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March 24, 2005
Prairie Fare: Use Your Bean(s) When Planning Menus
“How much of the bean burrito did she eat?” I asked my husband. I was wondering if our toddler-age daughter had ventured a taste of something new. “She ate all of it,” he replied. “She ate the whole thing?” I repeated, amazed that my 25-pound 20-month-old daughter could have eaten so much in one sitting. “I guess she was hungry,” he replied. I quickly calculated that, weight for weight, I would need to eat a 2½-pound burrito to equal what my daughter had eaten. I generally caution people to proceed slowly when adding more fiber to their diets. Since my daughter had consumed a few days’ worth of fiber, I gave my baby sitter the heads-up about the evening’s menu. Beans are quite famously “gas-producing.” I probably should have doubled the baby sitter’s pay. Our daughter did just fine. We discovered she has a favorite menu item, “beans with anything.” Beans are versatile foods that pick up the flavor of added ingredients. They’re available in a wide variety of types and colors, including white, red and black. They’re also very economical. Members of the legume family, beans are nutrition power-houses. At about 120 calories per half cup, they’re a good source of several nutrients, including folate, a B vitamin linked to reducing risk of birth defects, heart disease and cancer. Beans contain minerals such as potassium, zinc, magnesium and iron, which serve a wide variety of functions in the body. They’re very low in sodium and cholesterol-free. Beans are high in protein and fiber, particularly soluble fiber that is linked to lowering blood cholesterol levels. Bean varieties vary somewhat in fiber content, but all are good sources of fiber. Pinto beans, for example, have about 6 grams of fiber per half cup; navy beans and Great Northern beans have about 5 grams per half cup; and kidney beans have about 4 grams. Researchers conducted a study with male college students to see the effects of daily beans on cholesterol levels. When the young men ate a can of baked beans in tomato sauce daily for two weeks in addition to foods of their choice, their blood cholesterol levels decreased. Beans alone won’t necessarily lower your cholesterol level. As other studies have shown, reducing fat, particularly saturated fats, in the diet, along with increasing soluble fiber, also is important. Add some beans to your menu. Here’s a healthy and tasty salad recipe to try. It goes together in minutes, yet may earn you raves at your next potluck.
Source:
Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu |
Market Advisor: |
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North Dakota State University |
