Cooking for Health and Pleasure: Beans

Amanda Skidmore

Beans are well-known for their health benefits and have recently gained attention as a foundational component of the diet in “blue zones,” where people tend to lead especially long lives In fact, author Dan Buettner posits that “the cornerstone of a longevity diet is beans”

Not only are beans a good source of fiber, protein, and minerals, but they also taste good and can be a valuable addition to a hearthealthy diet. If you are not familiar with cooking beans, there are several ways to incorporate them into your meals. For instance, you can add a cup of beans to a soup, a salad or grain bowl, or in a burrito, taco, baked pasta, or casserole. If you enjoy hummus, a popular bean dip of pureed chickpeas, olive oil, and tahini, consider pureeing or smashing other beans to use as a , dip or spread While darker beans such as black brown, and red have slightly more antioxidants, white beans have a more neutral flavor Therefore, if you want the health benefits of beans but are a bit unsure about the taste, white beans can be a good place to start

Beans tend to have a better taste and texture when cooked from dried, versus canned. They are also most cost-effective when purchased dried, with a pound of dried beans yielding 3-4 cans when cooked. Cooked beans freeze well, so you can prepare a whole pound and freeze them in smaller bags for later use. However, if you don’t have the time or space to cook beans from scratch, canned beans remain a great alternative Do not let the lack of time or space stop you from experimenting with such a nutritious, tasty, and cost-effective food source!