The benefits and harms of beans
Beans are the most ancient leguminous culture that mankind discovered more than 8 thousand years ago. Since then, the popularity of the product has only increased exponentially. Today, some peoples of the world cannot imagine a single meal that would have passed without beans. So, in Japan, cakes with bean paste are very popular, and in the British they eat beans in tomato sauce with toast and fried sausages.
In Russia, beans are a popular dish among vegetarians and people who eat a healthy diet. However, this legume culture is not as simple as it might seem, and there are certain contraindications to its use. But knowing what the health benefits and harms of beans are, it will be possible to fearlessly eat this product.
Content:
- What are the benefits of beans?
- The benefits of canned beans
- Are frozen beans still beneficial?
- Are boiled beans good for you?
- What is the calorie content of beans?
- Possible harm and contraindications
- How to cook beans properly?
What are the benefits of beans?
There are about 200 types of beans in the world, for example, there are green beans, red beans, asparagus beans, purple and yellow beans, white and black beans. However, in terms of their chemical composition and nutritional value, these legumes do not differ much.
The benefits of beans for human health are obvious, because they contain an impressive set of vitamins and trace elements. The beans contain the whole set of B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and also: iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iodine, chromium, phosphorus and other minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body.
Composition and calorie content
- Fats: 1.1 g
- Proteins: 24.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Water: 10,7 g
- Ash: 4 g
- Cellulose: 22 g
Vitamins (per 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Vitamin B9 (folic acid) | 394-482 μg | 109.5% |
| Vitamin B1 (thiamin) | 0.53-0.65 mg | 34.7% |
| Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) | 0.4-0.45 mg | 21.2% |
| Vitamin B4 (choline) | 96.7 mg | 19.3% |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 0.78-1.1 mg | 18.8% |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | 0.22-0.24 mg | 11.5% |
| Vitamin K | 6-19 mcg | 10.4% |
Minerals (in 100 g): |
amount |
% RDA |
| Boron | 490 mcg | 700% |
| Vanadium | 190 mcg | 475% |
| Silicon | 92 mg | 306.7% |
| Cobalt | 18.7 mcg | 187% |
| Nickel | 173.2 μg | 115.5% |
|
Manganese |
1340 μg | 67% |
| Copper | 580 mcg | 58% |
| Phosphorus | 447-480 mg | 57.9% |
| Molybdenum | 39.4 μg | 56.3% |
| Potassium | 1100-1387 mg | 49.7% |
| Rubidium | 43.5 mcg | 43.5% |
| Selenium | 24.9 mcg | 38.3% |
| Iron | 5.47-5.9 mg | 37.9% |
| Magnesium | 103-189 mg | 36.5% |
| Zinc | 3210 μg | 26.8% |
| Zirconium | 13 μg | 26% |
| Chromium | 10 mcg | 20% |
| Strontium | 15-270 mcg | 17.8% |
| Titanium | 150 mcg | 17.6% |
| Sulfur | 159 mg | 15.9% |
| Calcium | 150-175 mg | 14.8% |
Other important connections:
- Phytosterols - 127 mg (230.9% of the RDI)
- Purines 75 mg (61% of the RDI)
- Oxalic acid - 78 mg (19.5% of the RDI)
Complete chemical composition ➤
Beneficial features
Among the useful properties of the product are the following:
- Beans contain a large amount of protein, which is the main building material for body cells. Beans are recommended to be included in the menu of people involved in sports or hard physical work. Thanks to protein, it helps to gain strength and make it possible to properly shape muscles.
- Beans are high in fiber, which helps the body eliminate toxins.
- Eating beans in food does not contribute to a sharp increase in blood sugar, which means that the risk of developing diabetes is reduced. Beans contain arginine, so it is recommended to include it in the menu of people already suffering from diabetes.
-
Due to the plant fibers, polyphenols, phytosterols and saponins included in the bean, its regular use in food can reduce cholesterol levels, and therefore reduce the risk of developing vascular atherosclerosis.
- There is evidence that kidney beans inhibit the development of colon cancer.
- Beans contain choline, which helps to normalize the functioning of the liver, kidneys and brain, and also takes part in metabolic processes.
- Regular consumption of beans allows you to increase the secretion of gastric juice, which helps to remove stones from the gallbladder.
- Sulfur, which is part of the beans, helps to eliminate pain in rheumatism, helps the body to quickly cope with intestinal infections, diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
- Beans contain ascorbic acid, which increases the body's resistance to various infections. In terms of vitamin C content, beans are superior to peaches, plums and apricots.
- Beans are rich in antioxidants that prevent premature aging of the body. The darker the seeds, the more antioxidants in the beans.
- Beans contain amino acids such as tyrosine and methionine, which are essential for the normal functioning of the nervous system and help to get rid of depression.
- Beans are good for teeth and prevent tartar.
- It is good to use beans for women during menopause, since it contains quercetin and anthocyanins, which contribute to the normalization of hormonal levels.
- Beans should be present in moderation in the diet of pregnant women. It allows you to cover the body's need for iron, which prevents the development of anemia. Beans also help to reduce edema due to their diuretic effect, since they contain a lot of potassium.
- The diuretic effect of beans also helps prevent kidney stones.
- Beans are a dietary product. It can be used to carry out fasting days for overweight people. Beans contribute to quick satiety and allow you not to feel hungry for a long time. Vegetarians eat beans as a meat substitute.
- Beans are included in the menu of people with arrhythmias.
- Beans contain sulfur and zinc, which are essential for maintaining the beauty of nails, skin and hair.
The benefits of canned beans
Canned beans are a very tasty product that is ready to eat and does not require cooking. Therefore, it is often used for preparing various dishes and as an independent side dish. However, for the benefits of canned beans to be maximized, they must be properly processed.
It is no secret that acetic acid, salt and other substances are used for preservation, designed to extend the shelf life of the product. Therefore, before serving or before adding to a finished dish, canned beans must be rinsed under running water, and the brine contained in the can is best drained. Thus, you can get a useful product without harming the body.
Vegetable fiber, potassium, magnesium, protein are preserved in canned beans, but at the same time there is practically no fat in it. In general, canned beans retain over 70% of the nutrients. Therefore, it can be added to salads, vegetable stews, and also used as an independent dish. Canned beans can help you lose weight by keeping you feeling full for a long time. However, the product should be consumed in moderation.
Beans from a tin or glass can enhance intestinal peristalsis and increase the secretion of gastric juice. This helps to normalize digestion and stabilize microflora. In this case, you should not eat the product against the background of colitis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, as well as gastritis, so as not to overload the inflamed digestive organs with work.
Are frozen beans still beneficial?
Freezing beans allows them to be stored for a long time, but many people are interested in the question of whether frozen beans are beneficial. After freezing and defrosting, almost all useful substances are preserved in the beans. The content of vitamins decreases, but not significantly. As for fiber, it is preserved in full. In addition, when freezing on an industrial scale, a system of partial dehydration of the product is used, so frozen green beans will contain 2 times more protein than fresh ones.
The benefits of frozen beans are comparable to those of fresh produce, and can be used any time of the year. The only thing to watch out for is re-freezing. The more often the product is thawed and re-frozen, the less vitamins remain in it. Therefore, when placing a large amount of beans in the freezer, it is necessary to divide them into portions. If the green beans are frozen fresh, the beans must be boiled first.
Are boiled beans good for you?
After boiling, beans retain all the nutrients, but the number of calories in it increases by almost 1.5 times compared to raw beans. Heat treatment of beans is a prerequisite; fresh product is not suitable for food. Raw beans contain toxins that are destroyed during cooking. Therefore, it is impossible to refuse heat treatment of beans.
What is the calorie content of beans?
The calorie content of 100 g of beans is about 100 kcal. These are averages for all types of beans. The most low-calorie product is considered to be green beans, 100 g of which contains 24 kcal.
Possible harm and contraindications
While beans have many health benefits, in some cases they can be harmful.
Part of the carbohydrates contained in beans, the human body cannot absorb, which leads to flatulence. To reduce the content of these carbohydrates, the beans must be soaked for several hours in water with the addition of baking soda before cooking.
A large amount of fiber contributes to increased gas formation, and the enzymes secreted by the pancreas cannot cope with it. The bacteria that live in the intestines break down fiber, but they emit a lot of gases. As a result, the person suffers from flatulence. To prevent this from happening, you need to consume beans in moderation and cook properly.
Raw beans can poison the body. It contains such a poisonous substance as phasin, but it decomposes during heat treatment. Therefore, you need to be especially careful when eating sprouted beans. It can provoke nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and other symptoms of intoxication.
Contraindications to the use of beans:
- Acidic gastritis.
- Peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
- Colitis.
- Cholecystitis.
- The beans contain a large amount of purines, so they are not recommended to be included in the menu for people suffering from gout, so as not to provoke an exacerbation of the disease.
- Elderly age. This does not mean that beans need to be abandoned altogether, but older people often have a reduced metabolic rate, so you need to be very careful to include this product in the menu.
Beans should be used with caution in nursing women, as they can cause bloating not only in an adult, but also in a child. Therefore, if the baby suffers from colic, then it is better to give up beans for a while.
Bean allergies are extremely rare. Typically, it occurs in those people whose body gives a similar reaction to other legumes, such as peas or lentils. If rashes appear, you must stop eating beans and seek advice from an allergist.
How to cook beans properly?
Beans need to be cooked correctly to get the most out of them. Therefore, the following recommendations must be observed:
- First, you need to sort out the beans, remove damaged fruits and foreign debris.
- Then the beans should be soaked in cold water with the addition of a small amount of baking soda. There should be twice as much water as legumes. Leave the beans to soak for 10 hours. You can change the water several times during this time.
- Before cooking, change the water to a new one.
- You do not need to cover the pot during cooking. You should also not stir the beans, otherwise it will lead to damage to the fruit. The fire should be small.
- The beans are salted after cooking. If you do this earlier, then the fruits will be tough.
- If the water boils away during cooking, then you only need to add boiling water, otherwise it will crack.
- To improve the taste, add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the beans.
- Beans must be brought to full readiness. Otherwise, you can get not only bloating, but also poisoning.
The average cooking time for presoaked beans is 40-90 minutes, depending on the variety. Properly cooked beans will certainly delight you not only with their benefits, but also with excellent taste.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
