A Bounty of Nutrients in Beans
Beans have been around for almost 12000 years, and remain an important part of a healthful diet. Studies show that eating beans regularily can reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer, while perhaps aiding weight control. The Dietary Guidelines advise three cups a week of legumes — beans, peas and lentils — as part of a healthful diet because beans provide a package of hard-to-beat nutrition that includes protein, folate, iron, potassium, magnesium, copper and magnesium.
As legumes, each one-half cup counts as a serving of vegetables. But beans are unique. Beans are rich in protein which means they can take the place of traditional protein sources such as meat, chicken, fish and eggs (one-half cup of beans equals 2 ounces of meat).
Beans as Healthful Superfoods
Never doubt that beans are a nutritional superstar. A recent analysis found that several types of beans have even higher antioxidant scores than many fruits and vegetables, including blueberries, dried plums, raspberries, artichokes and spinach, as well as several wines.
Moreover, research has found that eating beans may be beneficial for a wide variety of conditions, from preventing benign enlargement of the prostate gland to protecting the skin from wrinkling. Several studies have shown that beans are rich in natural compounds of saponin, inositol, resistant starch and oligosaccharids that have been linked with cancer prevention.
The complex carbohydrates in beans are digested and absorbed slowly and have been found to decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes, as well as help keep blood sugar on an even keel in those who already have the disease. And the indigestible carbohydrates in beans promote intestinal health, as bacteria feast on carbs the body cannot digest, increasing the good bacteria in the intestinal tract.
Beans may also aid in weight control. Using government data, one study found that bean eaters were 22 percent less likely to be obese than those who never ate beans. That could be because they fill you up by providing bulk.
Seven Ideas to Put Beans on Your Plate
- Make beans a regular vegetable at meals, rotating with others typically served like broccoli, potatoes or corn.
- Add beans to soups, stews, casseroles.
- Make cold bean salads; add other nutrient-rich vegetables like red peppers.
- Snack on hummus (chickpeas/garbanzo beans) and whole-wheat pita.
- Dip vegetables in low fat refried beans or spread dip on whole grain crackers.
- Make a bean puree to thicken tomato sauces and to extend meat in hamburgers, meatloaf and meat balls.
- If you opt for canned beans, rinse them to reduce the sodium content.
Soaking and Cooking Beans
Avoid some of that “music” beans create by trying the following method of preparing your beans:
Soak dried beans overnight, making sure to drain and discard the soaking water and replace it with fresh water before cooking. If you use canned beans, rinse them well, It not only reduces the sodium content, it washes away some of the carbs.
Another option to defuse the “music” from beans is to try Beano, a natural food enzyme, available as pills or drops to add to food. Simply take Beano before eating beans.
Try the Black Bean and Mango Salad!
