Heads Up! Carbs in Eden Organic Black Soybeans has Changed!

Black soybeans have been a staple for many serious low-carb dieters over the years. I used to use them way back in 1999, when I was following the original Atkins Diet, so Eden Organic Black Soybeans have been around for a very long time.

Back then, I could only find them at a health-food store or buy the dried version directly from Eden Foods, but today, both varieties are available online at Amazon, Netrition, VitaCost, and even at many local supermarkets, as well.

For low-carb dieters, their extremely low carb count per can helped to put traditional chili recipes back on the table.

However, it recently came to my attention that the net carb count on the nutritional label has changed.

And not for the better.

There's No Such Thing as Keto-Friendly Food

If you're shocked to hear that soy beans are okay on a low-carb diet, you're not alone.

Many “Low Carb Foods to Avoid” lists place all beans in the same category as rice, potatoes, and starchy vegetables. That's why you don't hear a lot of low-carb bloggers recommending Eden Organic Black Soybeans.

While it's true that beans, potatoes, and rice can ignite your cravings for more carbs, and carry a hefty carb-punch themselves, many dieters over the years have been able to add black soybeans to their meals without a problem.

Same goes for diabetics.

Those using continuous glucose monitors have shared that black soybeans do not spike their blood sugar levels.

When it comes to food choices, what matters is your personal carbohydrate tolerance level for weight loss. Stay below that number, and black soybeans are fine.

What Happened?

No one really knows for sure.

All Eden Foods is saying is this:

“We have updated the NLEA panel in accordance with new FDA requirements. The formulation is the same. We have updated the nutritional information with the latest lab testing results on the product.”

This means there's no use trying to track down and stock old cans. The recipe is the same as it always was. Even on the old labels. But the carb count is now quite a bit higher.

Too high?

No.

But high enough that you'll want to recalculate the carbs in your soy bean recipes.

Here's the New Data

The old cans said 7 total carbs and 6 fiber, making a half-a-cup of cooked beans only 1 net carb. That came to 3.5 carbs per can.

Now?

The can says 11 total carbs with 6 of those carbs being fiber. That comes to 5 net carbs per half-a-cup serving and 18 net carbs per can.

This is still lower than other beans.

For example, cooked kidney beans are 14 net carbs in half a cup and pinto beans are 15. That's still three times higher than the new data for the soybeans.

Make Reading Labels for Carb Content a Habit

Eden hasn't updated their nutritional information in years. But when they did, it was done silently.

Gluten-free manufacturers do the same thing.

They update labels or change recipes without announcing it.

I'm a bit slow on getting the news out to you because I haven't purchased a can of black soybeans in a long time. A couple of years ago -- maybe.

I had no idea that the label had changed.

I learned about the change in a low-carb forum.

The lesson behind this change is that you need to check out those labels every single time you shop. This is common practice for those of us with celiac disease, but not-so-common in low-carb circles.

Brand recipes can change at any time, so you need to stay aware of what's going on.