Tea for wellness, water for wellness—these have been hot topics in recent years. But the humble bean is not to be outdone. In recent years, supermarkets have seen a growing variety of beans, expanding from the original trio of soybeans, mung beans, and red beans to over a dozen varieties like black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas. These beans, each with its own unique appearance, also possess different "special skills," captivating bean lovers and making them keep coming back for more.
Beans can be prepared in many ways
"At our home, we often use all kinds of beans to make soy milk. Black soy milk and mung bean milk are the most common," Ms. Zhu, who was selecting black beans in a supermarket, told reporters. "However, large kidney beans don't make good soy milk; they are more suitable for soups or stews. Adding some beans makes the broth less greasy." "My family eats mixed grain rice every day, combining rice, millet, and various beans, with a different mix each day. I've heard beans are nutritious, so the elderly should eat more," said another, Aunt Wang. According to sales staff interviewed in multiple supermarkets, soybeans are currently the best-selling in the market, followed by red beans. The consumption of mung beans is lower in the north than in the south, while black beans are catching up and are popular with consumers of all ages.In fact, many countries around the world have the tradition of eating beans for wellness. In Japan and South Korea, black beans are eaten for weight loss and to lower blood lipids. In the United States and Mexico, red and white kidney beans are king; these beans easily absorb the flavors of other foods, making them perfect for stews, and they also provide a feeling of fullness, which aids in weight loss. In fact, bean products are rich in nutrients like protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron, making them excellent choices for health and wellness.
Two types of beans, very different功效 (efficacy)
Depending on their nutritional content, dried yellow, red, and mung beans, as well as fresh peas and cowpeas, are generally what we refer to as beans. Beans seen in the market can be divided into soybeans and other beans. Soybeans mainly include soybeans, green beans, and black beans, while other beans mainly include peas, lentils, mung beans, cowpeas, and broad beans.Soybeans are relatively high in protein. Among them, soybeans have the highest protein content, accounting for 35% to 45% of their total nutritional content, with a total protein content higher than that of meat. They are also rich in B vitamins; the content of vitamin B1 and B2 is more than twice that of flour. Additionally, soybeans are rich in minerals and fats. Their calcium content is higher than that of common grains, and they also have high levels of trace elements like iron, manganese, zinc, copper, and selenium. Eating some soybeans daily can help prevent osteoporosis and improve the body's immunity. The bean sterols and unsaturated fatty acids they contain help reduce fat. Combined with their very low calorie content, they can aid in weight loss and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Furthermore, bean products are rich in vitamin E and lecithin, which is essential for the brain and liver. They have a significant effect on delaying aging in women and alleviating menopausal symptoms.
Stewed with meat, nutrition is more complementary
Unlike soybeans, other beans like red beans, mung beans, broad beans, peas, cowpeas, kidney beans, and lentils have a higher starch content and are known as starchy dry beans. The starch content of these beans can be as high as 55% to 60%, so they are often classified as grains. Starchy dry beans are also relatively high in B vitamins and minerals, comparable to soybeans. Among them, mung beans are excellent for preventing summer heat and are particularly effective for relieving chapped lips and mouth sores. They can also protect the eyes, making them brighter and more beautiful. Snow peas have a sweet and mellow taste, contain large amounts of vitamins A and C, and have the highest amino acid content among all beans, making them most effective for beauty and skincare.Although bean products are nutritious, eating beans requires some consideration. Different people, different seasons, and different cooking methods can affect the absorption of nutrients. In spring, you can eat more green beans, which are good for nourishing the liver. In summer, eat more mung beans to prevent summer heat and cool down. In autumn, eat more white lentils and snow peas to aid digestion. In winter, eat more black beans for a significant kidney-tonifying effect. The elderly might try cooking congee with red beans, which is easy to digest and nourishes the blood and strengthens the spleen. Cooking congee with white lentils and coix seed or yam can help children's digestion and is very good for the stomach. Additionally, stewing beans with meat allows their proteins to complement each other, not only improving nutrition but also removing grease and greasiness. It's worth mentioning that at this time of year, you can wrap beans in a clean wet towel, water them daily, and once they sprout, their nutritional value will be even higher.
Although bean products are nutritious, colorful, and delicious, they are not suitable for everyone. Patients with gastritis should try to avoid soybean and broad bean products to avoid stimulating gastric acid secretion and causing gastrointestinal bloating. Patients with severe peptic ulcers should also not eat too many, as the large amount of dietary fiber in beans can cause mechanical damage to the gastric mucosa.