Eat Me: Five reasons you must include ‘superfood’ beans in your diet

Dietary reservations like flatulence, exaggerated growth spurt, stomach upset, and heart burns are common reasons many people don’t eat beans.

But what if you are missing out on some very essential nutritional values and health benefits the food has to offer?

What if there are precautionary measures that could take care of these reservations, offering you access to exceptionally amazing health benefits?

Here are eight amazing reasons you should include beans in your diet alongside precautions to address common side effects.

Excellent source of protein

While the amino acid content of beans may differ based on the specie, beans are generally high in protein, an essential nutrient that is key to body tissue growth and repair, as well as food digestion.

Many people often opt for substitutes like meat and dairy products but unlike these alternatives, beans is lower in calories & saturated fats, offering apparently the healthiest source of protein.

Great for cardiovascular health

The cholesterol-free nature of beans makes it an excellent option for maintaining healthy heart and blood vessels, such that it has been linked to a lower heart disease risk.

Beans contain complex carbohydrates and low glycemic index which makes them digest slowly and help to maintain a normal blood sugar level, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes.

Combats cancer

Beans contain large amounts on antioxidants which help combat anomalies in cell growth and reduce the amount of free cancer-causing radicals in the body.

They also contain a range of cancer-fighting plant chemicals such as isoflavones and phytosterols.

Aids weight loss

Research has shown that people who include beans in their diets have higher dietary fibre intake alongside potassium, iron, and copper.

This helps stave off hunger and increase satiety while giving a bountiful supply of energy and aiding weight loss, especially when taken with a lot of water.

Beans are low in saturated fat; contain soluble fibre and a number of phytochemicals, both of which help lower cholesterol levels and avert obesity.

Healthy for women and childbirth

The rich vitamin K content of beans plays an important role in bone and joint health while the folate content is highly essential for foetus growth in pregnant women and helps prevent birth defects.

Studies have also shown that women who ate high quantities of beans experienced fewer mood swings and menstrual cramps than those who consumed the lowest amounts.

Precautions & Myths

Farting, a natural digestive process that accompanies beans consumption is one of the strongest reasons many people avoid it but consuming beans alongside other foods can help avert the problem.

Soaking, rinsing and boiling beans before cooking or consuming them in moderate quantities at a time helps stave purging and gassing for those who have a hard time digesting the legume.

Many commonly claim that beans make them tall but this assertion is often exaggerated since it is only normal for protein foods to help one attain the heights of one’s genetic make-up.

For the heartburn, eating less, proper parboiling or changing the time of the day during which you consume beans might help for those who have noticed patterns to that effect.