Beans 

An Overview of Beans and Their Benefits

Let’s understand beans and their benefits. A type of legume refers to beans. They are widely used as a nutrient-dense food. They comprise of a variety of health advantages, hence very effective and beneficial for your body. In the form of salads, and soups, you can use them. Apart from these, they are provided in a variety of shapes and colors. Black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed beans, chickpeas, and lentils are a few examples.  

Some of their benefits are as follows:

• The use of beans in your daily diet can provide benefits for your health and well-being.
• To have better control of high blood sugar and have good digestive health, red kidney beans, and black-eyed beans can be consumed as they have high fiber content.
• They are a good source of protein, which is very important for the growth and repair of the body tissues.
• They also have minerals, like folate, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
• Those who are on a mission to lose weight can consume these beans as they are low in calories.

Overview of Beans

The beans offered here are widely consumed by people all over the world. They are available in various colors and forms. They are a rich source of nutrients. The cooked beans are served with chappati or rice as per your taste. They are easy to prepare in a variety of ways, like soups, stews, salads, and so on. Cocoa beans on the other hand are used to brew a cup of hot coffee.

The mung beans, kidney beans, and moth beans are known to have a high amount of dietary fiber and plant-based protein. They also contain lots of vitamins and minerals. They are low in calories and can help in controlling cholesterol. They can be used as a diet food by those trying to lose weight.

These beans are further divided into various popular varieties. Each category of these beans has a unique flavor and taste along with lots of nutrients. They act as a perfect food option for vegans and vegetarians. They will keep you feeling full for a long time period. They are very economical to have and easy to cook.
 

Types of Beans:

Now, let’s go through the different types of beans available to us in different flavors, textures, and nutrition. They are as follows:

1. Black Beans: As the name suggests, these beans are in dark black. They are known for having protein, fiber, iron, and other nutrients.
2. Kidney Beans: These are beans that have the shape of a kidney. They have a reddish maroon shade. They are prepared in the form of soups, salads, and so on. These beans are a good source of iron, fiber, and protein.
3. Lentils: Available in various colors, they are small, lens-shaped beans. They have a sweet earthy flavor and can be used to prepare soups, stews, etc. They are rich in protein and iron.
4. Chickpeas: Also known as garbanzo beans, they have a nutty flavor and mild grainy texture. They are known for high source of protein, fiber, and folate.
5. Soybean: Cholesterol-free soybean is widely used in making Indian food and has good amount of protein, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.
6. Cocoa Beans: There are raw cocoa beans as well as Robusta coffee beans that are used for brewing delicious and aromatic coffee.

So, the above discussed are some types of beans that are widely used in our daily food items. They are very delicious to have and provide huge benefits too.
 

Nutritional Benefits of Beans

After learning about the types of beans, let’s go through the nutritional benefits of these legumes. The benefits are as follows:

• They are very high in dietary fiber, hence support digestive health, control blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol.
• They contain vitamins and minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, folate, and more.
• They are low in calories and fat too. Therefore, they can be used as a healthy food option during the weight loss journey.
• To provide growth and repair of body tissues, lots of proteins are required. And these beans are a great source of protein.
• Some of these beans are high in antioxidants which can help to remove oxidative stress and inflammation from the body.
• They also have a low glycemic index, hence can control the level of blood sugar.
• They will keep you full for a longer time and act as an adaptable food for all.

5 Ways to Incorporate Beans into Meals

Here, we provide the five ways to use these beans in your meals:

1. To use them as a great addition to soups and stews. They will add more nutrition to your soup and keep your hunger at bay.
2. Use beans to make a delicious salad. Add different veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and coriander leaves. Add lemon drops to dress it.
3. To have a great combination of protein and fiber, add cooked beans to pasta dishes.
4. You can also make a delicious bean dip. Toss the puree of cooked beans with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and preferred herbs and spices.
5. Use them as a taco filling by combining them with meat. For more taste, you can also add different veggies to it.

So, these are some ways through which you can prepare and consume these high-nutrition beans.

Tips To Make Cooking with Beans Easier

As these beans are very simple to prepare, let’s have a look at some tips to make them simpler to cook:

• Almost all types of beans require soaking before cooking. It will improve the level of digestion and speed up your cooking too.
• If you want, you can cook them in large quantity and store them in a freezer for later use.
• To cook these beans perfectly, always use a pressure cooker. If you forgot to soak them before cooking, do not stress out. Just put it into a pressure cooker and your job is done. It will be cooked in a few whistles as per your need.
• Season your beans with salt and spices to enhance their flavors.
• You can add lemon juice or vinegar after cooking to enhance their texture and flavor. 

So, by using these tips, you can make beans easily in less time.

FAQs: Beans

Q. Which bean is the healthiest?

Ans. Every type of bean offered is healthy to consume. However, there are some varieties that have a lot more nutrients than others. Have a look:

• Kidney Beans
• Black Beans
• Chickpeas
• Lentils 

Q. What beans are used in Indian cooking?

Ans. In Indian cooking, there are varieties of beans used. Some of them are as follows:

• Split Chickpea or Chana Dal: It is a staple food item in Indian cuisine. Indians prefer to make dal or lentil soup every day.
• Kidney Beans or rajma: Great to use in curries, stews, and salads.
• Black-eyed Peas or Lobia: Widely used in Indian households to make dals and curries.
• Lentils or dal: Available in different colors like red, yellow, and green. 

Q. Are peas a bean?        

Ans. A big No. Peas are not a bean. Peas and beans both fall under the members of the legume family, but they are different kinds of plants. Yes, there are some nutritional similarities between them, but still, they both are not the same. 

Q. How to cook dry beans from scratch?

Ans. To enjoy nutrient-dense food, cook dry beans from scratch.

Instructions: 

• Wash the beans a couple of times under cold running water to remove all the dirt or debris.
• Put the beans into a pot and add water to it. Cover the pot with a lid.
• Place the pot on the stove on a low to medium flame, and let the beans simmer for some time.
• When the beans are tender, check the beans, and add water if required to make the beans emerge in water.
• When the beans are cooked, turn off the heat.
• Indian-style beans require a tadka to make gravy/curry and put the boiled beans into it. Serve cooked curry or gravy-based beans with rotis or rice as per your taste and preference.