When restricting calories to lose weight, choose nutritious foods that support your goals. Beans, with their high fiber and abundance of nutrients, can be part of any weight-loss diet. Beans are a source of protein and may be used in lieu of higher calorie options, such as red meat and dark meat poultry.
Protein Potential
Beans are a source of vegetarian protein. Although it is incomplete protein, eating a variety of plant-based proteins per day can give you all of the amino acids necessary to support your dietary needs. Protein benefits dieters because it digests slowly, helping to keep you full longer. It also helps keep your blood sugar levels stable, which suppresses cravings, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.
Calories and Nutrients
Beans are lower in calories than many animal-based protein options. A 4 oz. serving of 90 percent lean ground beef provides 243 calories and 12g of fat. A 1/2-cup serving of chickpeas contains 110 calories, 2.5g fat and 7g protein. They also provide 6 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of iron, 2 percent for calcium and 2 percent for vitamin C. Similarly, white beans and black beans contain 115 calories per ½-cup serving, with 1/2g of fat and 7.5g of protein per serving. Other types of beans include adzukia -- Japanese variety -- fava, butter, pinto and kidney.
Benefits
In addition to being low in calories, beans contain high amounts of fiber, which can help you feel full and prevent constipation. Choosing beans over red meat may also help you ward off colon cancer. Harvard experts say that eating more than 18 oz. of red meat per week increases your risk of developing the disease.
Gas Warning
In some people, the sugar in beans called raffinose can cause bloating and gas. If you add too much fiber to your body too soon, this can also cause digestive distress. If you are unaccustomed to eating beans regularly, add small servings to your diet gradually.
Uses
Substitute beans for meat in tacos or stews. Make a bean chili using pinto, white or black beans. Garbanzo bean curries with Indian spices provide a lot of flavor for few calories. Beans may also be used to top salads or to mix with whole-grain pasta to make a filling, diet dinner.
Member Comments