1. Beans..Beans... They're Good for Your Heart
The old saying "beans, beans.. they're good for your heart.. the more you eat the more you.." well, you can fill in the blank. As silly as it is, the old saying is true. Beans have also been used as a substitute for meat because they're high in protein. Beans are a great addition to any diet, even a low carb diet. Beans, dried peas and legumes will stay in your digestive system longer and add to the feeling of fullness and a satisfied feeling. You can either use beans that are already prepared and sold by the can or you can soak and simmer your own. If you find beans cause too much gas, try Beano to reduce the gas producing quality of beans. Beano works when you take one with your first bite of beans.
2. Roughing it
Although most beans are fairly high in carbohydrates, they are also high in fiber what used to be known as "roughage." Beans, lentils, legumes and dried peas all contain soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is the type of fiber that lowers cholesterol readings, because your body can absorb the fiber. The soluble fiber in beans can reduce blood sugar and lower cholesterol. Insoluble fiber is not digested by the body, which is why it's the type of fiber that keeps you regular. Because beans are high in fiber, carbohydrate counts of beans are reduced by the amount of fiber contained in a serving. When choosing which beans to have on a low carb diet, make sure you choose beans with a high fiber content. The process of subtracting the grams of fiber from the grams of total carbohydrates is called "net carbs." The more fiber content per serving, the less carbs per serving. Some manufacturers list "net carbs" on the food label, but most dried beans, peas and legumes do not have "net carbs" listed. To calculate "net carbs," simply subtract the total amount of fiber per serving from the total amount of carbs per serving.
3. These Beans can Keep you Lean
The bean sprouts of most beans are the lowest in carbohydrate content. Green beans and green soybeans are also very low in carbs and can easily be added to a low carb diet. Based on "net carbs," canned baby lima beans, black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, refried beans and pinto beans all have less than 15 grams of carbs per half-cup serving. White beans, navy beans, great northern beans and baked beans all have a carb content between 18 to 22 grams per half-cup serving. Adding beans to your low carb diet will help you feel full for a longer period of time and will also give you the added benefit of a heart-healthy diet.
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