101 Foods That Could Save Your Life

Did you know … Mexican “Jumping Beans” are not actually beans at all? They are part of a seed shell that contains the larva of a small grey moth who is really behind all of the “jumping”.

There are over 1,000 bean species, which are also known as pulses and legumes, in various cultures. Beans can be broken down into three basic categories: snap beans, which includes string and french beans; shell beans, including lima beans and peas; and “dry” beans, which includes such varieties as black, kidney, garbanzo, Great Northern, navy, pinto and red beans, to name a few. “Dry beans” come in both wet (i.e., tinned) and dry (unhydrated) states. The term “dry” does not refer to the hydration state of the bean, but rather means that the bean variety is allowed to dry in the pod before harvesting.

The first evidence of beans can be traced back some 20,000 years. The lima and pinto were cultivated by Mexican and Peruvian civilizations more than 7,000 years ago. Historians are unsure whether these two beans originated in Mexico, Peru or Guatemala. Migrating tribes dispersed beans throughout the Americas. Spanish explorers introduced the beans from the New World to Europe in the 1500s. From there, Spanish and Portuguese traders carried them to Africa and Asia.

The United States is the sixth-leading producer of dry edible beans, behind Brazil, India, China, Burma and Mexico. North Dakota and Michigan lead the nation in dry bean cultivation.

Beans count as both a vegetable and a protein source in the United States Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid food guide. They are one of the few vegetables that are rich in both protein and fibre, including both soluble and insoluble fibre to promote regularity, control cholesterol, and reduce the risk of certain cancers. Beans are an excellent source of potassium, folate and magnesium, and are also a good source of manganese, molybdenum and the B vitamin thiamine. Darker beans like black beans are as rich in antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins as grapes and cranberries. In fact, four out of the twenty top antioxidant-containing foods are beans. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that people consume 11oz/300g of beans per week. Unfortunately, the average American only meets one-third of that recommendation!

Beans have long been a remedy for constipation as they are rich in fibre that promotes bowel movements.

LONGEVITY: A study showed that those who ate beans regularly, more so than any other food, seemed to live longer across various ethnicities.

OBESITY: According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 1999–2002, bean-eaters are less obese than people who don’t include beans in their daily diet.

HEART HEALTH: Years of large studies offer conclusive data linking bean consumption and heart health. Let’s take a look at four of the best.

• Researchers from Arizona State University found significant reductions in total and LDL cholesterol in those subjects who simply added pinto beans to their diet.

• Following the dietary intake patterns of 16,000 middle-aged men from around the world for 25 years, a study found that higher consumption of legumes was associated with a whopping 82 per cent reduction in risk of heart disease!

• A study of nearly 10,000 American adults found that those who ate the greatest amount of soluble fibre foods (at least 21 grams of fibre per day) had a 15 per cent reduction in risk of heart disease compared to those eating five or less grams daily.

• Beans are a main staple of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the Portfolio diet, both effective in lowering blood pressure.

BREAST CANCER: The consumption of beans is associated with reduced risk for breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

DIABETES: Researchers compared two groups of people with type 2 diabetes who were fed different amounts of high-fibre foods. The group who ate a diet containing 50 grams of fibre a day had lower levels of both plasma glucose and insulin.

If you are not used to eating beans and are worried about being “gassy”, start off by eating smaller amounts of beans such as 25g per day and increase up to 50g. Gas produced by eating beans is often due to a sudden introduction of fibre. Your body will adjust if you are consistent with your fibre intake and you will be less “windy” in no time!

• “Dry” beans come packaged or already cooked, either tinned or frozen.

• If stored in a cool, dry place, dry beans can be stored for at least twelve months or longer.

• Tinned beans can be stored for up to twelve months.

• Cooked beans may be refrigerated for up to five days and frozen for up to six months.

• You can reduce up to 40 per cent of sodium by rinsing tinned beans or by purchasing no-salt-added versions. Rinsing beans may also reduce gas production as well!

• Use a pressure cooker to speed up the cooking time.

• Bean soup and chilli are two of the most popular ways to eat beans.

• Add beans to burritos or dips to increase nutritional value and add extra flavour!

• Do not add salt or anything acidic, like tomatoes, until after the beans have been cooked, to avoid longer cooking time.

Easy Pasta Fagioli

by Christine M. Palumbo

Servings: Twelve servings • Prep and cooking time: 45 minutes

This recipe contains eight powerhouse foods.

INGREDIENTS:

2oz/50g white or yellow onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2floz/60ml extra-virgin olive oil

3 tins stewed tomatoes, 14.5oz/400g tin

2 tins reduced-sodium chicken stock 14oz/400g tin

½oz/12g Italian leaf parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

4 tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

8oz/225g pasta

Salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Sauté onion in the olive oil. Add garlic and cook until soft. Add tomatoes, chicken stock, parsley, pepper, basil and oregano. (If desired, lightly mash the tomatoes before adding them.) After bringing it to a boil, add the beans. Bring to a boil again, lower the heat, and simmer for ½ hour. In the meantime, boil water for the pasta. Cook the pasta and drain, reserving 16floz/500ml of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the soup along with the pasta water. Serve with freshly grated Romano cheese along with crusty Italian bread.

BREAK IT DOWN …

Calories: 273; Total fat: 5g; Saturated fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 647mg; Total carbs: 45g; Fibre: 9g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 12g.