Beans!!!

lilly · Site Admin

BEANS!!! YAY!!!

Embarrassed to eat beans? Or embarrassed to have to deal with the effect caused by beans?

Few tips how to cook beans without being afraid:

In order to reduce gas causing sulfur compounds in beans, I soak organic beans overnight cooking them next day by bringing them to a boil for about 2 minutes. Then I drain them, bring fresh water to a boil and then add the? greatest? the wonderful, the best BEANS!!! I repeat this procedure one more time and then I leave them to boil slowly until tender. I add one or two carrots and when the beans are cooked I discard the carrots as they absorb bean?s toxins.
No embarrassment I promise!

Lilly

Beans - Benefits:
http://www.bellybytes.com/bytes/beans.shtml
Prevents constipation
Helps hemorrhoids
Lowers cholesterol
Combats cancer
Stabilizes blood sugar
Beans, a well-known member of the legume family, are sometimes called the "poor man's meat" because they are a cheap way to get protein.

Besides being high in protein, they have almost no fat. And here is another great benefit - they are packed with fiber to keep you regular and to keep your cholesterol and blood sugar down. The even contain a lot of phytochemicals - antioxidants that can help prevent cancer.

Despite their star quality, many people shun beans. In fact, the more modern a country is, the less likely its people are to eat beans. Bean consumption is often directly related to income, with richer people eating less. And as you probably know, legumes are famous for their ability to cause gas. Between their image as a food for poor people and the gas issue, beans have a serious public relations problem!

But nutritionists are trying to get the word out that you can eat beans and have friends, too. You can easily reduce the amount of gas the legumes produce by changing the water a few times while you are boiling them. Another alternative is to add a product called Beano to legumes after cooking. A few drops are all it takes to make them "wind free".

Serve Vitamin C with Beans
Beans are a good source of iron, but the type of iron - nonheme - is not easily absorbed by people. Eating food high in vitamin C, like citrus fruits, dark leafy vegetables and tomatoes, can help you absorb more of the iron. Plus, it is a great way to squeeze more fruits and vegetables into your diet.

Three Ways Beans Keep You Healthy
Conquers Constipation and Heals Hemorrhoids
Constipation is not only uncomfortable, it can cause hemorrhoids and diverticulosis, a weakening of the walls of the intestines caused by compact stools and straining. Eventually the weak walls form little pouches that can trap digested food and become infected. This can cause terrible pain and leave scar tissue that leads to even more constipation.

Hemorrhoids form when pressure causes your veins to stretch out of shape. Varicose veins are also linked to constipation, since straining to pass dry stools can put enough pressure on your leg veins to make them leak. In modern societies, all of these problems are common. Many people live with chronic constipation, never realizing that a change in diet could rid them of the problem for good.

But in parts of the world where people eat lost of plant food, like legumes, constipation and the diseases it causes are very rare. That is because the cell walls of plants cannot be digested, which means lots of fiber to keep stools ready for a quick, painless exit. Adding a delicious meal of rice and beans or black bean soup to your weekly menu could help keep you far from constipation and the diseases it causes.

Flushes Out Cholesterol
Beans are good for your heart. If you eat them instead of a fatty meat, you have put a good dent in your daily glob of cholesterol. And they fill you up without a lot of calories - only 225 calories in a one-cup serving. And the heart-smart work of beans does not stop there. The fiber in legumes is like a bouncer for some big, bad cholesterol particles. Some of these thugs get shown to the door before they can do any damage to your arteries or heart.

Cuts Your Cancer Risk
What you eat could be a life or death decision. That is because diet is linked to more than 30 percent of cancers in North America. But diet is something you can control. Research shows that people who eat red meat can lower their risk of colon cancer by eating legumes three times a week or more. More research needs to be done, but scientists are focusing on substances in legumes called lignans and phytochemicals - natural cancer fighters.

Pantry Pointers
Uncooked beans are easy to find at the grocery store and the simple cooking directions are on the bag. Just remember to change the water you boil them in a few times. Canned beans are just as nutritious, and you only have to warm them up. But there is one drawback -- the added salt. You can get rid of some salt by rinsing the beans in a colander before heating.

Try combing different types of beans for a cold salad. Black beans mix nicely with Great Northern Beans and kidney beans. Add low calorie vinaigrette dressing for a cool summer salad.

A Word of Caution
Several varieties of beans, especially red kidney beans, are poisonous in their raw state. The beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, which is toxic to people and animals. But soaking beans in water for a least five hours and cooking them in fresh water for at least ten minutes will destroy the toxins.

Beware of cooking beans in crockpots that do not get hot enough to boil water. Some beans are actually more toxic if they are heated to about 175-degrees, but not boiled.

Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea and stomach pain within one to three hours after eating. Although most people recover within a day, some might need to be hospitalized to replace lost fluids.
Lilly
http://www.natures-blessings.org/orgoneProducts.htm

lilly · Site Admin

One of my favourite beans recipe:

Beans salad

INGREDIENTS
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 celery sticks chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup organic apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (I like to add more as it aids with heavy metal detoxification)
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, cellery and spring onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, salt, garlic, cilantro, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables and mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Enjoy and stay healthy!
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