From extra fibre to lowering cholesterol: The incredible benefits of beans

They may have a bit of a reputation for making people gassy, but that’s no reason to cut them out of your diet.

In fact, beans are nutritional powerhouses jam-packed with protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and high level of antioxidants. And even better, they’re a low cost addition to, or star of, a filling meal!

Speaking to Starts at 60, Brisbane-based nutritionist Alessandra Trovato explained that beans’ many varieties – whether they be fava, kidney, soy, chickpeas or lima – can be incorporated into both sweet and savoury dishes.

The powerful nutrients in beans offer many health benefits, she added, including the prevention of heart disease and diabetes.

“Beans contain good amounts of protein, b vitamins, fibre, iron and potassium,” Alessandra explained. In fact, a small serving of beans (1 cup) has been shown to lower cholesterol levels by up to five per cent, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.

Read more: The best supplements for a healthier heart

On top of being high in fibre, most beans also score low on the glycemic index (GI) – a ranking of foods based on how they affect blood sugar.

“If you suffer from diabetes, beans are a great food to include in your diet to help control your blood sugar levels,” she said.

Beans such as kidney, garbanzo, pinto, soy and black are considered to have a low GI. “They also promote a steady and slower rise in blood sugar levels which in turn creates a more sustained energetic feeling throughout the day,” Alessandra added.

Beans are also very filling, which means that one serving can keep you feeling full between meals, ultimately boosting weight loss.

While it’s easy to fall in to the same old pattern with beans – boiled with a little oil or butter? Alessandra said they can also be made into a variety of dishes and used as a great substitute for meat. She recommended adding them into pasta sauces, soups and salads, or baking them into delicious desserts:

• Add them to your breakfast – create hummus with chickpeas and avo on toast. Or include beans in an omelette.
• Add them to your pasta sauces – white beans to tomato sauce or even pesto sauce.
• Add them into soups such as minestrone, back bean or lentil soup.
• Add them into salads – chickpeas in a Greek salad.
• Spread them on sandwiches – swap mayonnaise for hummus.
• Bake them into desserts such as healthy brownies or cakes.
• Add beans to tacos instead of meat or use half the portion of meat and then the remaining half as cooked black beans. 

Do you enjoy eating beans? How do you cook with them?