After reading the title some of you probably kept singing the song! Ever wonder where this nursery rhyme came from? Well, if you know the song, you know most of the answer. When humans eat and digest the sugars (oligosaccharides) in beans, we produce carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane gases AKA, farts! These oligosaccharides are actually a combination of 10 simple sugars that make their way directly through the gut, landing in the colon. The sugars then provide nourishment for good bacteria, considering them a prebiotic.
Bean benefits:
Lower asthma risk
Help with eczema
Reduce allergies
Improve arthritis symptoms
Improve immune system: Loaded with nutrients
Improve heart health
Reduce risk of cancer
Improve obesity risk
Reduce diabetes risk
May improve memory and mental disorders
A great breakdown of nutrients per the USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture (2/3cup raw):
Just like my comment in Nuts, calories are not always the superior nutrition fact to look it. Even if the number is in bold and at the top of the nutrition table. Focusing on products that are high in nutrients will usually correlate with lower calorie options or in the least, better options. What makes up the calorie is more important than just the caloric number.
Bean uses:
Cooking: There are a variety of great recipes to create bean salads, casseroles, ways to add them with proteins, and as a side dish.
Canned: Do not ever purchase and consume canned beans with dents, bulges, discoloration, mold, and foam. The beans could be containing life threatening botulism. The same is true for at home canning.
Often contain added salt. Not ideal for pregnancy or children.
More convenient (as long as a can opener is nearby).
Dried: May take a bit more preparation but dried beans do not contain added salt, are more environmentally friendly, and much cheaper.
Proper storing techniques are still needed to prevent botulism.
Baking: From baked beans, to brownies, cookies, turtles, and protein balls, beans really shine in many areas. Preparing and freezing bean based protein balls are a quick and easy snack to keep in the fridge or freezer. All higher in protein and other nutrients than traditional flour based baked goods.
Oils: As we reviewed the different side effects of oils in Slippery Seeds, soybean oil may have its benefits but still a hydrogenated oil.
Milks: Yes, there are bean milks out there and they are easy to make! Simply soaking beans (like navy beans), blend, add a bit of maple syrup (from a local tapped tree), honey, and spices, and you are ready! Soybeans can also be used to make soy milk. Calcium, fiber, and iron are often higher in bean milks than other plant and animal based milks.
Spreads: One of the best spreads out there, hummus, is high in protein, fiber, and iron. Black bean dips, 7-layer bean dips, and just simply refried beans are all great options.
There are so many ways to add beans to our daily lives. Simply keeping some protein balls in the freezer, hummus in the fridge, and a few cans or bags of a variety of different types of beans in the pantry are great first steps. Make it convenient and have them ready!
Replacing beans with animal proteins: In the book Sacred Cow by Diana Rodgers, RD and Robb Wolf, there is in depth research on how the full nutrient and protein amounts of beans compare to meat. Spoiler alert* they are not equal. It is impossible to equally replace meat with beans. As described above, beans of course are still highly important for daily consumption, and it would be a fallacy to believe one is more important than the other when they both share responsibility of nourishment.
Impacts on the environments:
Water: Most fresh water is used towards crop production in the United States. This ratio also includes what is needed to produce beans. Consider the water amount that is used to produce and process these crops.
Land: Nitrogen based fertilizers are used on bean production and have a negative impact on human and animal health, insect populations, soil, water, and overall environment. It is important to weigh the risks of chemicals used on agriculture on our health. Also consider the effect on insects, especially pollinating insects, of using harmful pesticides and fertilizers.
Labor: Most dry beans are produced in India, Myanmar, and Brazil. It is important that these countries are following labor laws. To be sure, buying products with the Fair-Trade logo allow a standard for companies to treat their workers.
Logistics: Although the United States is the 4th largest producer of beans, most beans will have a long way to travel to reach our homes. Consider the emissions of beans that have to travel across states, countries, and large bodies of water to reach factories or warehouses for packaging and distribution, grocery stores for selling, and then the consumer driving their cars to grocery stores to select the beans.
So yes, beans are in fact a "magical fruit" (beans are seeds and fruits). They contain a plethora of nutrients, especially potassium. The protein in beans is processed in our bodies differently than animal-based proteins but both are still important. Try adding a new legume to your next meal and work on incorporating them into daily life.
Thank you for reading!
"Destiny is Mine"
*Reminder* I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Please refer to your medical practitioner for details pertaining to your specific health.