Can You Tell That Our Pumpkin Muffins Are Made With Legumes?
Beans, peas, soybeans, lentils, and peanuts all belong to the legume family. They are also called pulses, which is just another word for edible seeds; and are an excellent source of protein and fiber.
What is Fiber and What Does it Do
According to UCSF. “Dietary fiber is material from plant cells that cannot be broken down by enzymes in the human digestive tract. There are two important types of fiber: water-soluble and water insoluble. Each has different properties and characteristics.
- Soluble — Water-soluble fibers absorb water during digestion. They increase stool bulk and may decrease blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber can be found in fruits (such as apples, oranges and grapefruit), vegetables, legumes (such as dry beans, lentils and peas), barley, oats and oat bran.
- Insoluble — Water-insoluble fibers remain unchanged during digestion. They promote normal movement of intestinal contents. Insoluble fiber can be found in fruits with edible peel or seeds, vegetables, whole grain products (such as whole-wheat bread, pasta and crackers), bulgur wheat, stone ground corn meal, cereals, bran, rolled oats, buckwheat and brown rice.
Health Benefits of Fiber
A high-fiber diet appears to reduce the risk of developing various conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, diverticular disease, constipation and colon cancer. Fiber is important for the health of the digestive system and for lowering cholesterol.” https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/
According to Livestrong.com “Legumes are at the top of the list for sources of fiber. The insoluble fiber they contain prevents constipation. They also have soluble fiber, which helps keep blood sugar balanced and lowers the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream. Fiber’s ability to prevent cardiovascular disease is so important that the Institute of Medicine determined the recommended intake -- 25 grams daily for women and 38 grams daily for men -- based on the amount needed to protect against coronary heart disease. The fiber in legumes varies slightly, but most varieties provide about 16 grams in a 1-cup serving.” http://www.livestrong.com/article/338156-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-legumes/
Legumes are a satiable food. Meaning that the combination of protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates in legumes creates a very satisfying food that helps you feel full quickly and stay full longer.
“Beans are also high in antioxidants, a class of phytochemicals that incapacitate cell-damaging free radicals in the body. (Free radicals have been implicated in everything from cancer and aging to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.”) http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/beans-protein-rich-superfoods#1
“Other research has suggested that prebiotics increase calcium absorption and may improve bone density.” http://www.health.com/digestive-health/prebiotic-foods
Fiber can help your digestive system function properly. Many of us have heard of probiotics, which are good bacteria that help control the growth of bad bacteria in your gut. “Prebiotics are an emerging field of study and are considered food for probiotics because they stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria. These nondigestible carbohydrates feed the good bacteria in your gut, which have been linked to digestive health, improved immunity, anti-inflammatory effects, and more.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17311984
What to Eat to Increase Your Fiber Intake
Prebitotics can be found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains such as raisins, carrots, apples, bananas, garlic, onions, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, oatmeal, brown rice, and legumes.
And the UCSF has further recommendations on how to increase your intake of soluble and insoluble fiber at this link. https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/increasing_fiber_intake/
Some tips for eating legumes would be to start off including them in your meals slowly to allow your body to adapt to the change in diet rather than immediately trying to eat the recommended daily allowance. Include them in salads, soups, baked goods, and even blending them in your homemade juices.
I have also read that it is suggested that you increase the amount of water you drink when you increase your fiber intake.
What Our Family Has Done
Our family slowly increased our fiber intake first by increasing the amount of whole foods we ate. We weaned ourselves off cold cereal and added old fashioned oats for breakfast. Some of our favorite recipes would include bananas and brown sugar, berries and chopped almonds, dried cranberries with sunflower seeds and cinnamon. We also introduced more whole fruits and vegetables, and replaced our starchy potatoes at dinner with more grains like brown rice and red or plain quinoa. And we started juicing.
Recently a friend of mine taught me how to make a bean soup using dried beans, and he didn’t even soak them over night! So now our family is attempting to add more legumes to our diet. We have been slow to add them largely because of the hassle factor of soaking them. Then there is the whole issue of flatulence. But, I ran across this article in the Los Angeles Times by Russ Parsons who is known as the California Cook. He has experimented with soaking beans and has some good things to share. I now use one of his methods. But, the next time I do beans I’m going to try them in the oven! Here is what he has to say if you want the skinny! http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-dont-soak-dried-beans-20140911-story.html
Benefits to Soaking Your Own Beans Verses Using Canned Beans
Legumes are a very versatile and inexpensive food. A 16 ounce can of beans or legumes can run from $.99 to over $2.00 which could be considered two servings. In comparison I purchased a twenty ounce package of mixed beans for $2.40 and made a pot of soup with ten servings.
Another great benefit is that canned beans and legumes may use chemicals to preserve them, while dried beans don’t. Granted the trade off is that you have to watch expiration dates more carefully.
Other Benefits of Legumes
Legumes aren’t just good to eat, they “are also good for the soil. They are adept nitrogen fixers, meaning that they pull nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil; this trait can help to restore soil that has been depleted of nitrogen by other crops. The plants are therefore often included in crop rotation, and sometimes planted along with various vegetables to ensure that the soil will not be stripped of its useful nitrogen.” http://www.wisegeek.org/what-are-legumes.htm So put some legumes in your garden this year!
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