White kidney bean extract benefits are purported to include weight loss, decreased fat mass, reductions in waist size and reduced food cravings.
It may also decrease the risks of developing obesity and the numerous conditions and diseases associated with it, provided it is taken alongside a healthy diet and an active lifestyle.
White kidney beans are also known as Phaseolus vulgaris or cannellini beans. They are rich in a phytochemical called phaseolamin, a known carbohydrate blocker.
By impeding the digestion and assimilation of starchy foods, fewer calories are stored as glycogen in the liver or as triglycerides in adipocytes (specialized fat storage cells). There are no known serious white kidney bean side effects; only mild, short-term gastrointestinal disturbances in rare cases.



- Reduces breakdown & absortion of carbs
- Contains phaseolamin; inhibits alpha-amylase
- Supports weight loss & appetite control
White Kidney Bean Extract Benefits
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Phaseolus vulgaris extracts have been shown in various clinical trials to be effective at promoting weight loss.
In one 30-day study, treatment group participants lost over 6 pounds while the placebo group lost less than one pound.
Additionally, the treatment group showed significant losses in fat mass, waist circumference and cravings for sweet and/or starchy foods.
In a separate study monitoring 27 obese adults for 8 weeks, the treatment group, receiving 1500 mg of phaseolamin twice daily, lost 3.79 pounds on average. The placebo group lost less than one pound on average.
No lasting or serious side effects were observed in either of the above trials, nor in any of the dozens of other clinical phaseolamin studies that have been conducted.
White kidney bean extract benefits have been shown to include:
- Decrease weight and enhance long-term weight maintenance capacities;
- Decrease waist size, current fat mass and expected fat mass;
- Decrease cravings for high-carb foods.
Additional White Kidney Bean Effects
By limiting the amount of carbohydrates that are metabolized, fewer calories enter the bloodstream. This reduction of calories has them same results as any other method of caloric restriction or reduction.
By limiting the amount of carbohydrates metabolized, fewer carbohydrate and fat calories end up being stored in the body. This can lead to:
- Reduced risk factors for developing atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and other causes of coronary artery disease;
- Decreased probability for developing long-term obesity and the numerous complications, conditions and diseases that are associated.
How Do White Kidney Bean Extracts Work?
The active constituent in White Kidney Beans that is responsible for blocking carbohydrate digestion is called phaseolamin. It is an alpha-amylase inhibitor known as alpha-amylase inhibitor isoform 1, or Alpha-AI1 for short.
Alpha-amylase is the enzyme the body uses to break down complex carbohydrates into smaller, more easily digestible particles (oligosaccharides).
Alpha amylase breakdown begins in the mouth via its release from the salivary glands. However, its mouthborn action is short-lived as it is halted when the food reaches the acidic environment of the stomach.
The carbohydrate breakdown action is reinitiated and intensified in the small intestines via the release of additional alpha-amylase from the pancreas.
When AI1 is present in the small intestines, the action of alpha-amylase is again thwarted, at least to some degree. This causes some carbohydrates to pass through into the large intestines either partially digested or undigested completely.
These calories are then fermented inside the large intestines – or expelled via defecation. The end result is that fewer calories were absorbed into the bloodstream after taking White Kidney Bean extract, causing an overall caloric reduction. If this reduction is sufficient to create a calorie deficit, weight loss will ensue.
Research on Effects for Colon Cancer
Supplementation with white kidney bean extracts is similar in action to increasing the amount of dietary fiber you take in. In addition to the possible cardiovascular benefits associated with metabolizing fewer carbohydrates as listed above, Phaseolus vulgaris supplementation has also shown promising properties for reducing the risk of colon cancer.
This anticancer action is believed to be induced by increased amounts of propionic acids, butyric acids and acetic acids given off as byproducts from the fermentation of undigested carbohydrates in the large intestines. These acids have been associated with the prevention and reversal of colon cancer, and other cancer cell lines.
White Kidney Bean Extract Side Effects
There are no serious or lasting side effects associated with Phaseolus vulgaris supplementation.
However, because they can affect blood glucose levels, these supplements are not intended for use from those with diabetes or reactive hypoglycemia. This is because of possible contraindications with medications prescribed to combat diabetic symptoms, specifically the possibility of excessively low blood sugar.
Further, patients scheduled for surgeries, pregnant and nursing women, those with liver disease and those with kidney conditions should not use white kidney bean supplements without proper permission.
All people considering supplementation with phaseolamin should talk with a doctor about it first. Cannellini beans are classified as an FDA-approved GRAS (generally regarded as safe) food sources. White Kidney Bean Extract benefits continue to be explored in on-going research studies.
Article last updated on: April 14th, 2018 by Nootriment