If you are looking for the food with the highest overall nutrient content, beans are a good place to start. Like meat, beans are high in protein and minerals. But unlike many meats, beans are generally low in fat. Like fruits and vegetables, beans have lots of fiber, vitamins and phyochemicals. They are so versatile, in fact, that public health agencies consider beans to be a healthy contribution to both the meat/protein and vegetable food groups.
The United States is the biggest producer of beans in the world. While all beans offer lots of nutrition, the most popular beans today are pinto, navy, great northern, black, white, lima, kidney, pink and red beans, and lentils and chickpeas, which along with beans are in the legume family.
Just how nutritious are beans? At 100 to 135 calories in a 1/2 cup of cooked beans, they aren't as low in calories as fruits and vegetables. But when you consider all the nutrients in that serving, the calories from beans look like a bargain. And when it comes to providing hard-to-get nutrients, beans are a big help. You'll find lots of fiber, folate and iron in beans.
Eating beans is associated with living longer and healthier. In research studies, people who ate more beans or ate diets that included beans had lower risks of heart disease and cancer and lived longer than those who did not.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you eat 3 cups of dry beans per week. To meet this goal, use beans in place of meat in recipes, add beans to stews, soups and salads, and make bean spreads for tortillas and sandwiches.
What to Look for
You can buy canned beans or dry beans in bags. More varieties of beans may be available as dry than canned and dry beans are a better bargain. In general, dry beans are thought to produce a better flavor and texture in recipes as well.
The downside to dry beans is that they need to be soaked for several hours or overnight and rinsed before cooking. Canned beans can be used immediately. The nutrient content of dry and canned beans is similar.
Common Pitfalls
Although canned beans are more convenient to use than dry beans, they can be high in sodium. Beans without added salt are available, so check the Nutrition Facts labels if you are concerned about sodium intake.
Another thing to look for on the food label is fat. Avoid lard and hydrogenated oils when buying canned beans like refried beans, and avoid beans that have been processed with lots of added fat.
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