For some people the thought of dried beans and legumes is not appealing or perhaps the challenge of getting other family members to try something so different just goes into the too hard basket. However it is never too late to try something new!
New Zealand is a nation of red meat lovers. While a small serve of lean red meat is a good source of protein, iron and zinc we would benefit from decreasing the frequency of red meat based meals over the week.
From a health point of view trying to decrease the frequency of red meat based meals is a good goal to have. However what should you replace meat with? Fish is a great choice and ideally we should be aiming for two fish based meals each week – but for many people they find this an expensive option so it can be difficult to achieve this goal (although canned fish is a good option which often gets dismissed).
A very cheap, easy and healthy alternative to red meat is to experiment with dried beans and legumes.
Dried beans and legumes are high in fibre, low in fat and a good source of both protein and carbohydrate. In one serving of cooked dried beans or legumes (3/4 cup) you will get approximately 8 grams fibre and less than 1 gram fat. Compare this to a serving of very lean red meat (120 grams grilled fillet steak) which gives no fibre and 9 grams of fat of which a third is saturated fat.
In a vegetarian diet dried beans and legumes are a very important source of protein.
Dried beans and legumes also have a very low glycaemic index. If a food has a low glycaemic index it means that it is a slow release food – it will slowly enter your system and is considered to be a good source of long sustaining energy. Low glycaemic index foods are thought to help with weight control because they are more satisfying. The slow absorption of carbohydrate (sugars) into the blood system is also beneficial in helping to manage diabetes.
The fact that dried beans are high in fibre has another two pronged health benefit. They will not only help with treating constipation but the soluble fibre helps to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Dried beans and legumes are the edible pods and seeds of peas, beans and lentils. There are a number of different types – soya bean, lima beans, red or brown lentils, chick peas as well as others.
When using dried beans and legumes you can either start with a dried product or you can use canned varieties. The canned option means that the beans have already been cooked and they are ready to use. Canned beans can lose their shape more easily because they are softer – so don’t over cook them or try to add them at the end of cooking.
If you are starting with a dried product it is very important that they are soaked first, drained and then thoroughly cooked. If you are not certain about the method get a recipe book and follow the directions. If you don’t prepare dried beans properly, then you may not destroy a natural toxin that is present in the dried bean and you will get a sore stomach!
Beans can be used in so many ways and if you are not a regular bean user you may find it easier to start out slowly. Certainly it may take some time for some family members to enjoy the taste and texture of beans, but it is worth while introducing them into the recipe repertoire.
You can add them to other foods such as adding beans into a casserole so you will not need as much meat. Add chilli beans to Mexican dishes. Cannellini beans, lima beans or lentils can be added to soups. Add chick peas to pasta or rice along with other vegetables and make a salad. Use hummus as a spread or salad accompaniment. You can get fresh falafel mix in the refrigeration section of supermarkets – make up falafel patties and serve in pita pocket with lots of salad fillings. Serve three bean salad mix as part of a meal. And don’t forget about good old baked beans on toast!
If you wish to become even more adventurous then go to the library and pick up some vegetarian cook books for beans recipes and legume recipes.
