The more you eat … the healthier you are.
Due to the umm, gassiness, that beans can cause, their amazing healthy attributes are often overlooked! Beans are a great plant-based source of protein and are packed with nutrients.
Why are beans good for you?
Beans are packed with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Medical News Today states, “Beans contain amino acids, which are the protein building blocks that the body uses to heal and to make new tissues, such as bone, muscle, hair, skin, and blood.” They also contain many other nutrients that help promote health for your entire body!
Fiber
Fiber is an essential thing that most people don’t get enough of. Fiber is good for you because it keeps your digestive system regular as well as can help with things like heart problems, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Protein
Protein is an amazing nutrient for everyone. If you are a vegetarian, getting enough protein can be difficult but beans make it easier! Protein is great because it keeps you feeling full longer, helps your body repair itself, boosts your metabolism, and helps build your muscles. If you are vegetarian or vegan and looking to increase your protein take we would recommend eating more beans as well as nuts and avocados.
Iron
Iron is essential to helping oxygen travel through your body. Iron helps with several things including energy, athletic performance, and healthy pregnancy. Including iron in your diet regularly can keep you from developing an iron deficiency which can cause major health issues.
Magnesium
This mineral is important to help your muscles, nerves, and immune system. Magnesium can help with diabetes, anxiety, sleep disorders, and even migraines.
Potassium
Potassium is another mineral that is beneficial to many parts of your body. Potassium can help your heart, muscles, kidneys, nerves, and brain.
Zinc
Zinc is a great mineral known for its anti-inflammatory attributes. Zinc can help balance insulin levels, balance testosterone, help with acne, and even help with depression.
Folate
Folate is a B-vitamins that helps with blood cells and DNA. Folate is important for pregnant women to help decrease the risk of congenital deformities. Folate can help lower the risk of depression, promote heart health, and can reduce the risk of cancer.
Phytonutrients
Beans are packed full of phytonutrients! These are chemicals and nutrients that are good for your body. Broad beans, also known as fava beans, have a phytonutrient called epicatechin which has antioxidant properties.
What kind of beans should I eat?
There are about 40,000 different varieties of beans! That’s a lot of beans! Luckily, there are many health-promoting sites that will tell you the best types of beans to include in your diet and get lots of nutrients from.
Our top 6 favorite beans are:
Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are rich in protein and composed of carbs and fiber. Healthline states, “Kidney beans are a good source of several vitamins and minerals, such as molybdenum, folate, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and vitamin K1.” That’s a lot of nutrients packed into some tasty beans! Kidney beans are delicious in soups, stews, and chili.
Black Beans
Black beans are a favorite for many people as they are packed with nutrients and protein but still fairly cheap! Black beans are very nutritious–they have high amounts of magnesium, phosphorous, thiamin, riboflavin, and folate. We love eating black beans in tacos, on salads, and as a side dish.
Soybeans
Soy often gets talked about negatively, but soybeans are actually super healthy for you! Soybeans are packed with protein and healthy fats. Soybeans are great because they have both soluble and insoluble fiber and lots of vitamins and minerals like molybdenum, vitamin K1, copper, and more! Soybeans are great with rice, pasta, and veggies.
Navy Beans
Navy beans are small but packed with nutrients. Navy beans are high in fiber, folate, copper, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin B1, protein, iron, and magnesium. Navy beans are great as a sandwich spread, in soup, and as a side dish cooked with olive oil and seasonings.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are a delicious and popular bean option. Pinto beans have great amounts of thiamine, iron, and magnesium as well as some zinc and calcium. Pinto beans are great in chili, dips, and burritos.
Chickpeas
Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans and are growingly popular. Chickpeas are packed with folate, fiber, iron, phosphorus, and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Chickpeas are a great addition to salads and pasta. We also love them roasted for a crunchy, tasty, and healthy snack.
But what about the gas?
Let’s admit it, beans really can cause gas, it happens to the best of us! Beans contain lots of fiber as well as a good amount of carbs called galactooligosaccharide. Your body isn’t very used to digesting these carbs and increasing fiber in your diet suddenly can lead to gas. To avoid getting gas from consuming beans, we recommend slowly introducing them into your diet. Don’t begin by eating beans for every meal and snack right away. Start by introducing beans for 1 meal a couple of times a week and slowly increase your intake until you are more used to it.
Beans, beans, are magical fruit! They are packed with protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. Add a variety of types of beans to your diet!
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