9 Reasons You Should Start Eating More Beans
Many people avoid eating beans regularly
because of their tendency to increase our gas output, but if you’re
doing this, you really should reconsider. Why? Well, they’re incredibly
good for us! Below you’ll find 9 amazing health benefits of the humble
bean.
1. Improves Heart Health
Beans are rich in water-soluble vitamins,
such as thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, and folacin. Folate is vital for
lowering homocysteine concentrations, and without enough folate in your
diet, your homocysteine level increases and can damage your heart and
blood vessels. Besides folate, beans also contain a high amount of
calcium, potassium, and magnesium, all of which are healthy minerals and
electrolytes, which when combined, can help to minimize the risk of
heart disease and high blood pressure.
2. They’re Full of Fiber
Fiber helps to make you feel full so that you don’t have to eat as much
during the day. It’s also one of the most important nutrients in a
person’s diet as it helps to keep our digestive system operating
properly, while also being great for heart health too. Bean varieties,
such as pinto, kidney, and black are just a few examples of beans that
are extremely rich in fiber.
Besides keeping you feeling fuller for longer, the high-fiber content in
beans also helps to absorb cholesterol in your digestive tract before
your body can absorb it. This means that the more beans you eat, the
lower your cholesterol levels will be. Eating beans three to four times a
week can greatly improve your blood pressure, reducing your risk of
heart disease.
3. Regulates Blood Sugar Level
If you’re in danger of developing diabetes (or are already diabetic),
you’ll be happy to hear that beans have a low glycemic index. This means
that they won’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike the way that
refined grain products can.
4. May Prevent Cancer
Beans are full of antioxidants, which help
to protect the body against free radicals that could result in cancer. A
study that was published in The Journal of Cancer Research found that
women who ate four servings of beans a week had a lower chance of
colorectal polyps, a precursor to rectal and colon cancer.
5. Reduce Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies in people and the
leading cause of anemia. Beans are full of iron, so can help those who
are suffering from this condition. For example, half a cup of lentils
contains around 3.3 mg of iron.
6. Punch of Protein
A half a cup of beans contains around 7 grams of protein, the same
amount as in one ounce of meat, chicken, or fish. Vegans can easily
count on beans as an excellent source of protein.
7. Improves Eye Health
In terms of eye health benefits, so many
beans contain vitamin A, zinc, and bioflavonoids. Zinc is a vision
supporting nutrient that greatly improves eye health. Its main role is
to convert beta-carotene into vitamin A in a form that’s usable by the
visual system and the body. The bioflavonoids present in beans help to
improve eye health by neutralizing the free radicals that damage healthy
eye cells.
8. Low in Fat
Most beans contain around 2-3% fat and contain zero cholesterol unless
they’re processed or prepared with other fatty ingredients such as lard.
To avoid buying fatty beans, it’s best to read the labels thoroughly
before buying.
9. Reduces Depression
Meeting daily folate needs may help people cope with depression better.
An adequate consumption of folate can prevent a boost in homocysteine
production in your body. Too much of this hormone can decrease your
blood flow and other key nutrients from traveling to the brain, which in
turn can disrupt the production of serotonin, dopamine, and
norepinephrine, which regulate sleep, mood, and appetite.