What Are the Healthiest Legumes? [Benefits and Adverse Effects]

The fruit or seed of plants in the family Fabaceae (also known as Leguminosae), the third-largest family of flowering plants, is known as a legume.

They are one of the most underappreciated foods on the earth and are a good source of protein, fiber, B vitamins, and other minerals.

So, what is the difference between beans and legumes?

One of the key distinctions is that all beans are legumes, but not all legumes are beans.

Legumes are members of the Fabaceae plant family, while beans are members of a particular Fabaceae species.

Globally, around 16,000 distinct varieties of legumes are farmed.

They not only pack a nutrient-dense punch in a little package, but they are also healthy for the environment.

The crop has been shown to reduce greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide, as well as to improve soil and atmospheric quality. (Source).

In addition to folate, magnesium, iron, and potassium, legumes are abundant in fiber and protein, two vital nutrients.

A cup of cooked beans, for example, may supply 7 grams of protein, the same as 1 ounce of meat.

They are low in fat, saturated fat-free, and cholesterol-free.

In addition to providing an abundance of nutrients, legumes are known to:

Aids in the Prevention of Diabetes A 2014 research indicated that those who ate beans on a daily basis had lower blood sugar levels.

Because legumes are high in fiber, the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream is slowed.

Fiber also improves the effectiveness of insulin, the hormone responsible for transporting sugar from the circulation to the cells.

hunger Control and Weight reduction Legumes have also been connected to hunger control and weight reduction.

Fiber digests slowly, which might make us feel fuller.

Protein lowers ghrelin levels, which is the hunger hormone, leading in a sense of fullness.

Heart Disease Prevention Legumes may also help decrease LDL cholesterol, which is a major factor to heart disease.

It may also lower lipid levels, inflammation, and blood pressure.

Improve Digestive Health Legumes are high in fiber and nourish the bacteria in your stomach.

Probiotics are helpful bacteria that dwell mostly in the large intestine and help to improve your immune system, fight off dangerous bacteria, and maintain a healthy digestive balance.

Black Beans Nutrition

A cup of black beans (86g) has the following nutrients:

• Calories: 114
• Protein: 7.62g
• Fat: 0.46g
• Carbohydrate: 20.39g
• Fiber: 7.5g
• Sugars: 0.28g
• Calcium: 23mg
• Iron: 1.81mg
• Magnesium: 60mg
• Phosphorus: 120mg
• Sodium: 1mg
• Potassium: 305mg

They also provide zinc, folate, and phytonutrients with antioxidant qualities. (Source)

They are derived from the plant Phaseolus vulgaris and have been used in North American cuisines for over 7,000 years.

These beans, which are high in fiber, carbs, and protein, have been shown to lower the risk of serious diseases and aid in weight management.

A superfood is a common word that emerged in the 2000s to describe foods that have an abundance of beneficial characteristics.

Superfoods have been promoted as lowering the risk of illness and improving physical and mental health.

They contain very high quantities of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

Berries, broccoli, kale, sea vegetables, spinach, almonds, and soy are some examples of superfoods.

Despite the lack of a universal medical definition, the superfood industry was poised to become a multibillion-dollar industry.

Consumers are more health-conscious than ever, and they want to enhance their quality of life via clean meals and a healthy lifestyle rather by conventional medicine.

Noni from Tahiti, acai berries from South America, and goji berries from China are among the rare and exotic fruits that have found their way into markets throughout the globe at premium rates.

The list of superfoods is constantly expanding, with producers striving to keep up with the brisk demand.

It is worth mentioning that a superfood has no medical definition or categorization.

However, it has been established that some foods have significantly greater health benefits than others.

Protein is one of the nutrients required for a healthy body.

It aids in the development and repair of muscle and tissue, as well as the regulation of metabolism.

Beans have more protein per calorie than meat, making them popular among vegetarians and vegans.

Furthermore, meat has no fiber, whereas beans are high in fiber.

The high-fiber diet is known to:

• Lower cholesterol
• Regulate blood sugar and prevent diabetes
• Regulate bowel movements
• Reduce the risk of heart disease
• Help with gastrointestinal diseases
• Feed probiotics to the friendly bacteria in your gut that are required to maintain a healthy immune system. Probiotics also assist your digestive system work, generate nutrients, and line the cells to keep bad bacteria out.

Click here to learn more about probiotics and prebiotics.

Weight Loss

Animal flesh has more calories than legumes.

A beef patty in a burger, for example, comprises around 250 to 400 calories, but a bean burger contains approximately 115 calories.

Increased calorie intake may lead to weight gain if not burnt off via regular exercise.

When you stretch your stomach, stretch receptors send a message to your brain, signaling that you are full.

If you consume animal protein, such as pig, chicken, or beef, it is likely that by the time your brain realizes you are full, it is too late! You’ve eaten much too much.

In contrast, it will take around twice the amount of bean protein to accomplish the same number of calories, and by then, your brain will have caught up with you and will stop you from eating.

It isnt just protein that fills you.

Fiber is an excellent filler to curb hunger.

Your blood sugar climbs more slowly, providing a continuous amount of energy while making you feel fuller more quickly.

In addition to being a superfood, black beans have been linked to:

Promote Bone Health Phosphorus and calcium are required for the development and maintenance of healthy bones, while zinc and iron contribute to the strength and suppleness of bones and joints.

Because our bones contain the majority of our calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus supplies, it is critical that we feed our bones!

Reduce Blood Pressure Black beans have little to no salt, which is one of the key causes of high blood pressure.

They are high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium, all of which help to lower blood pressure naturally.

Aid in Diabetes Management Beans have a low glycemic index (GI) and are a complex carbohydrate.

The GI is a number ranging from 0 to 100 that is given to each item based on its influence on blood sugar levels.

A low GI affects blood sugar levels the least.

Beans have been demonstrated to help manage blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in diabetics due to their low GI.

Cancer Risk Reduction Selenium, a naturally occurring mineral with nutritional and antioxidant qualities, is found in black beans.

High selenium levels have been related to cancer prevention, and its anti-inflammatory characteristics may inhibit tumor development.

Folate promotes DNA repair and has been linked to the prevention or slowing of cancer cell formation.

Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk Black beans include folate, vitamin B6, potassium, fiber, and other phytonutrients that have been shown to decrease cholesterol levels.

Saponins are bean-derived chemicals that protect the heart and blood arteries.

Side Effects

The most prevalent adverse effect of beans is increased flatulence, sometimes known as farting.

This is due to the presence of oligosaccharides, a kind of sugar found in beans.

These sugars go from the small intestine to the colon, where they meet your army of 100,000 trillion hungry bacteria.

As your friendly gut bacteria munch, the food ferments and produces gas, potentially resulting in an embarrassing situation for you!

A few easy ways to deal with this are:

• Rinsing and soaking the beans before cooking
• Begin by eating tiny quantities of beans to enable your intestines to acclimate before progressively increasing the quantity.
• Drink more water to help digestion
• A tiny quantity of baking soda added to cooking water has been shown to improve alkalinity and break down oligosaccharides.
• Use herbs that are known to aid with bloating and gas, such as sage, thyme, ginger, and rosemary.

The health advantages of beans are indisputable, whether you are a vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore.

After all, humans still utilize them in our regular meals after thousands of years of development.

Enjoy those tiny treasures, and best wishes for your health!