9 Reasons Why you must eat beans
9 Reasons Why You Must Eat Beans. By Adewale
The benefits of beans are so numerous that we can’ t say enough in praise of a beans diet . Healthy beans are so outstanding that only green vegetables come close as a valuable food source. Beans are so loaded with nutrition and taste that we ’ ve listed nine reasons below to devour huge quantities of beans – beginning today .
Beans & Protein
Thanks to a relentless campaign from food industries , we have a highly exaggerated idea of the amount of protein that is needed by our bodies . In fact , we only need a small percentage of the amount we usually get. If you staunchly refuse to believe this statement , consider mother’ s milk , which contains only 1 . 6 grams of protein per 1 / 2 cup , less than one half the protein of cow ’ s milk . The greatest growth time of our lives is when we are babies, so if we needed huge amounts of protein wouldn’ t mother’ s milk , the “ perfect food ”, provide it?
In fact , there are serious dangers to high protein diets. Two examples are : osteoporosis and kidney disease . The bone thinning disease of osteoporosis is an epidemic in the United States and high amount of protein have unquestionably played a huge part in this explosion . High protein diets cause calcium to be lost in the urine . This calcium does not come from the meat – it comes from our bones . Animal products create uric acid which makes our blood acidic . Calcium is the mineral that is most needed by the body to fight acidity – and in its valiant attempt to protect itself, the body pulls this needed calcium from the bones, the most abundant source we have .
Further , if we eat more protein than the human body can use, it is broken down and excreted which overworks the kidneys by increasing the amount and flow of urine . The “ nephrons” , which are the kidneys filter units , gradually die off in the process.
So , yes, we need protein – but not a huge amount of it and the best advice is to stick to plants . A variety of plant foods provides all the protein we need and, contrary to a popular myth , we don ’ t need to ‘ combine ’ those proteins in any special way to get all eight amino acids that the body doesn ’ t produce . That notion began with an influential book, Diet For A Small Planet . The author , Frances Moore Lappe, later recanted, admitting she was in error. If only all errors were so readily admitted !
Fiber And Beans
There are two kinds of fiber. The first is “ insoluble” fiber , alias ‘ roughage’ , which can’ t be used by the human body. Instead it moves on through , carrying out waste products and toxins. The more insoluble fiber we have, the less likely we are to retain foods inside our bodies which keeps them from putrefying . Yes , that’ s a gross thought but that doesn ’ t make it any less true.
“ Soluble ” fiber becomes gooey and helps to process fats , lowers cholesterol and slows the release of carbohydrates into the bloodstream . Many have reported a lower cholesterol score just from consuming more fiber .
Quite simply, fiber is what makes you feel full ! Obviously , if we feel full we will eat less and be more satisfied , our appetite will be more easily controlled and we will either lose weight or maintain a healthy weight .
Fiber, Beans And Weight Loss
The most popular theory of dieting and weight loss for decades has revolved around calories . Experts have loudly proclaimed that there is an immutable formula for calories in , calories out but, in fact , all calories are not the same because some calories require much more digestion than others. The harder your body has to work to digest those calories , the less of them will be absorbed . The difference between a spoonful of sugar and a spoonful of beans is startling . In fact , if you’ d like to reduce your calorie “ price ” by 10 % , add an extra 14 grams of fiber . This means that if you eat 2 , 000 calories per day , and add 28 grams of fiber to your meals , those calories will only “ count ” as 1600 . Cool!
It ’ s easy to get 30 , 40 , 50 or more grams of fiber a day . There are four foods that supply lots of healthy fiber …
* Beans
* Vegetables
* Fruits
* Whole grains
… and in that order, with beans being the best source of fiber . Set a target of at least 40 grams per day . Beans have approximately 15 grams of fiber per cup.
Fiber, Beans & Blood Sugar
Scientists rate how quickly foods release their natural sugars into the bloodstream using a number called the glycemic index or GI . Foods on the low end of the glycemic scale release their natural sugars slowly over a period of time. Probably most resident in the western world have experienced the famous ‘ sugar high’ and researchers are positive that sugar – literally – acts like a drug on the human system. In fact , some scientists have compared sugar to heroin !
Low glycemic foods , on the other hand , release their sugars more slowly and steadily , acting a constant source of energy . These foods don ’ t send your blood sugar skyrocketing only to crash soon after , causing your appetite to return and often making snacks irresistible .
And, if you’ re overweight, your body tissues are most likely more sensitive to insulin , the hormone that controls your blood sugar.
What makes a food low or high on the glycemic scale ? It ’ s about the carbohydrate molecules of the substance. With low- GI food , the molecules are stacked and dense and have been compared to a stack of logs waiting to be burned in the winter fireplace. When the agents of digestion in your body – your enzymes – go to work on these logs , it takes a long time to burn them and that’ s why your blood sugar isn ’ t much affected .
High GI carbs are more like branches or twigs , with their molecules spread apart and surrounded by space . Your enzymes quickly break them apart, releasing all their sugar into the blood at more or less the same time.
Guess who ’ s the undisputed champion of the low GI food groups ? That’ s right : legumes – beans, peas , lentils – with green veggies being a close second , calorie for calorie .
A Beans Diet And Leptin
A few years ago , it was discovered that a hormone named “ leptin ” [its name comes from the Greek word ‘ leptos ’ which means ‘ thin ’] controlled the human appetite. There was an incredible excitement over this discovery and the dieting world hailed The Answer for all overweight folks . Unfortunately , leptin from outside sources has thus far been a huge flop .
Leptin is made by our body’ s fat cells . When the cells realize there is enough nourishment available, [meaning you’ re not starving yourself by dieting!] they release leptin into the bloodstream which has two important effects :
* Your appetite declines …
* Your metabolism is boosted and thus calories are consumed more quickly …
Plant based, low- fat foods help to keep leptin levels high – while fatty foods , like animal products , suppress your leptin supply . And guess what ? Beans are only 2 - 3 % fat which means they raise your leptin levels and reduce appetite, while causing your metabolism to work harder and faster .
LEAN GROUND BEEF
Amount : 4 ounces
Calories: 306
Fat grams : 20
Protein grams : 23
Fiber in grams : 0
BLACK BEANS
Amount : 8 ounces [ twice as much as the beef above ]
Calories: 227 [discount by 10 % - 30 % due to high fiber content ]
Fat grams : . 09
Protein grams : 17 .9
Fiber in grams : 15
Nutrients & Beans
Beans are loaded with nutrients that our bodies crave :
B Vitamins : are necessary for healthy brain and nerve cells, for normal functioning of the skin , nerves and digestive system.
Calcium : for strong bones and teeth and to help keep the body more alkaline, rather than acidic .
Potassium: helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke .
Folate: a B vitamin that our bodies don ’ t produce yet dry beans are our single best source of this important vitamin which helps protect against heart disease and cancer .
These Healthy Beans Are Inexpensive
Beans are cheap ! In fact , there is nothing, absolutely nothing , in the grocery store that is a bigger bargain than beans, peas and lentils . Yesterday I bought an entire pound of black eyed peas for $ 1 .29 . Granted , I normally pay more than that because I almost always buy organic beans. But even those babies are only about double the price of the ones grown with chemicals. Considering their nutritional punch , there simply is nothing in the store that is a better buy than beans. Check out the dried beans and lentils in your store and see for yourself. And if you can buy them in bulk, the way I do , they ’ re even cheaper.
A Huge Variety Of Beans
There are all kinds of beans available for most any palate … unless you’ re one of those unfortunates that really detest beans . Sorry about that.
For instance, my least favorite bean is the kidney bean. I don ’ t dislike it, I just prefer other kinds and fortunately there are a myriad of choices . These are just a few that are quite popular in the US :
* kidney beans
* soy beans
* garbanzo beans
* adzuki beans
* lima beans
* red lentils
* green lentils
* brown lentils
* black beans
* black eyed peas
* broad beans
* red beans
* butter beans
* fava beans
* great northern beans
* haricot beans
* mung beans
* navy beans
* pinto beans
* yellow split peas
* green split peas
* white beans
Versatile , Healthy Nutrition
It ’ s impossible to even guess how many bean recipes exist on this planet . One thing is for sure – the number is in the hundreds of thousands and most likely the millions. If I assigned you the task of listing 100 different bean recipes, you could certainly do it . So in an effort to reinforce their versatility, here are some major headings :
Bean Main Dishes: beans are in stews and casseroles ; they ’ re baked with meat ; in some cultures , like that of Mexico , they ’ re unique dishes that are served constantly [ think tacos , enchiladas , chalupas ]; cattle drives moved across American eating huge pots of beans at every meal ; Indian tribes ate beans for thousands of years.
Vegetarian Bean Main Dishes: vegetarians like me frequently fix main dishes without meat , using beans as the filling ingredient , rather than animal products . I frequently make chilis with beans and baked beans are common . With a salad and crusty bread , they ’ re yummy!
Baked Beans: are the most famous bean dish and they ’ re baked with all kinds of different ingredients: onions, garlic, barbecue sauce , cranberries, mushroom , pineapple – even Dr. Pepper and beer.
Bean Salads : everyone has eaten cold beans in salads. I recently ate a cold bean, mandarin orange and purple onion salad that had me threatening mayhem to the person of the hostess if she didn’ t hand over the recipe. :- )
Bean Soups : there are bean soups in cultures all over the planet from Cuban black bean soup to Mexican spicy soups to French Canadian pea soup and my favorite , our American Senate Bean Soup .
Bean Dips: are a favorite of most people and are quite popular at all kinds of social gatherings and surely go well at a Super Bowl party with a huge bowl of chips .
Chili With Beans: chili without beans is simply a total flop . Actually, the beans are more important than the meat because there are meatless chilis but virtually no chilis without beans. Some folks cook the beans and meat in a separate pot and mix them together when served .
Bean “ Breads” : beans have become so popular that there are many bean flours available these days , and they can be used like grain flours to make bread, pasta , muffins and loaves .
Bean Desserts : while not as common, there certainly are bean desserts . Asians often eat a red bean ice cream [which I ’ ve never eaten , but definitely will the first chance I get] and there are other goodies like a Pinto Bean Pie and an orange garbanzo cake.I
Ifthe benefits of beans can’ t persuade you to give this delightful food group and try, then consider this: beans are tasty! There are a bazillion bean recipes available for you to try and simple experimentation might lead you to find healthy beans that you truly enjoy. After all , humans have been eating beans for – literally – millenia and they didn’ t eat them for any reason of ‘ bean nutrition’ . They just ate them because they ’ re yummy. Anything that I like to eat that makes me healthier definitely gets an A+.
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