Private (Not Public), Do Not Read # 2

Published: December 30, 2009, 10:58 am

Why Beans Are the Best of All Proteins

Getting enough protein is increasingly challenging, as our usualsources are becoming more difficult to, well, swallow. Most chicken andred meat comes from a mere handful of suppliers who raise theirlivestock in terrible conditions, feeding them antibiotics andquestionable diets. Plus there's lots of evidence indicating that ameat-rich diet is too high in saturated fat. And many types of fish arecontaminated with mercury, PCBs or other toxins. What's a person to do?Quite simply, eat more of the humble, cheap and tasty bean.

COUNTING THE BENEFITS OF BEANS

I called nutritionist Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD, from theSchool of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,to discuss the matter. Dr. Hobbs is definitely enthusiastic aboutbeans, calling them "almost a wonder food." Other than the well-knowndigestive issue (more on that in a minute), she tells me there isreally nothing negative she can say about beans. They rarely causeallergies and are full of nutrition including protein. Some of the mostpopular beans in this country are red kidney beans, pinto beans, blackbeans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, lima beans, and, in the South,black-eyed peas.

You may remember hearing that to complete the amino acid profile andmake their protein usable by the body, it was necessary to combinebeans with other foods, notably rice, at the same meal. Not true, saysDr. Hobbs. We now know that the body handles this by taking from allthe foods you eat over the course of a day, making beans on their ownan excellent source of protein. Even vegetarians and others who eatlittle or no meat or fish can get sufficient protein from about fiveservings a day, she says -- noting this isn't as much as it soundslike, about 2.5 cups. Beans are also an amazing source of solublefiber, terrific for helping to maintain healthy cholesterol and bloodsugar levels, says Dr. Hobbs. The usual daily recommended intake ofdietary fiber is from 20 to 35 grams. That's a lot of salad and othervegetables, but just one cup of pinto beans, for example, contains arobust 14 grams of fiber, more than half of what you should eat eachday.

GETTING AROUND THE "BEAN PROBLEM..."

As to that digestive issue, yes, it is possible to eat beans regularlywithout getting gas. Here is the secret -- start slow, with a fewspoonfuls a day, and build up gradually over a few weeks. Because manypeople don't get enough dietary fiber, they may have a "vigorousresponse" when they load up their plate with beans, since they are sohigh in fiber. In addition, starting slow allows the gut to moregradually build up the bacteria in the intestinal flora that help withdigestion of raffinose, a sugar that is found in beans and is anothercontributor to the "bean problem." Some people swear that taking aBeano tablet, or another product containing the digestive enzymealpha-d-galactosidase, before the meal, takes care of the problem, butothers find it no use at all. By starting slow, you should be able tocompletely avert the issue of to Beano or not.

HOW TO PREPARE BEANS

People often wonder if canned beans are an acceptable substitute forbagged dried beans that require four to eight hours of soaking. Dr.Hobbs responds that it is really an issue of convenience. Most foodsare more nutritious eaten as close as possible to their natural state.But she says that the nutritional differences in canned and dried beansare marginal and if you prefer to reach for a can rather than prepareahead, you can rest easy. Do give canned beans a thorough rinse in acolander before you use them -- it gets rid of excess sodium. Also,soak dried beans overnight (some varieties, including soy, may requirelonger soaking periods, up to 24 hours) and be sure to change the waterseveral times -- this washes away and breaks down gas-causing particlesin addition to cleaning the beans and removing any impurities such astiny pebbles that make their way into the bag. Cooked beans will keepabout six months in the freezer and for up to five days in therefrigerator.

For people who enjoy cooking -- or for that matter eating -- beans arethe basis of a seemingly endless variety of dishes, limited only byyour imagination or selection of cookbooks. To make asouth-of-the-border dinner, Dr. Hobbs mashes pinto beans or uses wholeblack beans and adds them to rice, avocado slices, mashed sweetpotatoes and salsa and puts them in taco shells. For Cuban Black Beansand Rice, she says to sauté onions, celery and bell peppers, add fourcans of black beans, a bay leaf, cumin, oregano and lemon juice andcook for half an hour on top of the stove. Tuscans, whom other Italianscall "bean eaters," make a hearty winter soup with white cannellinibeans that simmer stovetop in chicken broth along with numerousvegetables. A colorful summer cold dish is made up of just black beans,chopped red peppers, corn, onions (optional) and cilantro stirredtogether with a light vinaigrette. Beans are excellent in any kind ofrice and in salads -- try navy beans sautéed with garlic and olive oil,finished off with lemon zest and placed on top of a pile of uncookedarugula. For even more ideas, Dr. Hobbs suggests visiting ethnicmarkets to learn more about the variety of beans used by differentcultures and the many interesting ways they are prepared around theworld.
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