Black Beans vs Pinto Beans

Black beans vs pinto beans - which ones are healthier and which one is better flavor-wise? Let us see some of the facts about these popular legumes.

Black Beans Vs Pinto Beans

Black beans and pinto beans are two popular legumes in many cuisines globally. While they share similarities as nutrient-rich sources of dietary fiber and protein, black beans and pinto beans each possess their unique characteristics, flavors, and culinary applications.

Let us see the similarities and differences between them. The comparison here will be based on:

1. Origin & migration
2. Flavor & Texture
3. Nutrition Profile

Origin of The Beans -

Black beans originated in the Americas, specifically in the regions of Central and South America. They were a significant part of the indigenous diets in regions such as Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. In the current era, these are part of cuisines beyond the Americas, including Caribbean, African, and Asian cooking.

As European explorers and colonizers ventured into the Americas, black beans caught their attention and became global with their presence in other parts of the globe like Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Pinto Beans originated in the Americas, specifically in the region of Mexico. They have a long history of cultivation and consumption by indigenous peoples in this area. The word "pinto" means "painted" in Spanish. Because of their speckled appearance, they got the name as pinto beans (painted beans).

From Mexico, pinto beans migrated northward and became a staple in the cuisine of Native American tribes in the southwestern United States, particularly in regions like New Mexico and Arizona. With the westward expansion of European settlers in the United States, pinto beans became more widely known and adopted into mainstream American cuisine.

Both of the legumes have become a globally recognized legumes, with major producers including Mexico, the United States, Brazil, India, and several countries in Africa.

What Are Black Beans?

These beans have a dark, almost black color, soft texture, and slightly sweet flavor. They are small beans, oval with a shiny black color. The black bean has a dense creamy meaty texture upon cooking.

These versatile beans are a staple in Latin American, Caribbean, and Southwestern cuisines. We normally use them in dishes such as black bean soup, rice, and beans, and as a filling for burritos and tacos. These are also great meat substitutes for vegetarians and vegans.

Check out my vegan Mexican recipes on this blog.

Nutrition & Benefits of Black Beans

Black beans are highly nutritious since they contain dietary fiber, protein, antioxidants, and other essential minerals necessary for a healthy body and mind. Read more on nutrition here.

These are also rich in essential minerals like iron, calcium, phosphorous, manganese, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, etc. Also, black beans offer a variety of phytonutrients like saponins, anthocyanins, kaempferol, and quercetin that act as antioxidants.

A few of the health benefits include -

• keeps the bone strong
• maintains strength and elasticity of bone and joints
• helps in controlling and maintaining blood pressure at a normal level
• controls blood glucose level
• lowers the cholesterol in the blood
• helps in keeping the heart healthy
• helps in the prevention of cancer
• promotes a healthy digestive system
• decreases the risk of obesity
• promotes healthy complexion and hair

What Are Pinto Beans?

Pinto beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are tan or light brown in color with a speckled appearance. Literally, this means "printed beans". They have a creamy texture with a mild earthy flavor.

These are the most popular beans in Northern Mexico and Southwestern America. These are also popular in Brazilian cuisines.

Pinto beans are widely used in Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes like refried beans and chili. They are the common fillings in burritos, tostadas, tacos, etc. The dips and salads with black beans are also quite popular in Mexican cuisine.

Nutrition And Benefits of Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are nutrient-dense legumes that are also rich in fiber, protein, and essential minerals. They have plenty of thiamine, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and phosphorus. These beans have a low glycemic index.

Read more details on its nutrition here.

A Few of the health benefits of pinto beans are -

• keeps the digestive system healthy
• reduces inflammation
• antioxidants protect against the free radicals
• prevents chronic diseases
• keeps heart healthy
• provides anticancer benefits
• helps control blood sugar level
• helps lower LDL or bad cholesterol and blood pressure
• high protein helps in weight loss

Nutrients	Per 100 gm of cooked Black Beans	Per 100 gm of cooked Pinto Beans
Calorie	132 Kcal	143 Kcal
Protein	9 g	9 g
Fiber	7.5 g	7.7 g
Fat	0.5	0.9
Sugar	0	0
Carbohydrate	23 g	26 g
Iron	1.8mg	1.8mg
Magnesium	60 mg	44 mg
Potassium	305 mg	436 mg

The flavor of the beans -

Black beans -

The flavor of black beans is quite robust and distinctively rich, earthy, and slightly sweet. The natural sweetness of black beans is subtle but adds a pleasant dimension to their flavor. Black beans also have a mild, nutty taste. Due to the combination of different flavors, they are great in both savory dishes as well as sweet dishes.

Check out black bean avocado salad.

Pinto Beans -

Unlike black beans, pinto beans have a milder flavor profile. The flavor of pinto beans is earthy, mild, and slightly nutty. However, the earthiness of pinto beans is less pronounced as compared to black beans. Pinto beans also have a subtle nuttiness that is noticeable when they are cooked to a creamy consistency.

How to store the beans?

To store the dry uncooked beans, place them in an airtight container and store them in a dry and cool place.

To store the cooked beans (leftover or meal planning), allow the cooked beans to come to room temperature. Then transfer the beans to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 4- 5 days.

They also freeze well for 6 months when properly stored. To freeze the cooked beans, allow them to cool down to room temperature. Transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags and seal them. Label the storage date or best-before date for safety.

How to cook the beans?

Cooking the beans is easier but the timing depends on the cooking method. The stove top has a longer cooking time rather than an instant pot. In the instant pot, you don't need to soak the beans also. You can also make your black beans or pinto beans in a slow cooker, microwave, or in an oven.

But I recommend soaking the beans for 5 - 6 hours irrespective of the cooking method. This is because beans contain phytates which are the anti-nutrients. They bind to the minerals and other nutrients making them unabsorbable for the body. Soaking them before cooking will help the breakdown of phytates making the nutrients absorbable. So you should soak the beans before cooking.

Black Beans vs Pinto Beans

While both black beans and pinto beans share similarities as legumes with creamy textures, pinto beans have a milder and nuttier flavor compared to the richer, slightly sweet, and earthy taste of black beans.

Comparison	Black Beans	Pinto Beans
Origin	Central & South America	Mexico
Color & Texture	- dark or black with shiny skin throughout and a smooth texture - harder than pinto beans	- a mottled pattern of beige or tan background color and darker brown or reddish-brown spots - Softer in texture
Shape	small, plump, smaller than pinto beans	medium-size, kidney-shaped
Nutrition Profile	- contains some amount of vitamins A & E (Zero in Pinto beans) - slightly more vitamin B1, B2, B6 - slightly high magnesium	- higher calories and carbs as compared to black beans. - slightly more potassium than black beans - more folate (vitamin B9)
Flavor Profile	- rich & robust flavors - distinctively earthy, slightly sweeter	- milder flavors - mildly earthier, nuttier - creamier than black beans
Uses In Cooking	salads, dips, soups, stews, burritos, bowls, substitute meat	burritos, taco fillings, tostadas, soups, stews, and Mexican-inspired cuisine
How to cook	Instant pot, Stovetop	Instant pot, Stovetop
Meat substitute	- meatier than Pinto beans - have a denser and more substantial texture to mimic meat	- have a slightly softer texture and can be slightly mushy - may not provide the same meat-like consistency as black beans

Conclusion

Both legumes are rich in protein, fiber, and other essential nutrients with only a minute difference to decide which one is better. Each bean has its unique nutritional profile. Both of them are low in calories and good to add to a balanced meal.

From the flavor profile, black beans can play the role of meat substitute for vegetarians and vegans. Pinto beans have a milder flavor as compared to black beans.

Cost and availability are also equal for both beans and they are widely available across the globe now both in retail stores and online. Also, both can be cooked similarly.

So the verdict is whatever you choose both are good to add to your meal. Decide the bean to consume depending on the texture and flavor the dish needs.

Also soaking them is necessary to make the beans a nutritious food for the body. You may find tons of "no soaking beans" on the internet, but it's good to soak them before cooking to get the benefits of the nutrients.

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