Let's Talk About Beans
a plethora of health benefits
Beans are nutritional powerhouses. Some of them are rated higher than another. One sample of their value includes a cup of cooked lentils which has 57% of the Daily Value for fiber, 19% of the nutrition action RDA for potassium, 81% of U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance for folic acid, 16% for magnesium, 33% for iron, 23% for copper, 15% for zinc, 25% for protein, and 16% for vitamin B-6 (USDA Handbook 8).
High value beans that received high scores with the USDA would be pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils, cranberry beans, black-eyed peas or cowpeas, pink beans, navy beans, black beans, small white beans, baby lima beans, kidney beans, adzuki beans, great northern beans, mung beans, and large lima beans. All these types received scores over 200, the highest being 300. The only bean listed receiving a 300 score were soybeans, but it is the only fatty bean and not one I recommend because of its links to cancer, unless it’s fermented soy. I’ve mentioned this before in my newsletters about soybeans, that if you are going to use soy, it must be fermented like miso or natto, soybean paste, soy sauce, and tempeh.
Numerous studies published in the past decades have revealed that fermented soy products have multifarious health benefits, such as serum cholesterol-lowering, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-cardiovascular, and anti-neuroinflammatory effects.
Although soybean is known to contain anti-nutritional factors, such as phytates, trypsin inhibitors and lectins, most fermented soy products have been analyzed to contain very small amounts of these factors, when compared with raw soybean.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8003083/ - National Library of Medicine (NIH-an official US government website)
Beans are a great source of fiber that helps to keep you regular and seems to protect against heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and digestive illness.
It’s what I call a “WOW” food as far as health benefits. They are high in carbohydrates and lectins though and not a complete protein, so add complete protein (contains all nine essential amino acids) to it like milk products, eggs, meat, fish, OR rice and beans make complete protein.
I love pinto beans. Here’s a pinto bean chili recipe:
use 1.5 cups of pinto beans, cooked or from can
chopped onion, chopped red pepper, garlic
1 can roasted tomatoes or a can or cup of chopped or diced tomatoes
1 cup of water or broth
1 cup of corn
salt to taste but don’t overdo, about ½ teaspoon
a little black pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
If you want it hot, then add cayenne pepper or hotness to your taste from hot peppers or hot sauce.
Heat EVOO in a pot; add onions and red pepper and seasonings – cook until soft.
Add rest of ingredients, except lime juice, which you add in when chili is done.
Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes. When done, add lime juice and any other toppings you like, such as sour cream. Season to taste.
Enjoy. All best, Giulietta
Website: https://www.gpassarelli.com
Medium: https://gpass3woj.medium.com
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B08PZ95FHV
I am a certified reflexologist and nutrition counselor besides being a self-published author, poet, and writer. Have been sugar-free since 9-1-01.
Put any questions or responses you may have in the comments section. Thank you much for reading.