Often (unfairly) overlooked in the typical American diet, beans are something of a nutritional-and economical-powerhouse. Some studies have indicated that they could actually reduce the risk of developing certain chronic diseases, such as colon cancer. They can also help lower your cholesterol, which is one of the leading causes of heart disease.

Beans are delicious not only as a side dish but with a few additional ingredients, can create a hearty meal. With the wide range of varieties available, just about anyone can enjoy this inexpensive and healthy addition to their diet.

Nutritional Value of Beans

Depending on the type of beans you eat, you can get a lot of nutritional value from the addition of beans to your diet. Some of the benefits to eating beans include:

• Low calorie
• No cholesterol
• Low fat
• Promotes digestive health
• Relieves constipation
• Good source of fiber
• Provides protein
• High in (good) carbohydrates
• Provides essential B vitamins
• Source of Iron

The really great thing about beans is their versatility. You can eat them in a number of ways, including raw or cooked. They can also be ground into flour or curdled into tofu. They make a nice addition to meals like soups, salads and chili.

Most beans are available either canned or dried. Virtually every type of dried bean there is, can be found in a can. Canned beans are much faster and easier to use. However, dried beans are much less expensive.

Determining which type of bean is better might come down to which is more important to you; convenience or cost? If you need to quickly throw something together, canned beans work great. But if you are looking to stretch your dollar a little further, then dried beans are best.

While preparing dried beans takes time with soaking, cooking and seasoning, you can get much more for your money with them.

Common Types of Beans

There are hundreds of varieties of beans available. Some of the common types of beans include:

• Kidney Beans - These beans are shaped like kidneys and come either as regular kidney beans (which are maroon colored) or in light red and dark red kidney bean varieties. They are often used in chili, or in Southern cuisine and rice dishes.
• Pinto Beans - Pinto beans are pinkish but take a brownish hue when cooked. They are a staple of Mexican dishes. Pinto beans are used to make refried beans which can be a side dish or used in meals like tacos and burritos.
• Roman Beans (Cranberry) - This type of bean is spotted tan and red and is oval in shape. It is used in many Italian dishes.
• Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) - These beans are beige with an almost circular shape. They are often used in Middle Eastern cuisine and are the most popular basis for hummus.
• Black-eyed Beans (Black-eyed Peas) - These white beans have black dots and are used in many Southern dishes.
• Navy Beans - Unlike the name, they are actually small white oval-shaped beans used to flavor salads and soups.
• Lima Beans - These plump, slightly curved beans are pale in color and come in small or slightly larger sizes. They are used in casseroles and soups.
  

Refried beans or frijoles refritos is a popular side dish that can be topped with cheese or used in other foods like tacos, enchiladas and burritos. Refried beans are never actually refried. To make them, all you have to do is sauté 1 chopped onion or a bit of minced garlic in 1 tablespoon canola oil or lard, until the onion is translucent. Add 2 cups cooked or canned pinto beans. Mash the beans and then continue cooking until they thicken up. You may need to add a little bit of water or broth to the mixture.

Soaking Dried Beans

If you want to switch from canned beans to dried beans, you need to know how to soak dried beans. If you soak beans for just a couple of hours, you will bring them back to life. This boosts their nutritional value as it activates minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. There are some other great reasons to make the switch from canned beans to soaking dried beans:

• Saves you money
• Salt-free so you eliminate all that sodium
• Free from preservatives
• Taste better
• Environmentally friendly and reduces the need to recycle
• Greater variety of beans to choose from
• Greater control over how firm or mushy your beans are
• Takes up less space in your kitchen/pantry

Soaking beans is pretty effortless. There are two ways that you can do this. Before soaking your beans you need to rinse and sort through them, eliminating any blemished beans or pebbles.

If you are short on time, they can be soaked on the stovetop. Put the dried beans into a pot and fill with water. You need enough water to cover the beans and then some. Boil for two minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand for one hour. Drain and they are ready.

Storing Beans

Unopened packages of dried beans can be stored up to a year in a cool, dark space. Of course, with time, they do end up losing some of their natural moisture so it will require a longer cooking time. However, they will not lose their nutritional value.

If you open a package of dried beans, the unused beans can be stored in plastic bags or containers, tightly sealed.

Adding Beans to Your Diet to Boost Your Health

If you want to eat healthier, begin incorporating more beans into your diet. Since beans are hearty and can be used in virtually any type of dish, you might even try doing a meatless meal a couple times a week.

For a quick, healthy meal you can cook up some beans, sprinkle your favorite spice over them and serve it with a plate of rice or on your favorite salad. If you want to be a more frugal cook who adds nutritional value to their meals, then beans are a great choice, no matter which variety you add to your kitchen repertoire and pantry.