Driving Notes

Beans might be the super foods that get a bad rap. One article we read called them the ‘black sheep of super foods..”

But…beans offer a lot of nutritional benefit. Here are some tidbits from The Bean Institute – read the full article here.

Beans are a simply delicious, naturally nutritious food. We’re talking about dry edible beans, beans that are harvested when the beans are dry in the seed pod.

All types of beans—including black, cranberry, Great Northern, dark red kidney, light red kidney, white kidney, navy, pink, pinto, and small red—are good sources of protein, excellent sources of fiber, and naturally fat-free, sodium-free, and cholesterol-free. Many types are also good sources of potassium.

• Being rich in complex carbohydrates, as well as a good source of protein, beans have a low glycemic index.  This makes them an ideal food for the management of insulin resistance, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. (Foster-Powell, 2002; Rizdalla, 2002)

• Dry beans are rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers. (Tosh, 2010). Soluble fiber traps dietary cholesterol inside the digestive tract. The cholesterol is then excreted versus being absorbed, which helps to lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol, especially if LDL cholesterol levels were high to begin with.
  
• Dry beans also provide substantial amounts of insoluble fiber, which help attract water to the stool and keeps you regular.  This may help to combat constipation, colon cancer, and other digestive health conditions (Lanza, 2006).

• Most types of beans are good sources of potassium, a mineral that promotes healthy blood pressure levels.
  
• Beans are excellent sources of copper, phosphorus, manganese and magnesium—nutrients that many Americans don’t get enough of.
  
• Most types of dry beans are rich sources of iron, which makes them important for vegetarians and vegans who do not get an animal source of iron.
  
• Dry beans are an excellent source of the water-soluble vitamins thiamin and folic acid and a good source of riboflavin and vitamin B6.

Today’s Who Knew? Trivia to win a $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup:

According to the USDA, what state in the U.S. produces the most beans?

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

More super foods today, this week from the land of nuts! I personally love a handful of low-salt cashews in the morning to start my day, or as a snack when that mid-afternoon drag starts…

Here are some thoughts about the benefits of nuts for heart health from the Mayo Clinic:

Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet may be good for your heart. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients. And they’re a great snack food — inexpensive, easy to store and easy to pack when you’re on the go.

One drawback to nuts is that they’re high in calories, so it’s important to limit portions. But choosing nuts instead of a less healthy snack may just help you stick to a heart-healthy diet.

Research has found that people who are at risk of a heart attack can cut their risk by eating a healthy diet that includes nuts.

Research suggests that eating nuts may:

• Lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which play a major role in the buildup of deposits called plaques in your arteries
• Improve the health of the lining of your arteries
• Lower levels of inflammation linked to heart disease
• Reduce the risk of developing blood clots, which can lead to a heart attack and death

As a result, nuts can improve your heart health and lower your risk of dying early from heart disease and other causes.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd