Did you know that people who eat beans regularly have a longer life expectancy than people who don’t eat beans regularly? In my last blog, I talked about longevity and the secrets of centenarians, which are attainable and economical. While talking about staying within a budget, let’s talk about beans and all the amazing benefits this mighty food can provide.
Cooked Canned Beans Nutrition facts
Beans are one of those foods that is a powerhouse of nutrients containing fiber, protein, and iron to name a few. A ½ cup serving of cooked canned beans provides 120 calories, 4 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein, 1.4 mg iron, and 230 mg potassium. Let me explain why eating this inexpensive food can make you feel better, look better and live longer.
Contrary to popular belief, eating beans, especially canned beans, can help improve digestion. The canning process makes beans and certain vegetables more soluble, which helps with digestion – for more information and citations click here. Also, adequate consumption of beans can help prevent heart disease by lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. Beans can help control blood sugar levels, help people lose or maintain weight and beans may also help prevent cancer. This is why beans are promoted by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Mediterranean diet, the Oldways pyramid, and the Blue Zones.
Even if you worry about the sodium content of canned beans, know that you can remove up to 41% of the sodium by simply draining and rinsing your canned beans. This fact sheet provides a little more info on nutrition and sodium (reduction and rinsing). Enjoy those beans any way you want!
Versatility of beans
Because beans count as a vegetable and a protein they can easily be incorporated into your favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack recipes. The plant-based trend is here to stay and beans make the perfect fit for a nutritious and delicious plant-based diet.
What I love about beans is that they are easy to enjoy. They don’t require a culinary degree to learn how to prepare them, and they are very economical. Beans are inexpensive and super convenient, which can fit into our busy meal schedules.
Beans can be added to rice (one of my favorites), salads, pasta, soups, drinks, bread, spreads, bowls, desserts (yummy brownies), meat dishes, and much more. We can get really creative. For recipe inspiration click here and more information about the amazing canned beans, visit cannedbeans.org
Spring is in the air and I wanted to share one of my latest obsessions – Buddha bowls! A vegetarian meal served in a single bowl that includes, rice (or other grains), legumes/pulses, fresh vegetables and plant proteins. Usually served cold. Here is one of my favorite dinner Buddha bowls I made with my daughter for a recent family dinner. This recipe not only uses canned black beans but also canned chickpeas. Simply add cooked quinoa, sliced red onions, sliced grape tomatoes, canned black beans, drained & rinsed, guacamole, garbanzo-walnut meatballs (see recipe below) makes this an exquisite and beautiful Buddha bowl.
Garbanzo-Walnut Meatballs
1 can Bush’s Best Reduced Sodium Garbanzos, drained and rinsed, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1 small chopped onion, 3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, 1/2 cup quick oats, and 2 eggs – blend in the food processor or a powerful blender for a few seconds or until well mixed. Form meatballs/patties and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. So good!
I leave you with this summary from a virtual cooking demo I attended by cookbook author, chef, and dietitian Michelle Dudash, RD on the benefits of beans. She concluded by saying:
“Canned beans help people get easy, delicious, nutritious, economical, plant-based meals on the table, which may contribute to a lifetime of better health.” Michelle Dudash, RDN
