While beef may be
the most common source of protein for many Americans, most of the
world gets their protein from the legumes. While beans and
peas come in wide variety shapes and sizes, in this article we will
be examining the most popular types of 'common' beans found on your
local grocers shelves here in the United States. That is not to say
that these same bean varieties are not found in other countries, in
fact many of them are staples in ethnic cuisines such as those from
Mexico, India, and Africa. However, the focus of this article is to
look at those beans which most of us here in the United States see
while visiting our local supermarket.
Dried beans, peas
and other legumes are grown through out the United States and South
America, but the majority of the 'common' dried beans today come from
Mexico and India. Which makes sense as beans make up the majority of
the protein consumed by the citizens of both these countries,
especially India which has a large vegetarian population. The origin
of the bean does not matter, rather it is the financial and medical
benefits of incorporating more beans in your diet that is important.
Dried beans are both inexpensive and healthy, and they are an
important part of the minimalist pantry. So if you are on a budget or
just want to stretch that food dollar, then adding some beans to your
menu rotation is a no brainer.
'Common' Bean
Varieties
Black beans and
other beans such as cannellini beans, great northern beans, kidney
beans, navy beans, and pinto beans are all
identified by their known scientific name or classification
'Phaseolus vulgaris'. Also referred to as 'common beans' as they all
originally came from a common bean plant from South American somewhere in Peru.
Black Beans –
Sometimes called 'black turtle beans' are smaller than pinto beans,
but similar in shape. They are popular in Latin cuisines as well as
in Cajun and Creole cooking. They tend to have a more meaty texture
than red kidney or pinto beans and because of this are used in a
variety of vegetarian dishes. Popular dishes include: Cuban black
beans and rice, black bean soup, black bean and corn salsas, and they are a common component of 'veggie' burgers.
Cannellini Beans –
Are a white Italian kidney bean, a cousin if you will to the red
kidney bean. They are commonly used in soups and salads, especially in Italy. Popular
dishes include: Three bean salad, minestrone soup, Italian wedding
soup, and pasta e fagioli (pasta and bean soup).
Great Northern Beans
– Are a large white bean with a flatter shape more similar to a lima
bean. The can be substituted for most other white beans in recipes
and are more commonly used in dishes that require baking such as
baked beans. Popular dishes include: White bean chili, three bean salad, ham and bean soup, and any other recipe that calls for white beans.
Kidney Beans –
Commonly called 'red beans', they are often sold as 'light' and
'dark' varieties, regardless of the color, the flavor and texture of the cooked bean is the same. They get their name
from the fact that their shape is similar to that of a kidney.
Popular dishes include: red beans and rice, chili con carne, and chili or ranch beans.
Navy Beans –
Sometimes called 'Yankee Beans', the navy bean is a small white bean
similar in size to the black bean, and is the smallest of the white
beans. Like the black bean, it has a more meaty texture and dried
beans take longer to cook than some of the other common beans.
Popular dishes include: baked beans, pork and beans, and navy bean
soup.
Pinto Beans – The
most popular dried bean consumed in the United States, it is slightly
smaller than the kidney or 'red' bean and is sometimes called the
'speckled bean'. They are a staple throughout the southern United
States and northern Mexico. Popular dishes include: pinto beans and
cornbread, chili con carne, bean beans, and they are the primary
component in refried beans.
Of all the 'common'
beans, dried and raw kidney beans both red and white (cannellini)
have high levels of phytohemagglutinin which can make you sick when
they are not properly cooked. Because of this toxin, United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that dried kidney beans
should be boiled for a minimum of 30 minutes to completely destroy
the toxin. According to the USDA, cooking kidney beans in a slow
cooker (crockpot) is not recommended without first boiling them for
30 minutes as slow cooking seems to increase the levels of
phytohemagglutinin by up to five times their original level. It
should be noted that canned kidney beans you find on your local
grocers shelves do not have to be boiled as the toxins were destroyed
during the canning process and can be safely eaten straight out of
the can. Symptoms of phytohemagglutinin toxicity include: nausea,
vomiting, and diarrhea. Having said all that, the risk is minimal, and non-existent if you simply boil the beans for 30 minutes before reducing the heat to a simmer to cook them.
Purchasing Beans And
Peas
More Americans
purchase commercially canned beans than any other type. One look at
your local Walmart and you will see almost half an isle just devoted
to beans. While this may be the most convenient, it is also the most
expensive option when purchasing beans. Buying dried beans is the
most inexpensive option you will find when looking to purchase beans
and this is the way that I buy most of my beans. The most common
dried beans you will find on grocery store shelves are cannellini
beans (white kidney beans), pinto beans, kidney beans (red beans), black beans, great
northern beans, and navy beans.
While most of us
purchase our dried beans at out local grocers, a good inexpensive
source for dried beans is your local dollar store. Where we live
'Dollar Tree' sells 12oz bags of red (kidney), 1lb bags of black beans and 2lb bags of pinto beans for
$1.00. Prices vary at Walmart and the Dollar Tree is usually cheaper, however buying your red beans at Walmart actually saves you 5% versus Dollar Tree. The key here is to shop smart, remember, the dollar store is not always cheaper.
Dried Black Beans 1lb bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, $1.72 at Walmart), a 42% savings.
Dried Black Beans 1lb bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, $1.72 at Walmart), a 42% savings.
Dried Pinto Beans
2lb bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, $1.64 at Walmart), a 61% savings.
Dried Red beans 12oz
bag ($1.00 at Dollar Tree, 1lb bag $1.22 at Walmart), a 5% loss.That means they are cheaper to buy at Walmart.
If you live near an ethnic market you may find dried beans sold in bulk which can save you a significant amount of money. In my area of East Texas, I have found it cheaper just to buy a 20lb bag of pinto beans at Walmart than it is to go to the Mexican market when purchasing pinto beans. However, you may find significant saving by shopping for dried beans at ethnic markets in your neighborhood.
When buying fresh
unshelled beans you need to figure that your final yield will be about
40 – 50% of the gross weight of the beans that you purchase (about
a half a pound for every pound you buy). Fresh Lima beans for example
have about a 40% yield after being shelled. Although your yield may vary depending on the variety of beans and peas you are purchasing. Just remember to plan ahead when purchasing fresh raw beans.
Beans, Beans, The
Musical Fruit
We have all heard
the rhyme when we were kids 'beans beans the musical fruit, the more
you eat, the more you toot.' The simple fact is that beans contain
raffinose sugars, and it seems that humans (me and you) are missing
the essential enzyme required to break down those sugars. The
bacteria in our digestive system however loves these sugars and
rapidly consumes them producing hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas which
you eventually you have to release much to the joy of little kids,
but not so much for adults (although some people find farts funny,
just saying). Anyway, because of the gas producing potential of
eating beans, many people avoid adding beans to their diet. The
simple step of slowly increasing the amount of beans you eat over
several weeks can help in overcoming this problem of flatulence.
Grandma always said
that if you soaked your beans overnight and cooked them in fresh
water it helped to reduce 'the farts' as she called it. This is how
she cooked her beans and it is the way I learned to cook beans and
still do today. According to The University Of Michigan website of
Integrated Medicine, they list the following steps that you might try
to help decrease the amount of intestinal gas produced from
dried beans, peas, and lentils.
-
Rinse your beans thoroughly and never cook beans in the water they've soaked in overnight. It's loaded with the gas-causing raffinose sugars.
-
Mix 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda into the water used to soak the beans in overnight. It helps leach out raffinose sugars, reducing intestinal gas.
-
Natural fermentation, a process that takes place during soaking, will also reduce intestinal gas. Soak beans at room temperature in water with a spoon full of vinegar for 8-10 hours in order to reduce raffinose sugars.
-
Slow cooking in a crock pot over several hours can reduce the amount of flatulence causing compounds. Not recommended for kidney beans.
Looks like grandma
was smarter than I thought as she soaked her beans overnight and then
cooked them in fresh cold water. Now, I will admit I have not tried
any of the other tips listed on the University Of Michigan's website
but go for it and leave a comment on how it worked for you. The only
comment I have about their tips is, do not try and reduce the
raffinose sugars by combining the vinegar and baking soda together in
your soaking water as the chemical reaction can make quite a mess.
It's not dangerous, but it could be messy. So again choose one or the
other, but do not combine the two.
Nutritional Analysis
Beans, peas, and
lentils are a great source of protein, and in many cultures around
the world they are the primary source of protein due to their ability
to be dried, and the fact that they are generally inexpensive. While
the caloric content may vary slightly depending on the specific type
of beans you are preparing, on average a ½ cup cooked dried beans
contains about 100 calories of which 72% are carbohydrates, 20% is
protein, and 8% are fats. While they are a great source of protein
and fiber (about 8 grams each for a ½ cup serving), they are not a
complete source of protein by themselves as they lack certain
essential amino acids.
By adding additional
plant based proteins or carbohydrates, you can create a balanced meal
with the necessary essential amino acids and protein needed to
provide your body with a complete, healthy, energy source without
destroying your food budget. Meals such as pinto beans with
cornbread, red beans and rice, flour or corn tortillas with refried
beans, and any number of beans and bread or rice type meals served
through out the world. Many Americans associate such meals as 'poor
people' food and would not consider them as a primary source of
protein or a complete meal and this is unfortunate because they are
actually a complete source of proteins, carbohydrates and amino acids
that are inexpensive, affordable and taste great.
Conclusion
Legumes are a great
delicious and inexpensive source of protein for anyone trying to make ends meet, and they are a staple in the minimalist pantry. Even if
you are not on a food budget, eating beans can help you lower your
cholesterol. In addition, they are loaded with antioxidants and are
rich in phytochemicals that may help to reduce the risk of some
cancers (lung, blood, and colorectal). They are a low glycemic index
food which means that they cause less swings in blood sugar levels
which can lower the risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and
obesity as well as reducing insulin resistance in people with
diabetes.
If my father had his
way he would eat pinto beans and cornbread just about everyday. As it
is, my parents eat it at least three times a week. It was one of the staples my father grew up with on the farm, and it is one of my favorite meals as
humble as it sounds. In fact, we eat a lot of beans and rice and
cornbread in our home as it is inexpensive, easy to make, and is a
healthy alternative for meat based proteins.
The bottom line, is
eating beans and other legumes is a win, win situation. They are
inexpensive, delicious, and amazingly good for you. Who would have
thought that eating a homemade bean burrito would have been a
complete source of protein and amino acids. As always, if you have
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References:
Other Money Saving
Articles On Our Blog:
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