If you’ve been paying attention lately, you might have noticed many nutritionists are touting the health benefits of beans. Plus, beans seem to be featuring heavily in all of those Pinterest-worthy recipes everyone is sharing online. So what’s the deal with beans?
Beans are packed with nutrients. First of all, there’s the fiber. Fiber keeps you feeling full longer, so you won’t feel nearly as tempted to over-indulge at the nearest vending machine. Beans also contain a healthy dose of protein, which performs a similar function. Plus, protein helps you to build lean muscle tissue.
Beans are a prebiotic. You’ve heard of probiotics. They’re the microscopic “helpful” bacteria that aid our digestion. Prebiotics, on the other hand, help to encourage the growth of probiotics. Both of these things together help to build a healthy digestive tract. Beans are a prebiotic, meaning they will feed your probiotic organisms and encourage them to propagate in your gut. It sounds weird, but it’s really a good thing!
Beans are low in calories. One cup of beans contains about 15 grams of fiber and 245 calories. The same size serving of chicken contains about 231 calories, but zero fiber, making beans the better deal in terms of calories.
Beans are affordable. Ever check the price of dry beans at the grocery store? You can access this nutritious food for a comparably low price. That’s great news for anyone on a weight loss diet, who finds healthy food to be a bit pricey.
Beans are versatile. You can eat them by themselves. You can toss them in soups. Add them to salads. Include them in veggie wraps. Top your nachos with them. The options are endless with beans! They’re a terrific way to add protein and fiber to your meals, without adding a lot of calories.
As you can see, beans make a terrific staple ingredient for anyone following a weight loss diet. But what about that famous gas you’ve heard about? Well, some people believe that adding a bit of ginger to beans can help you to digest them more easily. Alternately, some swear by eating oranges first. While the jury is still out on that issue, why not give it a try? In the worst-case scenario, you would just reap some terrific health benefits from either ginger or oranges!
As always, give us a call if you’re interested in a weight loss diet. We can help you get started, with expert nutritional advice and screenings for common health problems that might impact your results.