benefits of beans

You can cook haricot beans in a pressure cooker without soaking them. Simply place in the pressure cooker, cover with water and cook for around 45 minutes. If you soak the beans overnight, then they will cook in around 20 minutes in a pressure cooker.

Navy beans are small, pea sized beans that are creamy white in color. They are mild flavored beans that are dense and smooth. Like other common beans, navy beans are one of 13,000 species of the family of legumes, or plants that produce edible pods. Combined with whole grains such as rice, navy beans provide virtually fat free high quality protein.

Navy beans are an excellent source of cholesterol lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, navy beans high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, navy beans provide virtually fat free high quality protein.

Fiber content in foods and youll see legumes leading the pack. Navy beans, like other beans, are rich indietary fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel like substance in the digestive tract that combines with bile (which contains cholesterol) and ferries it out of the body. Research studies have shown that insoluble fiber not only helps to increase stool bulk and prevent constipation, but also helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

Navy beans contribution to heart health lies not just in their fiber, but in the significant amounts of folate and magnesium these beans supply.Folatehelps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is an intermediate product in an important metabolic process called the methylation cycle. Elevated blood levels of homocysteine are an independent risk factor for heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease, and are found in between 20 40% of patients with heart disease.

Navy beans can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with navy beans is a good idea

Navy beans are a very good source of manganese and a good source of copper, trace minerals that are essential cofactors of a key oxidative enzyme calledsuperoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells). Copper is also necessary for the activity of lysyl oxidase, an enzyme involved in cross linking collagen and elastin, both of which provide the ground substance and flexibility in blood vessels, bones and joints.

If youre wondering how to replace red meat in your menus, become a fan of navy beans. These hearty beans are a good source of protein, and when combined with a whole grain such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice, provide protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fat found in these foods. And, when you get your protein from navy beans, you also get the blood sugar stabilizing and heart health benefits of the soluble fiber provided by these versatile legumes.

Purines are naturally occurring substances found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid.

Navy beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and a very good source of both folate and manganese. They are also a good source of many minerals including copper, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. In addition, navy beans are a good source of protein and vitamin B1.