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Nature's Perfect Food
Beans have the highest antioxidant
content, period. Plus they're delicious, low cal, and
they fill you up fast.
WebMD Commentary from "Prevention" Magazine
By Cynthia Sass
If I
could eat only one food for the rest of my life, it
would definitely be beans. I love the way they taste,
but they also fill me up for hours. Plus, they make me
feel like a health champion.
That's
because beans have such an amazing nutrition track
record. Bean eaters are associated with smaller waist
sizes and a 22% lower risk of obesity. They also take in
less "bad" fat and one-third more fiber than those who
avoid these nutritional gems.
One cup
of beans provides a whopping 13 g of fiber--which is
half of what we need daily--with no saturated fat. Beans
are loaded with protein (about 15 g per cup) and dozens
of key nutrients, including a few most women fall short
on--calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Studies also tie
beans to a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2
diabetes, high blood pressure, and breast and colon
cancers. And surprisingly, red, pinto, and kidney beans
are the highest antioxidant food, beating out both
blueberries and cranberries.
We've
all heard the funny songs, but nutritionally speaking,
beans are no joke. The latest Dietary Guidelines advise
eating 3 cups every week, and the canned varieties do
count! Keep bloating (and embarrassing gas) to a minimum
by popping a Beano supplement before you eat or sipping
peppermint tea after. Here, my bean shopping tips:
Buy canned: They're just as healthy
You may
have heard that bagged beans are best, but they need to
be soaked and then boiled for hours before they're ready
to eat. Who has the time or patience for that? Bagged
beans are generally less expensive (about $1 per
16-ounce bag versus $1.50 for a 15-ounce can) and have
no added ingredients, including salt. But canned
varieties, which are ready to eat, can be just as
nutritious.
Go for low sodium
Canned
low-sodium beans are exactly the same price, with
two-thirds less sodium. That's a decrease from about 720
mg per cup (a third of the daily max of 2,300 mg) to 220
mg. Rinsing beans in a colander under cold water for 1
minute will wash away about a quarter of the sodium.
Look for vegetarian versions
Baked
and refried are two of my personal favorites because
both are seasoned and versatile. I sometimes eat baked
beans (beans baked or stewed in sauce) on whole grain
toast for breakfast, and I love using refried pinto and
black beans in dips, burritos, and even dinner salads.
But both varieties are traditionally prepared with lard
or bits of pork, which add calories, cholesterol,
sodium, and saturated fat. Luckily, you can easily find
vegetarian versions of each these days. Choosing
vegetarian refried beans reduces the saturated fat
content from 16% of the daily value to zero per cup and
adds a bonus 2 g of protein--and they taste just as
delicious.
Avoid dented or bulging cans
Small
dents and dings are okay, but if you find a badly dented
or swollen can in your cupboard, or if a can spurts
liquid when opened, toss it out right away using
disposable gloves. These are all possible signs of
botulism, a potentially deadly form of food poisoning
that generated canned-food recalls as recently as last
summer. If you're ever unsure, think, When in doubt,
throw it out. For more on food recalls, visit
recalls.gov/food.html; for info on how to discard
contaminated cans, check cdc.gov/botulism/botulism_faq.htm.
Health benefits : Bean by bean
The key
nutrients in each bean vary by type. Give your body a
broader range and reap the anti-aging and
disease-fighting benefits by mixing it up.
Black
Rich in anthocyanins, the same heart disease– and
cancer-fighting antioxidants that are found in grapes
and cranberries.
Garbanzo (chickpeas)
A recent study found that a chickpea-fortified diet
slashed “bad” LDL cholesterol levels by almost 5%.
Kidney
The thiamin (vitamin B1) in this bean protects memory
and brain function; a deficiency has been linked to
Alzheimer’s disease.
Navy
Potassium regulates blood pressure and normal heart
contractions.
Pinto
Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar, lowering the risk of
type 2 diabetes.
My Favorite Bean-Based Power Meals
Cup for
cup, beans provide about twice as much fiber as most
veggies, and you can count them as either a protein or
vegetable in your meals. Here, three fast fixes that
will fill you up for less than 500 calories:
Taco Salad
Top 2 cups of bagged baby greens with 1/2 cup of rinsed
and drained canned black beans. Top with 1/4 cup of
salsa, sprinkle with reduced-fat shredded Cheddar
cheese, and garnish with 2 tablespoons of chopped
avocado.
Mediterranean Bean Boats
Spoon 2 tablespoons of rinsed and drained canned
garbanzo beans into each of 4 large romaine lettuce
leaves. Top each with a few strips of jarred roasted red
pepper and garnish with chopped onions and pine nuts.
Rustic Bean Sauté
In a medium skillet, sauté 1/2 cup of rinsed and drained
canned kidney beans with 1 cup of canned Italian-style
tomatoes and 1 cup of frozen cut green beans. When
heated through, transfer to a dish and dust with grated
Parmesan or Romano cheese.
Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD is Prevention's
nutrition director. As a registered dietitian, she's
been helping real women healthfully navigate grocery
aisles for more than a decade.
©
WebMD. All rights reserved.
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"We've all heard the funny songs, but
nutritionally speaking, beans are no joke." |
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