Give it the beans!
Do you know beans about….BEANS?
There are plenty of reasons for incorporating beans into your nutrition plan. Beans can be used for weight management. Whether you are trying to gain, lose or maintain weight.In addition to having zero fat, beans help stabilize blood sugar so that you don’t have the glucose highs and lows.
As a plant-based athlete, having the right sustenance is vital. Beans play a major role in my dietary needs.Beans are an excellent source of dietary fibre, protein, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, folate and B vitamins.Currently, the world gene-banks hold about 400 edible bean variety. Only a fraction are grown throughout the world. Here in North America, the most common types include pinto, chickpea, Peru, soy, black, kidney, navy and white beans. Beans are readily available in supermarkets and convenient stores. When I go shopping for beans, I like to buy them in bulk because that helps with meal prepping and not to mention the cost benefits.
Should you buy them bagged or in bulk?
Beans are readily available in supermarkets and convenient stores. When I go shopping for beans, I like to buy them in bulk because that helps with meal prepping and not to mention the cost benefits. A pound of black beans is cheaper than a pound of packaged ones. Nowadays bulk beans are much cleaner compared to previous years. There is less debris, so sorting is a breeze. If you want to skip with the sorting entirely, then get the bagged ones.
Now if you’re really short on time, get the canned ones. Make sure to rinse them out thoroughly. My recommendation is the dry beans because you control the ingredients. This is where planning comes to play.
BENEFITS
“Compilations of more than sixty randomised controlled trials have found that other beans also lowered cholesterol, as well as benefit blood sugars and lower insulin levels, but consumer surveys suggest that most Americans are unaware of these benefits. One could say that they don’t know beans about beans!”
There are plenty of reasons for incorporating beans into your nutrition plan. Beans can be used for weight management; whether you are trying to gain, lose or maintain weight. In addition to having zero fat, beans help stabilise blood sugar so that you don’t have the glucose highs and lows. Beans are an excellent source of protein. ½ c of pinto has 7 grams. I personally like to buy bean medley because they make for excellent stews and in the intake of the different beans means that you get a variety of the b vitamins. Beans are what you build your meals around. They are the foundation of your meals. If you’re going to make a stew, burrito, burger or shepherds pie, you can build on the foundation with leafy greens, grains, potatoes, and vegetables.
IN THE KITCHEN
When it comes to cooking beans you have some options to choose from. You have the slow cooker, instant pot and the old fashioned stove-top method. I use the instant-pot more than anything else because it cooks food in half the time of a stove-top. Plus I can make plenty for later and not have to spend much time in the kitchen. Additionally, the instant-pot retains the nutrients better than the other two.
RECIPES
Here are some excellent plant-based recipes to get you started.
