The vegetable of eternal youth, a health capsule, and plant-based meat—these are the elegant epithets that reflect the advantages of this product, bestowed upon beans by people. They are also called cowpeas or Dutch beans. The basis for vegetarian food, they are allowed during most weight loss diets. Therefore, those who are struggling with extra pounds should definitely pay attention to them.
General information
Beans are herbaceous green plants that belong to the legume family. Their edible, narrow and oblong fruits, pods are used for food.
Calorie content
Calorie content depends on two factors—the variety and the way they are prepared.
Dietary products that are useful for weight loss are those with a calorie content of no more than 100 kcal per 100 g. Judging by the table, most varieties fall under this category. Therefore, you can easily include them in a weight loss diet. At the same time, green string beans are the lowest in calories.
Note. Keep in mind that calorie content of a variety in canned form can vary depending on the manufacturer. That’s why it’s better to check the indicator, as well as the nutritional value, directly on the can.
Glycemic index
To this day, the glycemic index of many products remains unknown. Laboratory studies are still ongoing in this area. Maybe this is the reason for the conflicting information in different sources regarding the GI of different bean varieties. Therefore, we have to rely on average values:
- Boiled string beans – 15 units;
- Boiled mashed beans – 25 units;
- Boiled red beans – 35 units;
- Boiled white beans – 35 units;
- Canned white beans – 74 units.
Products with a glycemic index below 40 units are complex carbohydrates that are useful for diabetes and weight loss. We can conclude that when boiled, many varieties have such an index, meaning that you can eat them when losing weight without fear of blood sugar spikes. But be careful with canned beans, their GI is off the charts and can be dangerous to your figure and health.
Nutritional value
Beans are a source of vegetable protein, which is in many ways superior even to animal protein. This fact makes it a worthy alternative to meat for vegetarians.
The nutritional value of different varieties is a testament to the fact that these beans can and should be included in a weight loss diet. They are a source of proteins that prevent muscle breakdown, and complex carbohydrates that give a long-lasting feeling of fullness and energy. At the same time, beans are low in fat.
Chemical composition
Beans are characterized by a high content of vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, fiber, phytosterols, starch, and purines.
Due to such a nutritious composition, beans in a weight loss diet will absolutely prevent beriberi.
Origin of the name. It has Greek-Latin roots. It goes back to the Latin “phaselus”, which is a tracing paper from Greek “φάσηλος”, which translates as “long, narrow boat”.
Benefits
Including bean dishes in your diet can not only help you lose weight effectively, but also improve your health.
For health:
- Strengthens blood vessels, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, normalizes blood pressure, increases hemoglobin levels, and has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system;
- Relieves headaches;
- Relieves symptoms of asthma, arthritis, cataracts, kidney disease, and gallstones;
- Strengthens the immune system;
- Normalizes the state of the nervous system, eliminating irritability and nervousness;
- Relieves fatigue, increases efficiency, improves brain activity;
- It is considered a prophylactic agent that prevents the development of Alzheimer’s disease, tuberculosis, and osteoporosis;
- Strengthens bones;
- Restores impaired liver function;
- Has anti-aging properties – improves the condition of the skin, hair, and nails.
Including beans in the diet not only for weight loss, women can count on an improvement in their condition during the menstrual cycle, since beans have a positive effect on blood composition. For men involved in sports, beans will help build muscle mass due to vegetable proteins. In addition, beans reduce the risk of heart attacks, which are so common among men.
For weight loss:
- Removes toxins and waste from the body;
- Normalizes metabolism;
- Has a mild diuretic effect, eliminating swelling;
- Soothes in case of stress and depression, preventing compulsive overeating;
- Is a dietary product with a low glycemic index;
- Prevents the development of beriberi during a prolonged diet;
- Prevents the breakdown of muscle fibers, forcing the body to use its fat reserves;
- Contains almost no fat;
- Is an ideal product for a vegetarian diet.
Therefore, be sure to eat beans when losing weight so that the process of losing weight is harmless to your health.
Scientific opinion. Scientists call it a capsule that contains a huge amount of nutrients. They even speculate that a person can eat only beans for a fairly long period without experiencing any health problems.
Possible harm
Beans are not an ideal product. They have a number of disadvantages that you should be aware of when including them in your diet.
Contraindications:
- Tendency to flatulence, stomach ulcers, gastritis, colitis, pancreatitis, and increased acidity of the stomach;
- Gout;
- Age over 65;
- Cholecystitis;
- Dysbacteriosis;
- Pregnancy, lactation;
- Nephritis (the only exception is bean broth, which is used to treat this disease).
Side effects:
- Increased flatulence and general gastrointestinal upset (discomfort, epigastric pain, vomiting, diarrhea) due to oligosaccharides that are not digested in the human stomach;
- Worsening of the condition with gout due to the high purine content;
- Poisoning caused by toxic strontium, which accumulates in legumes, and the glucosides phasin and phaseollunatin (this is why eating raw beans is not recommended).
How to avoid increased flatulence and stomach pain:
- Soak them for at least 8-10 hours to completely dissolve the oligosaccharides;
- Add salt or baking soda to the water during soaking;
- Cook for at least 1.5 hours;
- Add a pinch of salt or dill to the water during cooking.
It is also known that white varieties cause much less flatulence than red varieties.
Interesting fact. The famous French commander Napoleon Bonaparte loved bean dishes.
Which beans are better
Green beans
In terms of calorie content and glycemic index, boiled green beans are the most useful for weight loss.
