Health Benefits of Lima Beans

Medically reviewed by Aviv Joshua, MSMedically reviewed by Aviv Joshua, MS

Lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.) are nutritious legumes that provide an excellent source of plant-based protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals.

Also known as butter beans, lima beans are medium-to-large, kidney-shaped beans that come in several colors, including light green, purple, and white.

In addition to increasing your nutrient intake, adding lima beans to your diet may support your health by reducing heart disease risk factors, improving satiety, promoting healthy blood sugar levels, and aiding gut health.

Supports Gut Health

Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate concentrated in plant foods like beans. Lima beans are rich in fiber, providing 13.2 grams (g) per cup, which covers 47% of the current Daily Value (DV) for fiber.

Adding fiber to your diet by choosing high-fiber foods, like lima beans, can support your health in several ways. Fiber is particularly important for gastrointestinal health as it helps prevent common digestive symptoms like constipation and promotes a balanced gut microbiome.

Bacteria in the large intestine ferment and break down fiber from foods like lima beans. This process creates compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which keep your gut healthy by regulating inflammation, strengthening the intestinal lining, and fueling the cells that line the colon (large intestine).

Fiber also supports the growth of beneficial bacteria in the large intestine and has been shown to protect against digestive diseases such as colon cancer and diverticular disease.

Following a high-fiber diet can help you maintain optimal body weight and reduce the risk of common health conditions such as heart disease, breast cancer, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Aids Weight Management

Lima beans are packed with fiber and protein, which help you feel full after eating. Lima beans contain 13.2 g of fiber and 14.7 g of protein per cup. These nutrients slow digestion and stimulate the release of satiety hormones like cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which helps you feel more satiated after eating.

Due to their high protein and fiber content, beans, like lima beans, can help you lose excess body fat and maintain a healthy body weight. Studies show that people who follow diets high in beans have smaller waists and less body fat than people whose diets are low in beans.

A study of 15,000 adults from the United States found that people who regularly consumed legumes, including lima beans, had lower body mass indexes (BMIs) and leaner waists compared to people who didn’t or rarely ate legumes.

The same study found that people who didn’t eat legumes gained 23.5% more weight over 10 years than people who ate 47 g or more of legumes per 1,000 calories on average.

Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a biased and outdated metric that uses your weight and height to make assumptions about body fat, and by extension, your health. This metric is flawed in many ways and does not factor in your body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. Despite its flaws, the medical community still uses BMI because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze health data.

Protects Heart Health

Lima beans are high in several nutrients linked to better heart health.

The fiber in lima beans can lower cholesterol levels by decreasing cholesterol absorption in the digestive tract and increasing its excretion in the stool. High cholesterol is a significant risk factor for heart disease. Increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods can help you maintain normal cholesterol levels, decreasing heart disease risk.

Lima beans are also rich in magnesium and potassium, which are needed for blood pressure regulation. One cup of lima beans covers 19% of your daily needs for magnesium and 20% for potassium.

Studies show that increasing dietary intake of these minerals reduces blood pressure levels, which can decrease your risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions, like stroke.

Regularly eating lima beans can also help you maintain a healthy body weight and body fat levels, which is critical for maintaining heart health. For example:

• A research review that included 28 studies found that people with the highest bean intake had a 10% reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), the most common type of heart disease in the U.S., compared to people with the lowest intake.

• Another study found that bean intake can reduce the risk of heart disease, including CHD, and that an intake of 400 g of beans or around 2 cups per week seemed to provide the most benefits for heart health.

May Improve Blood Sugar Control

The high fiber and protein content of lima beans makes them a good choice for blood sugar control. Protein and fiber help you maintain healthy blood sugar levels after meals by slowing digestion and releasing glucose into the bloodstream.

In addition to fiber and protein, lima beans contain magnesium, which is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and insulin secretion. Maintaining optimal magnesium levels is critical for blood sugar regulation, and having low or deficient magnesium intake can contribute to poor glycemic control.

Choosing fiber, protein, and magnesium-rich lima beans over less nutritious carbohydrate sources, like refined carbs, can help people with and without diabetes manage their blood sugar.

A review of 28 studies found that bean-rich diets effectively reduced fasting blood sugar, fasting insulin levels, and hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c)—a long-term blood sugar control marker—and improved insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes.

Nutrition of Lima Beans

One cup of cooked lima beans provides:

• Calories: 216

• Carbohydrates: 39.3 grams (g)

• Fat: 0.7 g

• Protein: 14.7 g

• Fiber: 13.2 g

• Copper: 0.4 mg, or 47% of the Daily Value (DV)

• Manganese: 0.97 mg, or 42% of the DV

• Folate: 156 micrograms (mcg), or 39% of the DV

• Iron: 4.5 mg, or 25% of the DV

• Thiamine: 0.3 milligrams (mg), or 25% of the DV

• Potassium: 955 mg, or 20% of the DV

• Magnesium: 80.8 mg, or 19% of the DV

• B6: 0.3 mg, or 18% of the DV
  

• Zinc: 1.8 mg, or 16% of the DV
  

• Selenium: 8.46 mcg, or 15% of the DV
  

Lima beans are low in fat, yet high in carbs, fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

A cup of lima beans covers 25% or more of your daily needs for copper, manganese, folate, iron, and thiamine.

Manganese is involved in immune function, bone formation, and blood clotting, while copper is required for red blood cell formation, growth, energy production, neurotransmitter synthesis, and more. Folate is a B vitamin that is essential for fetal growth and development, making it an especially important nutrient for pregnant women.

Lima beans are also high in magnesium, potassium, B6, and several other vitamins and minerals.

Risks of Lima Beans

Cooked lima beans are safe for most people to eat. However, due to their high fiber content, they may trigger digestive symptoms, like bloating and gas, in people who aren’t used to eating fiber-rich foods.

If you currently follow a low-fiber diet, it’s best to add high-fiber foods, like lima beans, slowly and in small portions to reduce the risk of experiencing these uncomfortable symptoms.

While cooked lima beans are safe to eat, raw lima beans contain toxic compounds called cyanogenic glycosides, which break down into hydrogen cyanide, a compound that’s toxic to humans. This is why it’s critical to never eat raw lima beans and to properly cook lima beans before enjoying them.

Lastly, lima beans contain antinutrients, like lectins, which can interfere with the absorption of certain nutrients, like iron. Soaking, rinsing, and thoroughly cooking lima beans can significantly reduce levels of antinutrients.

Tips for Consuming Lima Beans

Lima beans have a mild flavor and a velvety, buttery texture. They can be used in recipes like salads, soups, and pasta. They also make a convenient pantry staple, as they can be purchased dried or canned. Always cook raw lima beans before eating them.

Here are a few ways to incorporate lima beans into your diet:

• Add cooked lima beans to soups and stews

• Use lima beans in salads and grain-based dishes to increase their protein content

• Serve mashed lima beans as a creamy side dish

• Mix lima beans into grain bowls and vegetable dishes

• Toss cooked lima beans into pasta

• Make a traditional succotash with lima beans, corn, onions, and tomatoes

A Quick Review

Lima beans are delicious and nutritious beans that are packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Adding lima beans to your diet may support the health of your digestive system and heart and promote blood sugar control. Plus, studies show that increasing your intake of beans, like lima beans, can reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease, certain cancers, and several other common health conditions.

Lima beans work well in many recipes and can boost the flavor and nutritional benefits of your favorite recipes. 

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