Friday Food Facts: Beans

Green Girl Goodies, September 2012

Featuring information from SuperFoods:  Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life by Steven G. Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews

Beans are found in all different colors, shapes and sizes.  Frequently passed over by the average person because of their lengthy cooking time and the fear of flatulence, beans are actually a virtual wonder food.  Beans are one of the most healthy and economical sources of protein available today.  They are inexpensive, versatile in cooking, and a vitamin-rich, low-fat source of protein and fiber.  And that is just scratching the surface of the power of the bean.

Also known as legumes or pulses, beans are a large family of plants distinguished by their seed bearing pods.  Some beans like sugar snap peas, green beans and green peas are eaten fresh.  Most others are dried and simmered before eating.  I will discuss more about cooking with beans later in the post.

Beans can help lower cholesterol, combat heart disease and hypertension, lessen the risk of cancer, stabilize blood sugar levels, reduce obesity, relieve constipation and even reduce the risk of type II diabetes.  Critics of the bean have long argued that it cannot be substituted for animal proteins because it is not a complete protein.  Beans do lack 2 amino acids essential for allowing the body to make use of the protein.  However, bean protein can be completed by many other common foods such as nuts, dairy, grains or even animal protein.  The bean and its complementary food don’t even have to be consumed at the same meal, just in the same day.  Consider this:  By substituting beans for meat not only are you avoiding all the saturated fats but you are getting the benefits of the fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients!  Not only that but eating plant protein like that found in beans leads to less calcium loss than when consuming animal protein because of the acidity that occurs when eating meat.

Lastly, beans play a critical role in weight management.  Simply put:  they fill you up without a lot of calories.  If you add beans to your diet, you are more likely to get full before you get fat.  The high fiber content of the bean controls your blood sugar to keep hunger at bay while maintaining high energy levels.  Now who doesn’t find this appealing??

As for the fear of flatulence, here are a few tips to help reduce any discomfort you may find comes along with beans becoming a part of your regular diet:

-     If you eat beans frequently in small amounts your body will become accustomed to them and will naturally reduce any digestive problems.

-     Soak beans for at least an hour or up to overnight and discard the soaking liquid.  Remember that this does decrease the nutrient value slightly. 

-     Pressure-cooking beans can help reduce their gas producing qualities but also destroys some nutrients.

All in all, if you can tolerate the digestive issues, no soaking will give you the most nutritional bang for your buck.  And for the varieties of bean not dried, consuming them raw provides the most benefits.

When it comes to cooking with beans, the possibilities are endless.  Beans are able to take on almost any flavor you want and blend well with all different types of ethnic and American cuisine.  Some of my favorite varieties are black beans, lentils, sugar snap peas and green beans.

Dried Beans can be stewed as a side or in soups and chilis.  They are also great cold in salads or pureed into spreads like hummus or black bean dip.  Fresh beans like green beans or snap peas are delicious raw or blanched on their own or in a salad.  They can also be sautéed, steamed and roasted and are a great side dish to any meal.

For more facts, tips and information on beans check out http://healthygreengirlkitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/Bean%20Scene%3A%20%20Fun%20Facts%20and%20Tips%20for%20Cooking%20Beans and search Green Girl Goodies for a number of bean recipes to test for yourself!

Next Friday Food Facts:

Tomatoes

Bean Scene: Fun Facts and Tips for Cooking Beans

“Bulk Basics” Whole Foods

Not only are beans low in fat and cholesterol, they are also high in fiber, iron and folic acid making them a near perfect health food! In addition to their amazing health benefits beans are also extremely economical and a great eco-friendly source of protein for vegetarians and carnivores alike!

Below are some general tips on storing and cooking beans along with some helpful hints to get the best end product from your dried beans:

- Storing:
o Keep beans in an airtight container away from heat and use them within 6 months at the most.

- Soaking:
o Most beans will cook more evenly and faster when soaked in cold water first. Any amount of soaking time is beneficial but a soak of at least 4 hours and up to 12 is ideal.

- Cooking:
o Drain and rinse beans thoroughly after soaking.
o Remember beans double or triple depending on the type of bean so always use a large saucepan or pot. Cover beans with fresh water by about 1 inch. Partially cover pot, bring to a gentle boil then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed.
o Cooking time varies depending on the soaking time and age of the beans. Cook until tender; taste a bean to check doneness.
o Simmer beans gently as a vigorous boil will cause them to fall apart.
o Add salt to beans three quarters of the way thru cooking as adding salt can lengthen cooking time. Don’t wait till they are fully cooked or the seasoning won’t be as effective.
o Don’t add acidic ingredients (tomato, wine, lemon/lime juice, vinegar) until the beans are tender as acidic ingredients can prevent softening.

- Some interesting bean facts:
o Always discard soaking water prior to cooking. Some nutrition in the form of minerals is lost but you get rid of 80% of the oligosaccharides that cause flatulence!
o Thoroughly cooking your beans softens starch and fibers, making digestion more efficient.
o The more often you eat beans, the faster your body will adapt to digesting the complex sugars.
o Certain herbs including bay leaf, cumin, epazote and kombu (epazote being the most effective) have gas reducing properties and adding any of these while cooking will help decrease the gaseous effect of the beans.
o Avoid beans with added sweeteners as the added carbohydrates can cause more digestive problems for many people.

Just a few of the many varieties of beans!