Beans: properties, nutritional values, calories

With the collaboration of Maria Rita Insolera, Naturopath

Beans are the fruits of a plant of the legume family, Phaseolus vulgaris L., originating in Central America. Numerous cultivated varieties are known and all contain fasine, a poisonous protein that is destroyed during cooking.

Calories and nutritional values of beans

Beans have excellent nutritional values, are rich in carbohydrates and with a good protein intake. Beans have a reduced fat content, even lower than soy, while the constituent element of the skin is the fiber that has a decisive role in the regularity of intestinal functions. The quantity of B vitamins is also significant. The nutritional value of the beans is very high, and consists mainly of carbohydrates, which combine perfectly with the cereals, completing a protein framework with a high biological value. equal to that provided by meat or eggs, and free of cholesterol.

The beans are very caloric (303 Kcal per 100 g) and these calories come in particular from:

Carbohydrates (51 g per 100 of product);
Vegetable proteins (23 g per 100 of product);
Fats (2 g per 100 of product);
Water (10 g per 100 of product);
Fiber (17.5 g out of 100 of product).

From a nutritional point of view beans are a complete and rich food. There are high amounts of macroelements such as phosphorus, iron, potassium and even microelements such as calcium, as well as vitamins such as vitamins A, B and C.

Their properties

Beans are very nutritious and, rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E, they also contain mineral and oligomineral salts, such as potassium, iron, calcium, zinc and phosphorus. Being legumes, beans are rich in lecithin, a phospholipid that promotes the emulsion of fats, preventing their accumulation in the blood and consequently reducing the cholesterol level.

All types of beans contain a lot of fiber, but some varieties are particularly abundant: black beans, for example, contain 6 grams of fiber each half-cup serving, common beans and Lima beans are around 7 grams, and with the eyed beans you get 8 grams. Canned beans are as good as dried ones, but they have a high sodium content, so it is a good idea to drain them and rinse them before eating them. The fiber is very valuable for the metabolism and helps to easily reach the feeling of satiety. Beans are composed of 60% starches and sugars, while green beans are 90% water, so their protein content is significantly lower than that of beans, but they contain a greater quantity of mineral salts and vitamin A.

The right way to cook legumes

How to use beans

Bean pods are also commercially available in tablet form. They contain nutrients such as amino acids and vitamins. With fresh bean pods, an infusion is prepared instead: 2 g per 100 ml of water, to be drunk with 2 cups a day. Bean pods, in tablets or infused, are effective:

To treat hypertension;
To lower the cholesterol level;
To lower the blood sugar level;
In the treatment of overweight and obesity, as they reduce the sense of hunger and also the absorption of nutrients.

Care must be taken when preparing the beans before cooking. It is advisable, in fact, to soak them for at least 6-8 hours in cold water, and then cook them in different water. This simple operation allows the release in water of some anti-nutritional substances normally contained in all types of beans, called cyanogenic glucosides (which liberate, that is, cyanhydric acid), responsible for the slight intestinal discomfort that can occur in any subject even healthy following the intake.

Beans, allies of

Cardiac apparatus, weight, blood circulation.

Curiosity about beans

Fearing unpleasant and embarrassing gas fumes is not a good reason to forgo the nutritional benefits of beans. Try flavoring them with a pinch of satureja (or savory, it is an aromatic herb widely used in cooking, it belongs to the same family as mint) or a teaspoon of ground ginger : these are spices that help to limit bean-induced flatulence.

A recipe up your sleeve

At the base of peasant culinary traditions there are often important nutritional truths. A plate of pasta and beans guarantees the supply of nutrients necessary for the daily requirement, especially as regards essential amino acids.

Ingredients: 200 grams of pasta (ditaloni, broken spaghetti or mixed pasta or maltagliati or broken fettuccine with egg), 250 gr of dried borlotti beans (or 1/2 kg of already boiled borlotti beans), 200 gr of tomato sauce, 50 grams of smoked pancetta (if you are a vegetarian, you can use vegetable alternatives or exclude it from the recipe).

As a condiment, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 red pepper, half a glass of white wine, salt and pepper. At the pass you can prefer chopped tomatoes and if you use spicy oil, you can avoid the chilli.

As for the smells, you need 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 stick of celery.

The procedure is simple : rinse the dried beans, leave them to soak overnight and boil them for about 40 minutes in 2 liters of water. Finely chop the onion, carrot and celery and cut the pancetta into cubes. In a saucepan, sauté the onion, chilli and pancetta in 3 tablespoons of oil; when the onion is withered and the golden pancetta wet with white wine and let it evaporate over high heat. Add the beans, celery, chopped carrot, tomato puree and cook for another 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, check the cooking of the beans and lengthen the cooking if necessary. Put the pasta in the soup and cook it al dente. The dish should be served hot.