You've known that veggies are good for you ever since you were small and granny told you to eat all your greens.
But have you ever stopped to wonder what the specific benefits of veggies are?
Most vegetables are high in water and fibre, but comparatively low in calories. Thus they create a feeling of fullness without delivering the hefty load of calories delivered by high-fat foods.
And, like fruit, they're also fantastic sources of vitamins and minerals and cancer-preventing phytocemicals.
Beans can reduce the risk of heart disease, stabilise blood sugar levels and are an important source of vitamins, minerals (potassium in particular) and phytonutrients. They can also help to prevent or combat anaemia.
How much beans should you eat?
If beans are used to replace protein in a meal, 55g of dry beans are sufficient. If eaten to reduce cholesterol or blood fat levels, 100g of dry beans are recommended.
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Maximising the benefits of beans
Canned beans lose most of their vitamins, but not their minerals. Kidney beans must be cooked for at least ten minutes to neutralise a harmful substance they contain.
Nutritional values of beans
Calories
103
Potassium
420 mg
Fibre
6,7 g
Calcium
37mg
Folate
42mcg
Iron
2,5mg
Protein
8,4 g
Zinc
1mg
Per 100g cooked red kidney beans (different kinds
of beans often have very similar nutritional values.
