Legumes and beans contain a wide variety of nutrients and are an extremely healthy and economical food. Not only are they high in dietary fiber, which helps to keep our bowels healthy. They are also a good source of soluble fiber, which can help lower blood cholesterol levels.

 

In fact, a meta-study concluded that Eating one daily serving (3/4 cup) of legumes can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by up to 5 percent. This is because the same serving provides around 10 to 15 grams of fiber, which is almost your entire daily recommended intake.

 

Interestingly, the combination of fiber and protein found in legumes helps to stabilize blood sugars while giving a steady supply of energy. This is especially important for vegans and those who seldom eat meat, and might get too little protein.

 

While, legumes are a staple of many diets in India, Mexico and other parts of the world, in the U.S. and Europe they are often overlooked. Many people believe that they have to prepare legumes themselves because the canned alternative is not healthy, but this doesn’t have to be beans case.

 

Just make sure you get the low-sodium varieties and rinse them well to wash away as much salt as possible. That way you get the majority of the macro and micronutrients of fresh beans without having to go through the hassle of preparing them.

 

Another option are dried lentils that are a lot quicker to cook than beans, and only take around 20 to 30 minutes. Unlike beans, they don’t have sulfur which means you cannot get any gas form consuming them.