It’s not the most popular legume crop, but beans are a great source of vitamins and micronutrients. Here’s why you should by no means deprive yourself of it.
Unpretentious beans have a bad reputation in the market. However, they have been eaten since time immemorial around the world, especially in Mediterranean countries. When food has been prepared over thousands of years, there is often little doubt that it is a treasure trove of healthy nutrients. Beans are obviously no exception to the rule.
What are the nutritional qualities of beans?
“ Beans are one of the foods that are widely recommended as part of a healthy and balanced diet ”, says nutritionist nutritionist Virginie Dubois. “ Even compared to other vegetables or legumes, beans are particularly recommended for nutrition, especially because of their low carbohydrate content. “ There are 9.35g of carbohydrates in 100g of cooked beans. This may seem high, but, as the agency specifies, these carbohydrates are mainly present “in the form of starch (7.60 g per 100 g) and sucrose (0.40 g per 100 g) ”.
The slightly sweet flavor of beans doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a very sweet legume. You could even say that cooked beans are “sugar-free” as they contain less than 0.5g per 100g. Beans are also an excellent source of vegetable protein: about 8 g per 100 g.
Do beans really cause stomach upset?
Like most legumes, beans can cause mild stomach upset. “ They are often difficult to digest, partly because of their high starch content ”, explains Virginie Dubois. “ They are often overlooked in the diet of patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome ”, adds the nutritionist.
Related Posts:
However, beans are also rich in fiber – 5.8 g per 100 g, according to the Ciqual nutrient composition table . This makes it a particularly recommended food that promotes good intestinal transit and contributes to the feeling of satiety at the end of the meal. To take advantage of these benefits while avoiding stomach problems as much as possible, feel free to immerse beans in a bowl of water for a few minutes before cooking. This should help remove some of the starch present on the surface of the beans and make them more digestible.
What are some other benefits of beans?
“ Thanks to their low glycemic index, around 40, horse beans are the recommended legume crop for weight-conscious people, “ notes Virginie Dubois. The nutritionist also notes the high content of vitamin B9 in beans, “ which provides one third of the recommended daily allowance, which can be particularly useful before and during pregnancy, when vitamin B9 intake is crucial ”.
Finally, beans are a very good source of vitamin K: 4.16 mcg per 100 g of frozen beans cooked in water. This vitamin is essential for bone health and promotes good coagulation. “ If you are taking anticoagulants, you should still be vigilant ”, warns Virginie Dubois. Indeed, “ a diet rich in vitamin K can interfere with treatment and have serious consequences for the health of patients ”. If you have doubts, consider discussing it with your doctor or nutritionist.
