Benefits of Consuming Different Types of Beans in Your Diet

Know the different types of beans, their nutritional value, and how are they beneficial for human body.

Beans are the seeds that come from flowering plants in the Fabaceae family and are classified as legumes. Few beans grow in pods while few come from capsules that develop from flowers. Other legumes include peas, peanuts, and lentils and they are available dry, canned, or frozen.

They have different nutritional value as compared to green beans or wax beans. Beans contain amino acids, the protein building blocks that helps the body to heal and to make new tissues for bone, muscle, hair, skin, and blood. It is also rich in other nutrients that we will discuss later in detail.

There are many types of beans like dried beans that need cooking to make them tender enough to be able to eat. Then comes the canned and frozen beans that can be eaten after warming on the stove or in the microwave. Different types of beans include black beans, black eyed beans, Cannellini Beans, Chickpeas, Great Northern Beans, Kidney Beans, Lima Beans, Pinto Beans, etc

• Beans are a great source of fiber and as per the doctors people must have 25 to 38 grams of fiber each day. Fiber helps keep your bowel movements regular and reduces the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and digestive illness.

• Beans are a great way to add protein in your diet. Beans are low-fat, low-calorie protein with mixed in fiber and carbs. A single cup of beans has 15 grams of protein that's three times more than rice or wheat flour.

• Beans also helps keep your weight in check so if you can get in a habit of consuming beans, you're more likely to have a lower body weight, slimmer waist, and a lower body mass index (BMI).

• Research has also proved that beans when added to your diet are great way to manage your cholesterol levels. It helps lower LDL, considered as bad cholesterol thus keeping your heart healthy and preventing onset of any cardiovascular diseases.

• You can add a variety of beans to your diet since they also prove to prevent diabetes by managing high blood sugar levels. You can steam some fresh green beans and sprinkle some salt along with some olive oil for a delicious summer side dish.

• A cup of soybeans can provide almost 9 Milligrams of iron to the body and iron is an essential nutrient that helps make blood proteins (hemoglobin and myoglobin) that help move oxygen around the body. It also keeps the hormones, and connective tissue like tendons and ligaments in check.

• Black Beans also provide 120 milligrams of magnesium that helps make protein and bone, and stabilizes blood sugar levels as well. You can add lettuce and chicken with black beans to complete your daily protein intake.

• Another nutrient intake that is satisfied by beans to some extent include potassium, especially lima beans provide 1,000 milligrams of potassium per cup. It helps your body's cells to fight off germs, make genetic material, and heal wounds. It also helps in the development of children and aids their senses of smell and taste.