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Using Food As Medicine (2) The Humble Legume

Posted on 02.03.2010 : Authored by Te Laston

If you have read the first article in this series, I discussed the almost magical properties of the onion. Some of you may be thinking of the issues of bad breath etc, but on balance I would prefer 'bad breath' over 'bad blood' any time. In any case, there are always breath fresheners and gum, and if you want to keep it natural, you can always chew a dried clove bud as some people do. That by the way, is a folk remedy for toothache also.

The next wonder food with medicinal-like properties is none other than the humble bean. That obviously includes varieties such as fava, soya, black, navy, pinto and many others. A half cup of cooked beans in your daily diet can have a wide range of positive effects such as the following:

- Lowering LDL or the least desirable cholesterol

- Prevention of problems in the bowel

- Lowering of blood pressure

My preparation of beans in my daily diet varies quite a bit. For canned beans, I sometimes eat them straight out of the can with maybe something like low-salt soy, or ketchup sauce or even chickpea paste to enhance their flavor. Another way is to include them in my stir-fried noodle and vegetable recipes.

Rotating their presentation like this can prevent this humble food from being boring.

Yet another way, is to soak dried beans until they are soft, heat them up and add some of your favorite flavoring. As a note of caution, there is some research studies reporting that canned beans may not be ideal for diabetics. As I always say, your doctor's advice is invaluable when making changes to your diet or exercise regime.

I hope you can see that this is yet another food substance that is cheap to buy, needs no special cooking skills, and yet has such far-reaching benefits, for weight control and general health.

If you want to read up more on this wonder food, UCLA have had studies done on beans and it will have a more comprehensive coverage of their benefits. You could access this at public libraries or via the Internet.

Related Topics :: Diet And Nutrition