Hey guys! Just wanted to pitch in a post for this weeks challenge about wild edibles. Today i'm talking about beans! Whether its in soup, burritos or hummus, these legumes are top-notch when it comes to a healthy diet.
This superfood is in my opinion the most important protein for human beings, not just because they are plant-based, but because they provide us with a great source of high-quality protein and carbohydrates. Not only this, but bean consumption has been associated with the Blue Zones, and linked to longevity.
Moreso, they digest very slowly, and may prevent over-eating because of how filling they are. It also has an anti-cancer effect through polyphenols contained in colorful beans (red, black) that give them their color. Like those contained in blueberries, the polyphenols found in colored beans are powerful phytonutrients that live in our tissues and organs and are actively contributing to our health (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphenol).
They are important to be replenished and contribute to maintaining healthy skin.
Beans contain a substance called inositol pentakisphosphate which prevents the growth of tumors in the body, and a study showed that people who ate two meals containing beans every week had 50% less risk of colon cancer. However some beans also contain something called lectins, which can be poisonous in high amounts (like in kidney beans), but no need to fear as these compounds are destroyed by proper cooking. Don't eat raw kidney beans! It takes around 1 hour of boiling or 45 minutes in a pressure cooker to destroy all lectin activity. Or just have canned beans, as they come pre-cooked, but i find soaking them and cooking them fresh tastes better.
Beans contain amongst the highest amounts of fiber content of any food (slow-digestable starches). These slow digesting starches break down the glucose over many hours, at the same time reducing insulin response and providing a steady fuel source throughout the day, much like oats . They contain something called resistant starch, which is degraded by bacteria in our large intestin into short-chain fatty acids called butorate, which when absorbed have anti-diabetic affects, anti-inflammatory effects on the wall of the colon, and reducing chances of having constipation.
The second-meal effect happens when the bacteria that are fueled by beans (probiotics), contribute in turn to the slowing of glucose absorption from other foods that we eat that are not beans. So they have a protective effect from other sweet foods, which is a good thing.
Unfortunately for beans, they have a bad reputation when it comes to gas. If you eat beans regularly however, your microbiome adapts to the high fiber content of beans within a week and the gas problem goes away!
Beans are also very cheap, and we see that low-income countries have higher bean consumption rates. They are very nutritient-dense foods, with powerful anti-cancer effects that everyone should add to their diets. They can be eaten cooked after being soaked for 5-12 hours (overnight is easiest), or raw when sprouted (this takes a few days). As have been said, you can't eat raw beans. Unless they are sprouted! Sprouting beans can actually be healthier than cooked beans in some cases increased phytonutrient contents. Lentil sprouts are some of the most nutritious snacks on the planet, and should be a staple snack for families around the world due to how easy they are to grow! All you need to do is soak some lentils over night, and then rinse them 2-3 times a day until they sprout! Easy peasy.
In any case, beans are definitely a powerful superfood addition to all of our diets. Not only do they provide great protective qualities for our bodies, but also can be extremely tasty when cooked well! Chickpeas and lentils are also very healthy and are excellent candidates with powerful antioxidant activities against LDL cholesterol oxydation and free radicals. So don't forget to cook lentil soup and hummus!
When i think about beans, I think about eggs. It's not what you think :D. In the same way that a chick gets all the nutrition it needs from the egg to grow into a chicken, the bean plant gets what it needs from the bean pod to grow into a plant! Except there was no loss of life involved, and you get some great high-protein food when you eat beans.
So as you can see, beans are pretty cool, and i've been making sure to have some soaking in the kitchen whenever i'm running out. I stopped eating bread much a while ago, and beans are really nice and filling substitute, not to mention how good they are for you. It's super easy to cook them up in batches, if you have a bunch of dried beans lying around the house, mix them up in a bowl of water to soak, boil them the next day and keep some in the fridge for whenever you need some extra protein for your cooking! I usually toss 'em in the pan with some red pepper paste, olive oil, red onion and herbs and spices, yummy!
I hope you learned a lot about beans! Stay cool, stay healthy, lots of love.
dizzybee
