To bean or not to bean. That is the question. Let’s discuss.
We all have foods that we like or dislike. Foods that agree with us or don’t. And foods that for some reason, perhaps an allergy, we just cannot eat.
Some people in our What’s Plant-Based Cooking Good Looking? community will not eat tofu, others won’t or cannot eat nuts and others won’t eat beans. The beans issue, I have learned, is less from a health concern standpoint, but more from a comfort standpoint.
We all know the old rhyme:
Beans beans the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot. (Did I just write that? It appears I did. And I used to say it a completely different way when I was a kid too.)
Honestly, when I eat too many beans, well, you know what happens. (I’m pretty sure I did not just write that.)
Some people find that soaking them first helps, other people find that taking Beano works, and others find that nothing works and it’s just easier to stay away.
I find that some beans always make me a little gassy (Am I still writing about this?) and others not at all.
For example, I don’t think I ever have problems with lentils. And I’ve heard others who are the same. But the white bean dip that I make…Oh boy. That I have to eat in moderation. Maybe I’ll do an experiment and try soaking them next time (they are already canned, so it might not help, but it’s worth a try).
Last week I had bowls of chili with three types of beans, and I was fine. So, it’s all a big personal experiment.
All of this leads to why it’s worth eating beans.
🍃 Beans are an excellent source of plant-based protein
🍃 Beans are versatile and can be used in many dishes
🍃 Beans are lower on the glycemic index and won’t spike blood sugar
🍃 Beans are relatively inexpensive
🍃 There are many different types of beans and pulses- i.e. black, kidney, pinto, white, soy, chickpeas and others
🍃 You can buy dried beans and soak them yourself (super easy) or you can buy them canned (even easier).
According to just one of many studies:
“Beans are an inexpensive yet nutrient-dense food… A ½ cup serving of cooked beans provides up to 25 g of protein…The micronutrient content of legumes and pulses consists of an array of vitamins and minerals necessary to human nutrition.” — Health Benefits of Plant-Based Nutrition: Focus on Beans in Cardiometabolic Diseases
I have definitely increased the number of dishes I make with beans. And the dish I am sharing in the group this week uses lentils instead of meat to make a Bolognese sauce. I have a couple of different Bolognese recipes that I will be sharing over time, but my husband thought this one really tasted like meat. In fact, to our knowledge, this was the first time he ever ate beans! I told him afterward that he just ate beans and he was rather surprised. Win!
There are many creative chefs using beans to mimic meat and omnivores are enjoying the dishes.
Let me know if you eat beans, and/or if you are willing to try again. And for sure join us in the group to check out the recipe. The chef is really fun, has great energy and her recipes are wonderful.