Beans!

Beans are an amazingly powerful source of protein.

Additionally, they are also packed with fiber, iron, antioxidants, and phytonutrients.

They are low in calories and have been known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

Bean have a bad rap though. Mainly surrounding the GI discomfort that comes from eating them. But there a some great ways to minimize these issues and still enjoy the benefits. It really all comes down to preparing your beans correctly.

Follow the instructions below and you can enjoy beans without the problems.

Rinse your beans

Be sure to rinse your canned beans under cool water until you do not see any more foam/bubbles. With dried beans rinse them and make sure to remove any foreign objects like small rocks from them before cooking.

Soak

Dried beans should be soaked for about 8-12 hrs before cooking. You can check if they are done by cutting a bean in half. If you see that the center is still opaque then you should keep soaking them. Rinse the soaking water off the beans before you cook them.

Cooking

Cover the beans with water and once it boils remove the foam off the top then cook for the desired time. You can add bay leaf, cumin, fennel, kombu, or anise to help digest them with no discomfort. Adding salt or apple cider vinegar to the beans at the last ten minutes of cooking will also help.

If you want to speed things up you can boil dried beans for 5 mins and let them soak for about 4 hrs.

Using canned beans negates the need for soaking them just make sure to really rinse them before you use them to help with GI discomfort.

Adding this wonderful plant based protein is an amazing way to get more nutrient dense foods into your diet. Like with anything new start small! Let your digestive system get use to them before you start eating them in high quantities. Here are some simple ways to use beans in your everyday life.

• You can make a salad with beans, cut up veggies, and a vinaigrette.
• Make bean soup by blending cooked beans with a range of spices for a nice warm wholesome meal
• You can make a dip with pureed beans and spices
• Put some beans on top of your salad

If are still curious about beans and are looking to make better health food choices feel free to set up a complimentary initial consultation at www.rejuvenateinschoharie.com or email me at pleonard1422@gmail.com.