Which beans are the most keto-friendly?

December 16, 2025 •

3 min read

While most common beans are high in carbohydrates, making them challenging for a strict ketogenic diet, certain varieties stand out as the most keto-friendly and can be enjoyed in moderation. The key is understanding net carbs and carefully selecting which legumes you include in your meals.

Quick Summary

This guide explores low-carb bean options, detailing net carb counts for various types like black soybeans, edamame, and green beans. It explains how to incorporate these fiber-rich legumes into a ketogenic diet with careful portion control to help you stay in ketosis.

Key Points

Black Soybeans: The top contender, offering the lowest net carbs (1-2g per ½ cup) and high protein, making them an ideal bean substitute.
Green Beans: A versatile and accessible low-carb option with only ~4.3g net carbs per cup, perfect for side dishes.
Edamame: A popular and nutritious snack or addition to salads, with approximately 4.5g net carbs per cup.
Lupini Beans: While less common, these legumes are very low in net carbs and available canned or dried for keto snacking.
Portion Control is Crucial: Even with low-carb beans, moderation is key to staying within your daily net carb limit on a ketogenic diet.
Focus on Net Carbs: Always subtract fiber from the total carbs to determine the true carb impact of any legume or food item.
Avoid High-Carb Varieties: Steer clear of common beans like kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas, which are too high in net carbs for most keto plans.

Understanding Net Carbs and the Keto Diet

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate eating plan designed to put the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. To achieve this, daily carbohydrate intake is typically restricted to 20-50 grams. For this reason, many people following a keto diet avoid beans, as traditional varieties are notoriously high in carbs. However, it's not the total carbs that matter most, but the net carbs.

Net carbs are calculated by subtracting the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate count. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest, so it doesn't raise blood sugar levels or interfere with ketosis. This means beans and legumes with a high fiber content and lower overall carb count can fit into a keto meal plan with mindful portioning.

The Most Keto-Friendly Beans

When searching for beans that fit a low-carb lifestyle, you need to look for varieties that offer a low net carb count. These typically include the following options:

Black Soybeans

Black soybeans are arguably the most versatile and keto-friendly option, making a fantastic substitute for traditional black beans in many recipes. A half-cup serving of cooked black soybeans contains just 1-2 grams of net carbs, as they are packed with fiber and protein. They work well in recipes like refried beans, chili, and soups.

Green Beans

Though often prepared as a vegetable, green beans are technically the unripe pods of a bean plant and are one of the most accessible low-carb options. A one-cup serving of green beans contains only 4-4.3 grams of net carbs and can be easily incorporated as a side dish.

Edamame

These immature soybeans are a popular appetizer and a nutritious, low-carb choice when consumed in moderation. One cup of shelled edamame contains approximately 4.5 grams of net carbs and is rich in protein and fiber. Often available frozen, they are quick to prepare.

Lupini Beans

Less common but very low in carbs, lupini beans are another excellent keto-friendly legume. A half-cup serving of cooked lupini beans has less than 6 grams of net carbs. Dried lupini beans require preparation, but canned or pickled versions are ready to eat.

Comparison of Beans by Net Carbs


Bean Type	Serving Size	Total Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Net Carbs (g)	Keto-Friendly?
Black Soybeans	1/2 cup canned	8	7	1	Yes
Green Beans	1 cup	7	2.7	4.3	Yes
Edamame	1 cup shelled	10.2	5.7	4.5	Yes (in moderation)
Lupini Beans	1/2 cup cooked	< 10	> 4	< 6	Yes
Black Beans	1/2 cup cooked	15.6	7.5	8.1	Not really
Chickpeas	1/2 cup cooked	21.6	5.4	16.2	No
Kidney Beans	1 cup cooked	40	11	29	No

How to Incorporate Keto-Friendly Beans into Your Diet

Adding low-carb beans to your diet requires careful planning and portion control. Consider using them as an accent in salads or soups or making keto-friendly 'refried beans' with black soybeans. Roasted or sautéed green beans make a great side dish. If avoiding beans, alternatives include chopped mushrooms, eggplant, ground meat, or cauliflower rice. Always track your net carbs and measure portions to stay within your daily limit.

Conclusion: Navigating Beans on a Keto Diet

While most beans are high in carbs and unsuitable for a strict keto diet, black soybeans, green beans, edamame, and lupini beans are keto-friendly options due to their low net carb counts. Careful portion control and tracking macros are key to incorporating these nutritious legumes without disrupting ketosis. They can add variety, fiber, and flavor to your meals as a side, ingredient, or snack.

For more information on adopting a low-carb lifestyle, explore resources like the Healthline guide to the ketogenic diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Black soybeans have the lowest net carbs, with only about 1-2 grams per half-cup serving due to their high fiber content. Green beans and edamame are also very low in net carbs.

Yes, most traditional beans like black beans, pinto beans, and chickpeas are too high in net carbs to be a staple on a keto diet. A small, carefully portioned amount may be acceptable for some, but they can quickly exceed daily carb limits.

A one-cup serving of shelled edamame contains approximately 4.5 grams of net carbs. This makes them a great, protein-packed addition to a ketogenic diet in moderate amounts.

You can make delicious keto-friendly refried beans by using black soybeans as a substitute for traditional black or pinto beans. Several recipes online detail how to prepare canned or cooked black soybeans with spices for a low-carb alternative.

Yes, green beans are an excellent keto-friendly option. They contain only about 4.3 grams of net carbs per cup and can be prepared in various ways, such as sautéed or roasted, to create a flavorful side dish.

For those who want to avoid beans entirely, excellent low-carb alternatives for adding bulk or texture to meals include chopped mushrooms, eggplant, ground meat, and riced cauliflower.

Fiber is crucial because it is a carbohydrate that the body does not digest and, therefore, does not impact blood sugar levels or interfere with ketosis. By subtracting fiber from total carbs, you get a more accurate measure of a food's impact on your carb intake.