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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Go Mediterranean with Legumes, a powerhouse food, and an almost perfect food in my opinion. Why? Because they are a high plant- source protein, a high energy-yielding carbohydrate, and high in fiber, folate, iron, potassium, phytochemicals and even calcium. Legumes are classified as a meat alternative because like meat, they contain a high amount of protein, but unlike meat they contain virtually no fat (remember red meat’s artery clogging kind of fat?), and no cholesterol. They also contain carbohydrates unlike meat that yield long-lasting energy! So, this week let’s take a look at another popular Mediterranean Diet staple food, “Legumes”.
So, why pick beans over steak (okay, how about just more often)?
Legumes contain 2 types of fiber. They contain soluble fiber, which helps to lower our cholesterol levels, and they contain insoluble fiber which increases bulk to the waste products in our large intestine. (anecdotally, I have heard that a meal with beans might decrease some fat absorption taken in during the same meal, but don’t tell anyone I said this!).
Legumes contain folate. Folate is a very important B vitamin that helps to lower Homocysteine levels in our blood, a risk factor for heart disease. Folate is also vital for the healthy nervous system development in a growing fetus (it’s important for our nervous system , and for our heart and blood vessels). Folate, along with the other B vitamins legumes contain, are essential for almost every metabolic function in our body including our ability to make energy!
Legumes give us power. Research has shown that athletes who consume beans several hours before competition have longer lasting endurance and strength (hey, if it’s good for them, then it’s good for us when we exercise!) I always feel energic the morning after I’ve added beans to one of my dinner salads!
Legumes contain a form of starch that appears to help regulate blood sugar levels. This especially important for people with diabetes (this is a good thing for us too!). One reason for this is their low glycemic index (this refers to how quickly foods raise our blood sugar levels).
Legumes are a good source of iron. Beans are a good source of iron for vegetarians especially when they are combined with a food high in vitamin C. (The B vitamins in legumes are also an important component in the production of iron rich blood).
Legumes contain phytochemicals (protease inhibitors) that appear to interfere with cancer cell growth.
Legumes fill us up without filling us out. Research has shown that meals with beans satisfy our appetite and hunger longer creating a fuller feeling sooner with staying power (very helpful in weight control!).
So, black, navy, white and kidney, are just a few of my favorites. I add them to salads, to my Junefit salsa recipe, to wrap sandwiches, and I even enjoy them as a side dish. They make great hearty soups, add bulk to pasta dishes and they can even be used as a topping (I top my baked potato with beans). I recently rediscovered Fava beans when I was in Sicily too. While they are not as common here in the U.S., they are a staple food item in Sicily. They originated in the Mediterranean area from the era of Old World Agriculture (they are known to be among the most ancient plants in cultivation along with lentils, peas and chickpeas).
In Sicily, one popular dish is pasta made with fava beans, lentils or peas (the legumes used as a meat alternative). Fava beans look similar to large lima beans and when I was a teen, I remember my best friend’s mom roasting fava beans, and leaving them out on the large kitchen table for everyone to snack on! Interestingly, fava beans are the most common fast food in the Egyptian diet, often made into a paste with oil, garlic, lemon, salt and cumin (Mother Nature’s pharmacy is at work here too; Fava beans are rich in the drug L-dopa, used medically in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease). Now, I think if we add 2 tablespoons of this paste to a whole wheat mini pita, we’ve got a healthy snack packed with all our major nutrients (please note that anyone on any antidepressant medications, anemia history or on medications to treat Parkinson’s or restless leg syndrome that eating fava beans may not be advisable; please seek advise of a doctor)!
Okay,are beans a good value? You bet, because at 80 calories per 1/2 cup, we can’t go wrong! Our 1/2 cup of beans also average 7-10g fiber, with about 3 grams iron. Let’s add tomatoes (another Mediterranean staple food) to a bean dish, and who needs to eat steak for iron (okay, let’s make our steak much smaller?)! Aside from adding them to our meals several times per week, I like to recommend we eat them as a base food for a vegetarian meal once per week. Need something convenient? Try Goya in the can, just rinse and strain them.
So, eating beans more often can give us tissue- building protein, long-lasting energy, cancer destroying weapons, and save our lives with heart healthy fiber, folate and potassium. And while we may initially produce some unpleasant side effects, we are giving our gastrointestinal tract muscles a strengthening work-out too (let’s just add them to our diet slowly)! Is it any wonder that the people of the Mediterranean have less heart disease and live longer than Americans?
Check out the Mediterranean Food Alliance for more info and go to www.oldwayspt.org/recipesresources/recipes to find lots of Mediterranean recipes including “Skewered Shrimp with Black Bean-Lemon Rice” for July 4th weekend . And follow me Junefit every Sunday on Twitter for a new tool taken my book featuring “A Salad a Day” (www.amazon.com/Its-Not-Diet-Creative-Eating/dp/1432743597/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259605985&sr=1-1) to make my Black Bean, Corn, Tomato Salsa recipe!
Beans anyone?
June M Lay M.S.
JuneFit
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June is Lifestyle Columnist at www.healthnewsdigest.com/
Sources Include:
Genetic’s Home reference, a service of the U.S. Library of Medicine.
Mayo’s and diet, Mayoclinic.com
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