Beans

In wild-growing form, beans are not found. It is a fully cultivated plant. They are grown everywhere in the Mediterranean, as well as in America, India and Afghanistan and in other countries. In Russia, beans have been known since ancient times, when Yaroslav the Wise ruled the state. And invariably they served as one of the main foods in the diet of our ancestors.

Currently, beans are cultivated in our country almost everywhere. There are a great many types of beans (about 100), by purpose they can be divided into two groups: feed beans and food beans. The second species is also called horse beans. This is due to the fact that they were previously used in veterinary medicine to treat horses.

The benefits of beans

The benefits of beans have also been proven for human health. Beans are the main sources of plant protein, so they form the basis of vegetarian nutrition. For the same reason, beans are necessary for young children, at their age protein helps the growth and formation of body cells. The benefits of beans are obvious, primarily because they lack fat, generously contain fiber, iron, vitamins B, C, PP, provitamin A (better known as carotene) and trace elements essential for human health, such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sulfur. In addition, beans include molybdenum, which is known as a component of the enzyme that neutralizes dangerous preservatives, so common in the modern era of fast food. The beneficial properties of beans are manifested in their ability to remove harmful cholesterol and reduce blood sugar levels. Beans help to remove salts of heavy radioactive metals from the body, so these vegetables are indispensable for residents of cities and ecologically disadvantaged areas.

Including beans in the diet is not only healthy, but also pleasant. They have an oily structure and a unique taste that vaguely resembles the taste of a nut. The calorie content of beans is one and a half times lower than that of potatoes, and is 57 kcal. 100 gr. Beans can be eaten at any stage of maturity, they are also perfectly stored in an arid state.

People use beans in many and many dishes. They are added to soups, second courses, salads. From beans, nutritious flour is obtained, used to make bakery products, the nutritional content of which is truly amazing. In many European countries, unseeded bean seeds and their green pods are preferred. They are prepared in a wide variety of ways. Particularly good are the buttered beans combined with various varieties of cheese.

Harm to beans

However, the rules for cooking beans should be observed: incorrectly cooked beans can cause poisoning, since the toxic substances included in their composition are destroyed only during long-term heat treatment. This is the main harm of beans. It is also not recommended to use them for people suffering from gout.