Beans....

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEANS

The Healthiest Types of Beans and Legumes

There has been a lot of hype around the health benefits of the different types of beans and legumes. While it’s good to incorporate a variety of these foods into our diet, it’s also good to know which ones provide the most health benefits. This enables us to make a special effort to eat more of these types of beans and legumes. We are going to take a look at some of the healthiest beans and legumes and discover just why these particular foods are so good for the human body.

First of all, it doesn’t matter what type of beans or legumes you eat—they’re all good for you! Granted, some beans provide a few more nutrients than others, and preparation also has a lot to do with nutritional value. Beans are loaded with antioxidants. These are substances that help to counter the effects of oxidation in our cells by destroying “free radical” cells. Beans are an excellent alternative to meat which tends to be high in less desirable fats. Beans contain high amounts of protein and are a great source of “good fats” that can help lower cholesterol and fight obesity. If you’re wondering about carbs, well, technically beans are fairly high in carbohydrates, but we’re talking complex carbs. Complex carbs are great for the human body as they provide energy to the body’s muscles and brain. They can also encourage weight loss during the conversion-to-energy process.

Black beans are probably considered to be one of the healthiest beans out there. You may also know these beans by the name of “turtle beans”. Black beans have a super high antioxidant and fiber content and also provide the best quality of protein. They are extremely low in “bad fats” and due to their high fiber content, they are particularly helpful to those with blood sugar issues, as fiber helps to keep one’s blood sugar levels from rising too quickly. In addition to all of this, black beans can also add a substantial amount of iron, folate, vitamin B1, and magnesium to one’s diet. Dried black beans can be stored in their unopened plastic bag for nearly a year if they are kept in the right conditions. Remember that most dried beans can absorb the air’s moisture if kept in a damp area, therefore they should never be stored in the refrigerator.

Kidney beans are easy to spot because of their uncanny resemblance to the kidney organs. Kidney beans are a close second to black beans when it comes to healthiness. A cup of cooked kidney beans provides nearly half of one’s daily recommended amount of fiber and 177% of the recommended amount of molybdenum (a trace mineral). A cup of these beans will also provide about 30% of one’s daily fiber and 32% of one’s protein allowances. As with black beans, kidney beans are also high in antioxidants and are a good source of iron, folate, vitamin B1, and manganese. The storage guidelines for kidney beans are the same as for black beans. Once opened, most dried beans can be kept in an air-tight canister.

Lentils, of the legume family, will be the last addition to our list of the healthiest types of beans and legumes. Lentils are considered to be a veritable super-food because they are so high in protein yet also provide a decent amount of good fats. They dish out about twice as much iron as other legumes and are an excellent source of B vitamins, which stimulates one’s metabolism and promotes cell growth. Consuming lentils on a regular basis can also help to drastically reduce one’s likelihood of developing breast cancer, prostate cancer, and heart disease. Lentils must be stored in a dry, dark place—preferably a cool one—in an air-tight container. They should keep for about a year.

While these three foods should ideally find their way into your diet at least three times every week, other beans and legumes, such as pinto beans, lima beans, and soy beans, should also be remembered. Don’t be afraid to get a little variety with beans. There is a huge variety to choose from and they all have their own balance of nutrients that can benefit one’s health.

Are beans a complete protein?

Beans are sometimes referred to as an "incomplete" protein since they don't provide one of the essential amino acids needed from food for building protein in the body. In actual practice, this isn't a concern. Grains (which lack a different essential amino acid) provide the amino acid missing from dry beans and vice versa. Together, they complement each other. Examples of complementary protein include beans and rice, a bean burrito (beans in a tortilla), and beans and corn. For non-vegetarians, the protein in dry beans also can be complemented by serving beans with a small amount of animal protein such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy or eggs.

It is no longer considered necessary to eat complementary sources of protein together at the same time. Just consume them over the course of a day.

What can you do if dry beans give you "gas"?

Some ways to minimize the gaseous or "musical fruit" effect include:
• Discard the soaking water when preparing dry beans from scratch and rinse beans thoroughly before cooking them.
• Gradually increase the amount and frequency of beans in your diet. This will give your body a chance to adjust to them. For example, start with one-fourth cup of beans sprinkled on top of a salad or added to a serving of soup.
• Try Beano™, a non-prescription product available in the pharmacy section of many stores. It contains an enzyme that breaks down the gas-producing substances in beans. Beano™ is available in liquid and tablet form and is used immediately before consuming beans.

As with adding all types of fiber to your diet, drink plenty of fluids and maintain regular physical activity. This helps your gastrointestinal system handle the increased fiber.

Can one dry bean be substituted for another bean in recipes?

For the most part, any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be substituted for another, according to the American Dry Bean Board. All types of beans blend well with a variety of foods and spices as they absorb flavors from other ingredients. Cooking times may differ if substituting one type of dry-packaged bean for another.

Adzuki Beans are small, with a vivid red color, solid flavor and texture. Originally from Asia, its name means "little bean" in Japanese. Its red coloring - red being the most important color in Eastern celebrations - means that it is greatly used in festive or special meals.

Large Lima Beans are large and flat with a greenish-white color. The bean has a buttery flavor and creamy texture. This bean is named after Lima, Peru, and is extremely popular in the Americas, both in its natural state and dried.

Pink Beans have beautiful pink color and are very popular in the countries of the Caribbean. Pink beans are of medium size (similar to the Great Northern and the Pinto) and have a refined texture and delicate flavor.

 Baby Lima Beans come from Peru and are very popular in the Americas. The baby variety is much loved in Japan for making desserts from bean paste known as "an." These are medium-sized flat beans with a greenish white color, buttery flavor, and creamy texture.

Small Red Beans are particularly popular in the Caribbean region, where they normally are eaten with rice. Dark red in color, small red beans also are smoother in taste and texture than the dark red kidney bean.

Dark Red Kidney Beans are large and kidney-shaped with a deep, glossy red color. They have a solid flavor and texture. These beans are produced mainly in the northern U.S.A. and owes popularity in America and Europe to the bean's large size, bright color and solid texture.

Black Beans are sweet tasting and soft, floury texture. These beans are medium sized, oval, with a matt black color. They are the most popular beans in the Costa Rica and Cuba.

Light Red Kidney Beans have a solid texture and flavor. They are characterized by their large, kidney shape and a pink color. This bean is popular in the Caribbean region, Portugal and Spain because of similarity to the canela bean.

Navy Beans are small, white and oval with a refined texture and delicate flavor. These are the beans used for the famous Boston- and English-baked beans because their skin and fine texture do not break up on cooking. These beans were named for their part of the U.S. Navy diet during the second half of the 19th Century.

Cranberry Beans are known for their creamy texture with a flavor similar to chestnuts. Cranberry beans are rounded with red specks, which disappear on cooking. These beans are a favorite in northern Italy and Spain. You can find them fresh in their pods in autumn. They freeze well.

Black-eyed Beans (or peas) have a scented aroma, creamy texture and distinctive flavor. These beans are characterized by their kidney shape, white skin with a small black eye, and very fine wrinkles. Originally from Africa, it is one of the most widely dispersed beans in the world. Black-eyed beans are really a type of pea, which gives it its distinctive flavor and rapid cooking potential, with no pre-soaking needed.

Pinto Beans are the most widely produced bean in the United States and one of the most popular in the Americas. Pinto beans contain the most fiber of all beans. Characteristically known for their medium-size, oval shape, they are speckled reddish brown over a pale pink base with solid texture and flavor.

Great Northern Beans are a North American bean, popular in France for making cassoulet (a white bean casserole) and in the whole Mediterranean here many beans of a similar appearance are cultivated. These beans have a delicate flavor and thin skin. They are and are flat, kidney-shaped, medium-sized white beans.

Garbanzo Beans or chickpeas are the most widely consumed legume in the world. Originating in the Middle East, they have a firm texture with a flavor somewhere between chestnuts and walnuts. Garbanzo beans are usually pale yellow in color. In India there are red, black, and brown chickpeas.

How To Cook Beans From Scratch

"Why should I go through the trouble when I can just use some canned beans" you ask? Although canned beans are convenient, they're NOT the healthiest way to go since they usually contain lots of sodium and preservatives.

Plus, once you learn how to cook beans and get the hang of it, you'll be whipping up beans and happily munching away on them every day!

There are MANY beans to choose from, and each has their own distinct flavor. Don’t limit yourself to the canned variety.

How To Clean and Prep Beans

Before I show you how to cook beans, you'll want to learn how to clean and get them ready for the cooking process.

MOST BEANS require soaking. Why? Because it helps your body to digest them easier, and it cuts the cooking time dramatically. Beans that DO NOT require soaking include Aduki (Adzuki), Black Soybeans, and Black-Eyed Peas.

The soaking and cooking of beans remains a mystery for so many people. I should know because I used to be one of them! Hopefully the following instructions along with photos will help to take some of the mystery away so you can start cooking beans today!

Step 1: Measure one cup dry beans.

Step 2: Pick over beans. This means that you lay the beans out (I usually do this step in a long, flat Tupperware container) and pick through them, looking rocks, stones and dried, withered and discolored beans, then discard.

Step 3: Measure triple the amount of water as beans, in this case 3 cups.

Step 4: Place beans in a container with a lid (I use a wide-mouthed jar) and pour water over beans.

Step 5: Let sit 6-8 hours (or overnight). The beans do not have to be covered, but you may want to for cleanliness sake.

Step 6: Admire your soaked beans.

Step 7: Drain and rinse beans.

Now, that wasn't so bad was it?

How To Cook Beans

There are many ways to cook beans. I use a crock pot for mine and cook them all day or until tender. You can also use a pressure cooker, a pot on the stove top or your solar oven outside. Which ever method you use. Do not add anything with salt, acid or sugar until the bean is soft because these things will keep the beans from getting soft.

After they are soft use the recipes given in this post or choose your own. There are many online to choose from.

Always share your experiences with us….we want to hear from you.

RECIPES

Here is a sampling of recipes to get you started cooking with beans. They illustrate the many ways beans can be used in meals.

• Black Beans with Corn and Tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium, no-fat-added black beans
Red beans were substituted for the black beans in this example

• 1 cup cut tomatoes, fresh or canned

• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

• 1 clove garlic, pureed or roasted

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste

1. Drain and rinse beans.

2. In a bowl, combine beans, corn, tomatoes and garlic.

3. Add parsley, pepper and chili powder. Combine and serve.



Makes 4 servings

One-Dish Rosemary Chicken and White Beans

Makes 4 servings

• 2 teaspoons olive oil

• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 8 skinless and boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, undrained

• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Combine rosemary, salt and pepper; sprinkle over one side of chicken.

3. Place chicken in pan with seasoned side down, cook 3 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to medium and turn chicken. Add tomatoes and beans, cover and simmer 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

5. Stir in olives.



Italian White Bean Soup

Makes 4 servings

Part of the beans and liquid in this soup is pureed to make a thicker, creamy texture.

• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white kidney beans (cannellini) or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

• 4 cups non-fat, reduced sodium chicken broth, divided

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 (16-ounce) can whole tomatoes with no salt, undrained OR 4 to 6 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 teaspoons dried basil

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1. Combine one can of beans with two cups of the broth in a blender or food processor and blend until a smooth puree.

2. Transfer to a large saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 10 to 15 minutes, or until beans and tomatoes reach desired tenderness.


Hummus

Makes 4 servings

Serve hummus as a dip with fresh cut vegetables such as carrots, or serve with crackers. Hummus also works well as a sandwich spread, in pita bread and spread in wraps. Some possible additions to hummus sandwiches are grated carrots, sliced or chopped tomatoes, salad greens, chopped or sliced red or green pepper.

• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon white wine or cider vinegar; OR 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

• Dash cayenne

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Place all ingredients except yogurt and parsley in a food processor.

2. Add 1/4 cup of the yogurt and blend until smooth. Add more yogurt, if necessary, until desired consistency is achieved.

3. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley.

4. Eat within two days for best quality and safety. Avoid letting hummus sit at room temperature for more than two hours, TOTAL TIME.

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

Makes 4 main-dish servings

Beans of all varieties are a natural as tasty additions to salads. This salad is substantial enough to serve as a light main dish.

• 1/2 cup light ranch dressing

• 1 large tomato, cut into bite-size wedges

• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped or cut into strips

• 1 shallot, chopped, OR 4 green onions (including stem), sliced

• 1 package (5-ounces) salad greens

• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, regular or reduced fat, coarsely shredded

• Black pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients (EXCEPT cheese and black pepper) with ranch dressing.

2. Divide between large salad plates and top with cheese. Pass black pepper, preferably in a pepper grinder, so people can grind their own.

Three Bean Pasta

Serves 4-6

Beans are a natural combination with pasta and can be served as a main dish salad. Here's a sample recipe from the National Pasta Association. It's easy to create your own -- just combine beans, veggies, pasta and your favorite salad dressing. Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to blend. ENJOY!

• 1 pound medium or wide egg noodles, uncooked

• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 1 cup frozen green beans, thawed

• 1 small red onion, chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse under cold water and drain again.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, kidney beans, chickpeas, green beans, onion and bell pepper. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients.

3. Toss pasta with dressing and serve.


Have fun learning to use this healthy and nutrious food!!