Why you should eat kidney beans

Red in color and shaped like the kidneys of an animal or human, kidney beans are commonly added to soups, stews, salads, and other foods in most countries. You can buy them fresh, canned, or dried, and the nutrition they provide means they should always be part of a healthy diet.

Red Kidney Beans Nutrition Facts

100 grams (3.5 ounces) of boiled beans contains:

• Water… 67%
• Calories…127
• Protein… 8.7g (8.7%)
• Fat…0.5g (0.5%)
• Carbs…22.8g (22.8%) of which;
  • Sugar…0.3g (0.3%)
  • Fiber…6.4g (6.4%)

As you can see, with moderate calories and very little fat and sugar, as well as plenty of fiber, these beans are an ideal part of a diabetic diet. Additionally, kidney beans contain many beneficial micronutrients, including folic acid, iron, and manganese.

protein …these beans are rich in protein. A 100 g has almost 9 grams of protein, which is 27% of the total caloric content.

carbohydrates…starchy carbohydrates account for about 72% of your total calories. Bean starch is a slow-release carbohydrate (ie it has a low GI). It causes a smaller and more gradual rise in blood glucose compared to other starches. Therefore, kidney beans are especially beneficial for those of us who have type 2 diabetes.

Fiber…these beans are particularly high in fiber, including substantial amounts of resistant starch, a prebiotic. Prebiotics move through your colon until they reach your colon where they are fermented by beneficial bacteria. This fermentation results in the formation of short chain fatty acids, which can improve the health of your colon and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

micronutrients… beans are rich in various vitamins and minerals. These include… molybdenum… folate (also known as vitamin B6 or folic acid)… iron (but the phytate in these beans may mean the iron is poorly absorbed)… copper… manganese… .potassium, and… vitamin K1, which is important for blood clotting.

Health benefits of eating kidney beans

By incorporating these beans into your diet, you can experience significant health benefits. These include:

• Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• Better control of blood glucose levels
• Protect cells from damage.
• Help prevent and treat some types of cancer
• Reduced risk of obesity.

Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes…these beans have a much lower GI (glycemic index) than other high-carb foods, likely due to the fiber and resistant starch they contain. Tea
glycemic index it is a measure of how quickly individual foods raise blood glucose levels after eating them.

A 4-year study of 3,349 people found that consuming large amounts of vegetables and lentils was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study also found that eating a half serving of vegetables per day instead of a similar serving of eggs, baked bread, rice or potatoes was linked to a lower risk of developing diabetes.

It seems obvious that eating kidney beans instead of other carbohydrate-rich foods can lower blood glucose levels in both those who are type 2 diabetics and those who are not.

Better control of your blood glucose levels…according to a review published in the American journal of clinical nutritionAdding legumes, such as beans, to your diet may lower your fasting blood sugar and insulin, supporting long-term blood glucose control.

Protect cells from damage.…these beans are a great source of antioxidants, compounds that help neutralize free radicals, thereby reducing inflammation and protecting cells from damage and disease. Antioxidant-rich foods may also help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancers, and autoimmune disorders.

Improve heart health… research suggests that eating plenty of vegetables, like these beans, as part of a healthy diet can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease.

Additionally, other studies have shown that eating vegetables can reduce markers of inflammation, many of which contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease.

Other research indicates that eating plenty of vegetables as part of a healthy diet can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease.

Help prevent and treat some types of cancer… eating kidney beans is a good source of flavanols, plant compounds that act as antioxidants. According to a study published in 2009, consuming higher amounts of flavanols is associated with a lower risk of advanced adenoma (a type of tumor from which colon cancer can develop).

in vitro research published in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules discovered that certain compounds in navy beans could block the growth and spread of cancer cells. This suggests that beans may be a powerful cancer-fighting food.

Reduced risk of obesity… several observational studies have linked bean consumption to a lower risk of becoming overweight or obese. A 2-month study of 30 obese adults on a weight-loss diet found that eating beans and other vegetables four times a week led to greater weight loss than a diet without beans.

Another study published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition stated that higher bean consumption may be linked to better nutrition, lower body weight, and reduced abdominal fat.

Red kidney beans are rich in dietary fiber and protein. The fiber moves slowly through the body thus prolonging the feeling of satiety. Protein has been shown to reduce levels of ghrelina hormone that stimulates the feeling of hunger.

Risks and Side Effects of Eating Kidney Beans

Eating these beans isn’t just dietary heaven…problems include:

• Flatulence
• Toxicity
• antinutrients

Flatulence…when eating beans, some people experience unpleasant side effects such as flatulence, bloating, and diarrhea. These effects are due to
alpha-galactosidesie insoluble fiber. Alpha-galactosides can be removed, at least partially, by soaking and sprouting beans.

Toxicity… raw beans contain large amounts of phytohemagglutinin, a toxic protein. Although this protein is found in many beans, it is particularly high in these beans. Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting.

To get rid of this toxin, soak and cook the beans…soak them in water for at least 5 hours (or overnight, preferably) and boil them for at least ten minutes at 1000C (2120F). Properly prepared kidney beans are safe to eat and highly nutritious.

antioxidants…are substances that reduce nutritional value by preventing the absorption of nutrients from your digestive tract. The main antinutrients in kidney beans are:

• phytic acid…also known as phytate…impairs the absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc.
• protease inhibitors…also known as trypsin inhibitors…inhibit the function of various digestive enzymes, affecting protein digestion.
• starch blockers…also known as alpha-amylase inhibitors…they prevent the absorption of carbohydrates in the digestive tract.

All of these antinutrients are fully or partially inactivated when beans are properly soaked and cooked. Fermentation and sprouting of beans can further reduce some antinutrients, for example phytic acid.

How to cook kidney beans

Kidney beans come in three basic forms…fresh, dried, and canned.

You shouldn’t eat kidney beans raw unless you want to experience the heady joys associated with bouts of vomiting and diarrhea.

Ideally, raw beans should be soaked overnight for at least eight hours before cooking. If they are soaked and sprouted before cooking, this will improve digestion and nutrient absorption.

Cook for a minimum of an hour to an hour and a half using 3 parts water to 1 part beans.

Instead of cooking your own beans, you can buy canned (canned) beans that have already been cooked. Canned beans are just as nutritious as raw beans, except they often have much more sodium. You should be able to find low sodium varieties. If not, you can drain and rinse the beans…this will remove up to 41% of the sodium content.

But keep in mind that draining and rinsing canned beans could remove other micronutrients, like vitamin C or B vitamins. You can prevent this by adding other healthy foods, like carrots, onions, bell peppers, and celery, to your meal to boost their nutritional value. .

So once you have the beans ready, what can you do with them?

Find out in the next article in this series… Red Bean Recipes