LOW COST, HIGH NUTRITION
Perhaps one of the most versatile foods available, legumes are also some of the most nutritious. Some of the most popular legumes include pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, great northern beans, lima beans, chick-peas, green beans, green peas, and peanuts, including peanut butter. While very inexpensive, legumes offer many health benefits and are readily available in most grocery stores. Legumes are high in fiber, protein, folic acid, potassium, iron and magnesium and contain little or no cholesterol.

A HIGH FIBER FOOD
With the exception of bran cereal, legumes contain more soluble fiber than any other food. The American Heart Association, along with other organizations, has recommended that adults consume between 25-30 grams of fiber each day but studies show that only about 5% of the population eat the recommended amount. Most legumes will contain approximately four to eight grams of fiber per one cup serving. Legumes such as pinto beans, lima beans, kidney beans, and navy beans can have as much as 11 to 15 grams of fiber while split peas and lentils contains over 15 grams per one cup serving. This abundance of soluble fiber helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels and keeps glucose levels well regulated. This not only helps in controlling diabetes, but stable blood sugar also helps in weight management. A diet high in fiber also promotes a healthy digestive tract and has been determined to reduce the risk of some cancers, especially colon cancer.

LOW IN SATURATED FAT AND HIGH IN PROTEIN
Most of the fats in found legumes are a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and they also provide the best plant-based source of concentrated protein. Just one cup of lentils provides 17 grams of protein with only .75 grams of fat. This is about the same amount of protein in two ounces of lean sirloin steak but with six times less saturated fat and cholesterol. By substituting legumes for foods that are high in saturated fats, like meat, you are likely to lower the risk of both cardiovascular disease and diabetes. While legumes are not complete proteins like meats, they can be eaten with complementary foods like whole grains to provide a complete source of the required amino acids necessary for building proteins.

A HIGH ENERGY FOOD SOURCE
Because legumes have a low glycemic index, they have the ability to provide energy over a sustained period of time by being slowly released into your blood stream. Legumes are also complex carbohydrates which further provides for a healthy, even source of energy throughout the day, making you less hungry and less likely to take in additional calories.

Below is a list of some of the most common legumes and their fiber content:

• 1 cup Black Beans, cooked – 14.92 grams

• 1 cup Green peas, cooked – 8.84 grams

• 1 cup Kidney Beans, cooked – 13.49 grams

• 1 cup Lentils, cooked – 15.64 grams

• 1 cup Lima Beans, cooked – 13.16 grams

• 1 cup Navy Beans, cooked – 11.65 grams

• 1 cup Pinto Beans, cooked – 14.71 grams

• 1 cup Split Peas, cooked – 16.27 grams

Contributing Editor: Becky Bullard

Tagged as: Fiber, Healthy Eating