Dried butter beans (lima beans) are a concentrated source of plant protein (~21g/100g), fibre, folate, potassium, manganese, and iron. They are one of the larger common dried beans and require thorough soaking and cooking. Raw dried lima beans contain linamarin, a cyanogenic compound destroyed by cooking.
Soak overnight, drain, and boil in fresh water for 60-90 minutes until creamy-tender; do not eat undercooked. Discard the soaking water to reduce oligosaccharides.
Where Beans, butter, dried, raw Stands Out
Macronutrients per 100g
Glycemic Index & Load
Low GI food — causes a slow, steady rise in blood sugar. Ideal for sustained energy, blood glucose control, and reducing insulin demand.
Glycemic Load (GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100) accounts for portion size. A low GL means this food has minimal real-world blood sugar impact.
Vitamins & Minerals
| Nutrient | Per 100g | % Daily Value* | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potassium | 1,700 mg | 85% | |
| Phosphorus | 320 mg | 46% | |
| Magnesium | 190 mg | 51% | |
| Calcium | 85.0 mg | 11% | |
| Chloride | 47.0 mg | 6% | |
| Iron | 5.90 mg | 42% | |
| Niacin equivalents (NE) | 5.60 mg | 35% | |
| Zinc | 2.80 mg | 28% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 2.50 mg | 16% | |
| Manganese | 1.70 mg | 85% | |
| Pantothenic Acid (B5) | 1.30 mg | 22% | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-TE) | 1.13 mg | 9% | |
| Copper | 0.740 mg | 74% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.510 mg | 36% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.450 mg | 41% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.130 mg | 9% | |
| Vitamin C | 0.000 mg | 0% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin A (RE) | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.000 µg | 0% | |
| Polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) | 0.800 g | — | |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.100 g | — | |
| Sucrose | 3.60 g | — | |
| Maltose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Fructose | 0.000 g | — | |
| Glucose (dextrose) | 0.000 g | — | |
| Cholesterol | 0.000 mg | — | |
| Retinol (vitamin A) | 0.000 µg | 0% |
* % Daily Value is the proportion of an adult
EU Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) supplied by 100g of this food.
NRVs are the labelling standard — the same basis as the “%RI” figures printed on
food packaging — so these percentages are directly comparable with a shop label.
They are a single adult figure and do not vary by age or sex, which is why they
sometimes differ from UK dietary reference values: the NRV for vitamin C is 80mg
where the UK RNI is 40mg. When Nutriofia assesses your own intake in the
reports and trackers, it uses the age- and sex-specific UK values instead.
Fibre is shown without a percentage. Our fibre values use the UK
Englyst NSP method, while the published 30g daily goal is an AOAC figure — the two
are measured differently and a single percentage would mislead.
How we source and normalise our data →
Phytochemicals
Bioactive plant compounds — not classified as essential nutrients but associated with a range of health benefits.