beans have a rich mineral profile that provides several health benefits.

                                                  Navy beans reduce the risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia since they are richer in iron. (1)

                                                  Copper in navy beans positively impacts bone health and overall metabolism. (2) (3)

                                                  The vitamin C content of navy beans has antioxidative properties and reduces damage caused by oxidative stress. (4)

                                                  Gut health

                                                  Navy beans are rich in fiber which has positive effects on gastrointestinal health. It may decrease the risk of diverticulosis and improve gut microbiota and overall health. (5)

                                                  Cardiovascular health and metabolism

                                                  Green beans are richer in vitamin K, which provides several health benefits, such as decreasing cardiovascular mortality risks and reducing arterial calcifications. In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, it reduces the risks of diabetes development and osteoporosis. However, vitamin K intake should be monitored while taking anticoagulant medications. (6)(7)(8)

                                                  In parallel, the consumption of navy beans that are richer in fiber is linked with decreased risks of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. (5)

                                                  References

                                                  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3999603/
                                                  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34210051/
                                                  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26097228/
                                                  4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17173758/
                                                  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19335713/
                                                  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34439410/
                                                  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4600246/
                                                  8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15825811/
                                                  Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
                                                  Education: Haigazian Medical University
                                                  Last updated: May 19, 2023
                                                  Medically reviewed by Arpi Gasparyan

                                                  Infographic

                                                  Green beans vs Navy beans infographic
                                                  Infographic link

                                                  All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                                                  Nutrient Green beans Navy beans DV% diff.
                                                  Vitamin K 47.9µg 0.6µg 39%
                                                  Fiber 3.2g 10.5g 29%
                                                  Folate 33µg 140µg 27%
                                                  Iron 0.65mg 2.36mg 21%
                                                  Copper 0.057mg 0.21mg 17%
                                                  Phosphorus 29mg 144mg 16%
                                                  Vitamin B1 0.074mg 0.237mg 14%
                                                  Protein 1.89g 8.23g 13%
                                                  Manganese 0.285mg 0.527mg 11%
                                                  Vitamin C 9.7mg 0.9mg 10%
                                                  Magnesium 18mg 53mg 8%
                                                  Potassium 146mg 389mg 7%
                                                  Zinc 0.25mg 1.03mg 7%
                                                  Vitamin B6 0.056mg 0.138mg 6%
                                                  Carbs 7.88g 26.05g 6%
                                                  Starch 15.4g 6%
                                                  Choline 16.9mg 44.7mg 5%
                                                  Selenium 0.2µg 2.9µg 5%
                                                  Calories 35kcal 140kcal 5%
                                                  Vitamin B5 0.074mg 0.266mg 4%
                                                  Vitamin A 32µg 0µg 4%
                                                  Vitamin E 0.46mg 0.01mg 3%
                                                  Calcium 44mg 69mg 3%
                                                  Polyunsaturated fat 0.145g 0.49g 2%
                                                  Vitamin B2 0.097mg 0.066mg 2%
                                                  Fats 0.28g 0.62g 1%
                                                  Net carbs 4.68g 15.55g N/A
                                                  Sugar 3.63g 0.37g N/A
                                                  Sodium 1mg 0mg 0%
                                                  Vitamin B3 0.614mg 0.649mg 0%
                                                  Saturated fat 0.064g 0.098g 0%
                                                  Monounsaturated fat 0.011g 0.142g 0%
                                                  Tryptophan 0.02mg 0.1mg 0%
                                                  Threonine 0.082mg 0.289mg 0%
                                                  Isoleucine 0.069mg 0.387mg 0%
                                                  Leucine 0.116mg 0.7mg 0%
                                                  Lysine 0.091mg 0.52mg 0%
                                                  Methionine 0.023mg 0.111mg 0%
                                                  Phenylalanine 0.069mg 0.471mg 0%
                                                  Valine 0.093mg 0.504mg 0%
                                                  Histidine 0.035mg 0.206mg 0%
                                                  Omega-3 - ALA 0.177g N/A

                                                  Macronutrient Comparison

                                                  Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                  2% 8% 89%
                                                  Protein: 1.89 g
                                                  Fats: 0.28 g
                                                  Carbs: 7.88 g
                                                  Water: 89.22 g
                                                  Other: 0.73 g
                                                  8% 26% 64%
                                                  Protein: 8.23 g
                                                  Fats: 0.62 g
                                                  Carbs: 26.05 g
                                                  Water: 63.81 g
                                                  Other: 1.29 g
                                                  Contains more WaterWater +39.8%
                                                  Contains more ProteinProtein +335.4%
                                                  Contains more FatsFats +121.4%
                                                  Contains more CarbsCarbs +230.6%
                                                  Contains more OtherOther +76.7%

                                                  Fat Type Comparison

                                                  Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                  29% 5% 66%
                                                  Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.064 g
                                                  Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.011 g
                                                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.145 g
                                                  13% 19% 67%
                                                  Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 0.098 g
                                                  Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 0.142 g
                                                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.49 g
                                                  Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -34.7%
                                                  Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +1190.9%
                                                  Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +237.9%

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                                                  References

                                                  All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                                                  1. Green beans - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169141/nutrients
                                                  2. Navy beans - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173746/nutrients

                                                  All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                                                  Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.