They come in all sizes and colors, so why should you choose black beans over other beans? There are a few reasons.

Black beans are a really good source of a trace mineral called molybdenum. I know what you’re thinking… Moly-what?! Molybdenum helps to detoxify sulfites (a preservative commonly added to prepared foods like deli salads) which can cause headaches, stomach aches, and disorientation. But even if you’re not sensitive to sulfites, black beans offer a superior edge to other beans.

According to the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, the darker a bean’s seed coat, the higher its level of antioxidant activity. Since black is about as dark as you can get, this means that gram for gram, black beans have the most antioxidant activity, followed by red, brown, yellow, and white beans.

And of course, since you are all such loyal readers of NFN, you know that all beans are an excellent source of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and magnesium. Research published in Food Chemistry and Toxicology even suggests that black beans help lower the risk for cancer!

Plus, since “Burden of the Beans” was published (http://www.nutritionforthenaive.com/2008/11/burden-of-the-beans/) there’s no worry about uncomfortable gas or bloating from beans. So eat up!

Black is better.