All About Beans

Legumes – seeds of legumes – the main sources of protein of plant origin. Also an excellent source of protein for vegetarians are nuts, seeds and cheese. Legumes in combination with grain serve as the basis for vegetarian nutrition. The benefits of beans are that, along with a high protein content, they are low in fat, they are rich in fiber and iron, B vitamins, and useful minerals.

Beans contain 25-40% of high-grade protein, and therefore their main value lies in the ability to easily replace meat products. Beans are the most important product not only for vegetarians, but also for those people who are contraindicated in the meat diet for health reasons. For better assimilation of beans by the body, as well as reducing cooking time, it is necessary to soak them in water for a while (preferably at night) before cooking, and combine the finished bean dishes with tomatoes, lemon juice and herbs.

Since beans contain a lot of dietary fiber, they are extremely useful for normalizing the intestinal tract, as well as for the prevention of diseases of the stomach, cardiovascular system and kidneys. If you regularly use bean dishes, this will lead to lower cholesterol and blood sugar.

The calorific value of many cereals and legumes is approximately similar. But protein in bean products is much more, they are valuable precisely for this reason. Legumes are necessarily included in the diet of vegetarians, just because they contain a lot of vegetable protein. For example, peas, beans and lentils are almost a quarter protein, and soya are one third. If you do not adhere to the principles of vegetarianism, legumes are recommended to be used as a side dish with animal protein. Plant and animal protein mutually improve the body’s absorption of both. According to nutritionists, legumes should be 8-10% of the diet. Legumes are used at almost any stage of their maturation. “Milk ripeness” of many cultures is very appreciated for its taste. Due to its high fiber content, legumes are very satiating and retain a feeling of satiety for a long time.

Bean cooking rules:

• during cooking it is forbidden to add cold water (hot can be used),

• if you want to add an acidic product (for example, tomatoes), add them at the end,

• salt is also better at the end of cooking.

The selection of legumes is huge. Peanuts, which are usually considered nuts, are actually legumes. In addition, everyone’s favorite chocolate and cocoa are made from cocoa beans. The cheaper and more popular types of legumes in our country are lentils, beans and peas. Typically, legumes are used to make soups, mashed soups and salads. In addition, legumes are used to make side dishes. Peanuts are very popular in Chinese cuisine, and it serves there as a side dish – either to pork or chicken.

It is common and convenient for everyone to use green peas and corn in the preparation of salads. Many types of beans are indispensable for the diet, they can be seen on the table of any family. Green beans are very useful, it does not even require a long heat treatment. Russian cuisine is most appreciated and used by peas for cooking. In addition to cereals and soups, on the basis of peas, a very tasty and healthy jelly was cooked. Caucasian cuisine has an abundance of bean dishes, in their diversity they are not inferior to the Mexican menu. In Georgian, beans are called lobio. Lobio is cooked both spicy and spicy, as well as a cold snack. And Ukrainians are very fond of bean pies. Oil is also produced from legumes. Soybean oil is ideal for frying, it is used for salads, for a variety of pastries. Soybean oil, like any other vegetable oil, is a useful and valuable product.