How beans affect the body: benefits and harms, secrets of preserving vitamins and rules of consumption

Beans entered the top ten most consumed vegetables worldwide. This type of legume can be grown in any soil; beans grow in countries with different climatic conditions.

The article describes the varieties of this culture and their characteristics. Here you will find answers to questions about how to properly cook beans so that they bring benefits to the body and not harm, and how to preserve all the vitamins in them.

Types and features

There are more than 250 varieties of beans, which can be divided into two large groups: American and Asian. The first is distinguished by short pods and large beans with a characteristic “beak”. It is grown mainly in Europe, Russia and America. The second, on the contrary, has long pods and small seeds; it is cultivated in Asian countries.

The table below shows the most popular types of beans and their features.

The most popular variety of crop is the common green bean. This species includes the world-famous subspecies: red, white, black and green beans.

Impact on the body of men, women and children

Beans is a healthy vegetable for the body, but you should know which variety to choose and how to prepare it so as not to harm your health.

This culture is considered medicinal and helps to cope with many diseases, such as:

1. Cardiovascular dystonia. The vegetable is rich in iron, which improves blood circulation, increases blood flow to cells and helps strengthen the immune system.
2. Diseases of the digestive system. Improves metabolism.
3. Diseases of the genitourinary system. Removes stones from the kidneys and stimulates the diuretic process, relieving swelling.
4. Diabetes. Arginine, which is part of legumes, synthesizes urea, accelerates metabolism and reduces glucose levels.
5. Chronic rheumatism. The properties of beans will make you feel better during exacerbations of this disease.

The elements contained in beans bring great benefits to the human body. For example, copper stimulates the production of hemoglobin and adrenaline. Sulfur helps cope with skin problems, rheumatism and bronchial diseases. Zinc regulates carbohydrate metabolism.

Important! It is not recommended to consume beans raw, as they can bring not only benefits, but also harm to health.The raw product contains various poisons and toxic substances that are destroyed during the cooking process.

Children from three years old need to consume this type of legume. Vitamins and amino acids, iron, calcium, phosphorus, iodine, zinc - all this is extremely necessary for a growing body.

Green beans can be given to children over one year old in the form of puree. It is much easier to absorb by the body.

The health benefits of beans for men are as follows:

1. It can be recommended for heavy physical work or for those who are actively involved in sports. Thanks to its caloric content and high protein content, it will give you a sufficient amount of strength and help build muscles.
2. Eating beans is a good prevention of prostate adenoma and other diseases of the genitourinary system.
3. Thanks to vitamin E and other substances, beans help maintain and improve potency.

Beans are also useful for women:

1. Thanks to vitamins, sulfur and zinc, it helps improve skin, nails and hair.
2. Helps maintain women's health, and vitamin E, magnesium and other substances promote conception.

Useful properties, composition and consumption rates

Let's take a closer look at each variety of beans for differences between them in composition, nutritional and energy value

Red beans

Being the most popular among all other types, red beans trace their history back to ancient Rome and Egypt. This legume is widely used in the preparation of first and second courses and is rich in substances useful and necessary for the body.

Red beans contain a fairly large amount of protein - 8 g per 100 g. The main advantage of beans of this color is that they contain a huge amount of antioxidants.

When consumed regularly, the product helps normalize digestion - it contains dietary fiber. People suffering from constipation especially need to include it in their menu.

Red beans help maintain a normal level of acidity in the body, which helps reduce the number of harmful bacteria, get rid of flatulence and excess weight.

In addition, it is a valuable source of energy, helps prevent atherosclerosis, regulates cholesterol levels (there is practically no fat in it!), has a diuretic effect and can be used in the diet of people with diseases of the urinary system. Thanks to beans, you can cleanse the body of toxic substances and heavy metals.

Red beans have a rich chemical composition. If you often consume this product (100 g per day), then your body will be provided with vitamins B, C, E, PP and fiber.

Red beans contain:

• carotene;
• iron;
• arginine;
• zinc;
• lysine;
• copper;
• niacin;
• ascorbic acid;
• tocopherol;
• retinol

100 g of raw product contains 337 kcal. Most often, beans are consumed boiled without losing their benefits, and the calorie content in this case is 94 kcal per 100 g.

Nutritional value of 100 g of red beans:

• proteins – 22.6 g;
• fats – 1.1 g (of which saturated fats – 0.2 g, polyunsaturated fats – 0.6 g and monounsaturated fats – 0.1 g);
• carbohydrates – 61.3 g (fiber – 15.2 g, simple carbohydrates – 2.1 g);
• water – 14 g;
• dietary fiber – 12.4 g.

Consumption rates will depend on the diet. For example, those losing weight are recommended to eat beans two to three times a week, approximately 100-150 g per meal.For a therapeutic diet, it is better to limit yourself to one or two doses per week, no more than 200 g at a time.

Beans should not be eaten raw: they contain the substance phenazine, which is toxic to humans, and breaks down during heat treatment. Because of this, you should be extremely careful with bean sprouts.

Beans are contraindicated for:

• gastritis;
• intestinal ulcer;
• low metabolic rate. Elderly people should use it with caution;
• tendency to gout.

White beans

White beans – a valuable source of protein. It is rich in a wide range of substances beneficial to the body, but not everyone can eat it. Therefore, it is worth studying the qualities of this product in more detail.

The beans of this plant do not contain very much protein (7 g per 100 g), so the culture is useful for people suffering from excess weight, as well as for the elderly.

In such beans contains a large amount of iron, eating it helps strengthen the cardiovascular system and overall health of the body. It is better to cook it in combination with vegetables containing large amounts of vitamin C.

Regular use of this product helps:

• increasing immunity;
• the body's resistance to various infectious diseases;
• regulation of metabolism;
• strengthening the nervous system;
• elimination of inflammatory processes in the liver;
• strengthening the digestive system.

100 g of product contains:

• 7 g proteins;
• folic acid;
• lysine;
• tyrosine;
• arginine;
• tryptophan;
• 150 mg calcium;
• 103 mg magnesium.

Calorie content of white beans: per 100 g – 102 kcal. The product contains:

• 7 g protein;
• 0.5 g fat;
• 17 g carbohydrates;
• 12.10 g water;
• 3.32 g ash;
• 3.9 g sugars;
• 15.3 g fiber;
• 32.9 g starch.

Considering the calorie content of beans, it is often undesirable to consume them. The fact is that protease inhibitors can linger in the intestines for some time, increasing the risk of digestive disorders. It is optimal to consume bean dishes two to three times a week, 100-150 g.

White beans are contraindicated in the following conditions:

• gastritis with high acidity;
• worsened stomach ulcer;
• exacerbation of colitis or cholecystitis;
• allergy to this product.

During pregnancy and lactation it should be included in the diet carefully. It is also not recommended to eat large amounts of legumes for older people who suffer from gout or nephritis, since purines are present in plant foods.

If we talk about possible side effects of white beans, the most common of them are:

• increased formation of gases in the intestines;
• feeling of heaviness in the stomach.

Such discomfort can be prevented by soaking the grains in water in advance and leaving them for several hours. After this, the water must be drained. Beans should be boiled in fresh water.

It is advisable to consume legume dishes without bakery and other flour products. Otherwise, the gastrointestinal tract will have difficulty digesting fiber, which will lead to increased gas formation.

It is recommended to add herbs and spices to dishes, thanks to this the food will break down faster and the feeling of heaviness in the stomach will disappear.

Black beans

Black beans contain more protein than white and red beans (9 g). If necessary, it can even become an excellent meat substitute, especially since black bean proteins are similar in their characteristics to animal protein.

Eating this product helps normalize the chemical balance in the stomach.

To lower blood sugar levels, it is recommended to take infusions and decoctions made from bean leaves. High quality protein that enters the body in this way is involved in the construction of insulin.

The beneficial components contained in black beans affect the entire body, not limited to certain systems:

• potassium helps with swelling, strengthens blood vessels, reduces the load on the heart;
• It is useful for women because the vitamin B group it contains is considered a source of beauty and youth. In combination with other vitamins and mineral components, its rejuvenating properties are manifested quite strongly: tone improves, toxins are removed, skin and nails acquire a healthy appearance, the nervous system is normalized;
• the product helps cleanse the body of toxins, removes cholesterol from blood vessels, and dissolves kidney stones;
• participates in blood clotting;
• With regular use of the product, brain function improves and the aging process slows down.

Beans are considered a good helper in the fight against overweight and obesity. But before using it, it is still recommended to consult a doctor.

The chemical composition of black beans is as follows:

• proteins;
• fats;
• carbohydrates;
• cellulose;
• pectins;
• vitamins B3, B9, E;
• calcium;
• magnesium;
• sodium;
• iron;
• iodine;
• cobalt;
• manganese;
• molybdenum;
• fluorine;
• zinc.

100 g of black beans contains about 341 kcal.

There are a number of restrictions on the consumption of black beans: old age, nephritis, cholecystitis, gastritis. Such beans considered high in calories and difficult to digest, so it should not be used by people suffering from intestinal colic, peptic ulcers, gout and high levels of stomach acidity.

Another contraindication is considered individual intolerance to the product.

Green beans

Green beans are valued for their unique ability to not absorb harmful substances from the environment. It always remains an environmentally friendly product.

Green asparagus beans can be used medicinally. It normalizes metabolism, treats bronchial asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

This plant is also used in cosmetology, as it eliminates skin rashes, tones and relieves inflammation.

Green beans are very beneficial for diabetes. In its effects, arginine is similar to insulin, which is why drinking a liter of bean and carrot juice helps the body begin to produce it on its own.

The product contains a large percentage of iron. Thanks to this, it promotes the production of red blood cells in people suffering from anemia. But you shouldn’t overuse legumes, so as not to harm your health.

For chronic hypertension, regular consumption of vegetables helps lower blood pressure, and it also has a beneficial effect on men suffering from male diseases.

Compared to regular types of this bean, green beans are not as rich in protein, but the vitamin content is slightly higher. These include:

• vitamins of groups A, B, C, E, PP;
• acids necessary for the body;
• cellulose;
• carbohydrates;
• fats.

Contains many minerals:

• sulfur;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• zinc;
• iron;
• chrome etc.

The energy value (calorie content) of green asparagus beans is 31 kcal per 100 g of product.

Ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates:

• 1.82 g protein;
• 7.13 g carbohydrates;
• 0.12 g fat.

The consumption rates of this product depend on its use: for weight loss - 300-400 g per week, for treatment or prevention - 200-300 g per week. These beans can be given to children from one year of age in the form of puree.

No matter how positive and healthy green beans may seem to you, they have a number of contraindications for consumption and, in addition to their benefits, can cause harm to the body. Thus, it is not recommended to be eaten by people suffering from peptic ulcers and gastritis.

Those who suffer from such ailments as:

• colitis;
• cholecystitis;
• cystitis;
• pyelonephritis.

Green beans should not be consumed by people who are allergic to both the beans themselves and certain of their components.

Features of use during pregnancy

The benefits and harms of beans for the body of a pregnant woman:

1. Helps prevent fetal pathologies due to folic acid (vitamin B9).
2. Prevention of toxicosis and anemia.
3. Reduces the risk of seizures.
4. May cause flatulence if not cooked well enough. Ten minutes is enough to avoid this effect.
5. During pregnancy, you should avoid canned beans if you are not sure about the quality of their processing.

Eating beans for weight loss

Beans are also useful during a diet:

1. The vitamins and minerals found in this product normalize metabolism.
2. High magnesium content increases stress resistance and improves sleep.
3. Due to its high protein content, the vegetable quickly satisfies hunger and takes a long time to digest.
4. It contains complex carbohydrates, which are used by the body as a source of energy.
5. A large amount of dietary fiber has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microflora. Thanks to this, the absorption of nutrients increases, digestion and, as a result, weight are normalized.

Popular questions

We will answer the most frequently asked questions regarding beans and the features of their use.

In what form are beans healthier?

It is better to eat beans boiled, stewed with vegetables and spices. Steamed beans are very tasty: to do this, simply steam them and make a sauce with rosemary, olive oil and lemon juice.

You can prepare salads with beans, adding a lot of fresh herbs, pine nuts (a handful), and dry ginger.

Reference. White, red and black beans must be soaked, otherwise they will cook for hours. But after soaking, the cooking time is reduced significantly.

When adding to soups, it is better to cook them in water, because the soup will already be hearty. And of course, not a single variety of beans will be useful if you often eat fatty dishes with meat, season them with sour cream, butter, stew or fry them in lard.

What is the best way to cook to preserve the benefits?

The only condition for cooking vegetables is thorough heat treatment. All other methods, except canning, are equivalent in terms of the degree of preservation of nutrients. Therefore, it is better to choose the type of preparation in accordance with your taste preferences.

How different is the canned product from fresh beans?

Beans are not used raw, as they are too hard and can be harmful to health.

Canned beans, the benefits of which are quite high, retain almost all nutritional properties even with this method of preparation. What are the benefits of canned beans?

It contains up to 70% vitamins compared to fresh product and up to 80% minerals. Of course, it contains no less proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber than in the original raw materials.

If you have stomach problems, then canned beans should be limited or excluded from your diet. Children and older people should also eat this product with caution. It is advisable to start with very small portions. To avoid harm to the fetus, pregnant women should not eat canned food.

Reviews about medicinal properties

People leave completely different reviews: some share theirs recipes, some do not believe in traditional medicine, while others are already coping with the disease with the help of a bean diet.

Here are a couple of reviews about benefit beans for people with diabetes:

Tatiana: «I have been suffering from diabetes for three years now. Every six months I am admitted to the hospital because my sugar rises very quickly and quite unexpectedly. The doctors prescribed me a strict diet, the list of products included beans. I found several recipes for its preparation on the Internet and began to use it every day. As a result, my sugar levels have dropped, and my health is improving every day. I got my whole family hooked on this product.”

Valentin: «You know, there was a period of time in my life when I ate a fairly large amount of beans, every day. The fact is that about a year and a half ago I was hospitalized. Doctors diagnosed him with diabetes.To reduce sugar, the doctor advised me to eat a lot of foods that contain copper. This component is also found in beans, and in large quantities. I feel much better now!”

Note that exceeding the norms for consumption of beans by diabetics (and not only) has a negative effect on the pancreas due to trypsin inhibitors contained in large quantities in the beans of this plant.

Conclusion

Beans are rich in proteins, carbohydrates and fats and can be a substitute for meat. It also contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals. Regular use of this product is the prevention of diseases of the genitourinary system and many others. Beans are good for the skin, hair and stomach.

During pregnancy, legumes can be both beneficial and harmful, so you need to be careful with them during this time. Beans are a good source of folic acid and protein and also help relieve swelling. For people who want to reduce their weight, this product is a good help. Including it in the diet helps to significantly improve the condition, including for diabetics.