Bean Nutrition Facts, Calories
Satiety Power

Written by Diet Bites

Calories in Beans, Bean Nutrition, Benefits of Beans in the Diet

Do Your Know Beans About Dieting?

"George loves eating fava beans with his lamb."

How beans can help you lose weight, their nutritional value; delight the bean in your diet!

Packed with fiber, an excellent source of carbohydrates, iron rich - beans are a stellar food when it comes to dieting.

Satiety Power! A single serving has the power to tame your appetite for hours.

Why is that? Why will beans keep me feeling fuller for longer unlike other foods like a hard piece of candy or a slice of bread?

Because beans are packed with dietary fiber content as well as a good dose of protein. Both work in perfect harmony to keep the body feeling full for longer periods of time; it's called 'Satiety Power'.

A one-cup serving of 'Pinto Beans' has only about 240 calories. Serving size is typically one-half that amount. This leaves room for a square of golden cornbread smeared with a serving of reduced fat margarine.

Add a cup of skim milk for another 100 calories, a side salad consisting of leafy greens and chopped tomatoes with a serving of light salad dressing and we've got a meal fit for even King George. A meal that will stick with our tummy for a long while to come.

Powerhouse of Vitamins & Minerals, Dietary Fiber for Fighting Heart Disease

Beans are not only filling, they also contain nerve-soothing B vitamins, more than 2/3 of a day's folate requirements, a good dose of fiber that we mentioned along with their iron-rich health benefits.

There's more!

A study has indicated that men who included pinto beans and other high-fiber foods in their diet obtained as much as a 60-point reduction in their total bad cholesterol. Talk about heart healthy.

Reducing cholesterol is key in conquering heart disease.

Eating beans as well as other foods that are rich in dietary fiber is an enjoyable method for protecting the body against potential heart disease - at minimum, cutting the risks.

Some other varieties of beans to try are green beans, wax beans, soybeans, miso beans, winged beans, yard-long beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lima beans, pink beans, French beans, Great Northern beans, Broadbeans, black beans, garbanzo beans, jumping beans (huh?) - the list is almost er....endless!

Low Calorie Values in Beans

Take note that green beans as well as wax beans contain far less caloric content as their big boy cousins.

A medium can of green beans contains about 60 calories, and that's typically for 2.5 servings. Green beans as well as yellow wax beans won't produce the satiety powers of pinto beans, Navy beans, Adjuki beans, Northern beans, black beans and other beans in this species.

Speaking of black beans - they are so delicious and work well with so many healthy recipes. I purchase them cooked, in a can. Simply drain the beans using a small strainer until they are clear of bean juice. Drain off all the water used amid rinsing.

Black Beans, Serving Suggestions

Some serving suggestions for black beans include:

- Add to whole corn. The black beans add a beautiful color to the corn. You can also add a bit of chopped pimento or chopped bell peppers of the red and green varieties.

- Add to your gourmet salad recipes.

We enjoy the following salad quite often in our house with low calorie salad dressings: mixed chopped greens such as lettuce and baby spinach, chopped or cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, grilled chicken, black beans, a few dried cranberries, a teaspoon of chopped walnuts.

You can add a few slices of avocado for a burst of flavor and it's a much healthier option over cheese.

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