BEANS - LEGUMES

Legumes, also known as dried beans and pulses, are the edible seeds that grow in pods on annual plants, bushes, or vines of the Leguminosae family. The seeds can be eaten fresh, sprouted, dried and ground into flour, or prepared in countless other ways. Legumes are often cooked in combination with grains, because when the amino acids they contain are combined this way they provide complete protein. Leading members of the legume family include beans (Phaseolus), lentils (Lens), and peanuts (Arachis). Beans are a Nutritional Power House When separating the "haves" from the "have nots" on the playing field of nutrition, beans line up as first-string all-stars. Beans are found in two places on the USDA's Food Guide Pyramid - with high-protein foods such as meat, eggs, poultry and fish, and also with vitamin-rich vegetables. The double dose of nutrition packed into beans make them a "must have" in the daily diet.

Beans are an extremely beneficial component in all diets because they are high in complex carbohydrates, protein and dietary fiber, low in fat, calories and sodium, and completely cholesterol-free. As little as a half-cup of beans added to the daily diet can be very helpful in reaching important nutrition goals.

• Protein Beans are an excellent, non-fat source of protein. Just one cup of beans provides as much as 16 grams of protein.
• Beans are loaded with complex carbohydrates - the nutrient that provides energy to the muscles and brain. Just one cup of beans can provide 15 percent of the carbohydrates needed daily. Plus, beans have the best type of carbohydrate for maximum energy - low or moderate glycemic index carbohydrates. Beans and other carbohydrates with a low to moderate glycemic index have the unique ability to provide energy over a longer period of time by being slowly released into your bloodstream to provide sustained energy. A benefit for diabetics.
• Beans are one of the best sources of dietary fiber, containing both insoluble and soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber, generally thought of as "roughage" that moves quickly through the digestive system, is important in our diets because it helps promote a healthy digestive tract and can reduce the risk of some types of cancer. During digestion, soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance, which helps the body handle fats, cholesterol and carbohydrates. Soluble fiber plays a role in helping to lower blood cholesterol levels, one of the main risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease. High-fiber diets helps control diabetes and maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
• Calcium The recommended calcium intake for adults is 1,000 mg per day. A half-cup of beans provides as much as eight percent of the recommended daily allowance for calcium. Calcium is necessary to maintain bones and helps prevent osteoporosis, a decrease in bone density that can lead to fractures and disability.
• Potassium Beans contain an abundance of potassium, which may help reduce your risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Just one-half cup of cooked dry beans contains as much as 480 mg of potassium. Plus, dry-packaged beans are naturally low in sodium, with no more than 5 mg of sodium in a one-half cup serving.
• Folate an important B vitamin that provides many health benefits. Of all foods, dry beans are the best source of folate. Cooked dry beans provide, on average, 264 mcg of folate. Studies show that folate may help reduce the risk of certain birth defects, like spina bifida (a potentially crippling defect in which the spinal cord is not completely encased in bone) and anencephaly (a fatal defect in which a major part of the brain never develops).