Beans, beans, the musical fruit…. You’ve probably heard the silly rhyme. As it turns out, beans are not a fruit or a vegetable. They are legumes, or seeds, from a family of plants that produces seedpods. Legumes include beans, lentils, some types of peas, and peanuts. When we refer to beans in the legume family, we’re talking about all types of beans (kidney, pinto, black, garbanzo, etc.) except the vegetable green bean.
What’s so great about beans? They are cheap and healthy. Many people have tight food budgets in this challenging economy. Beans are inexpensive, shelf-stable, and full of nutrients. With research studies supporting a plant-based diet for healthy diabetes management, beans are a great addition to your meal routine.
Bean Nutrients
While the nutrition facts vary a bit among types of beans, all beans are packed full of nutrients. For example, ½ cup of black beans contains 8 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, significant amounts of iron and potassium, and only 1 gram of fat. It also contains 21 grams of carbohydrate. That’s right; beans contain both carbohydrate and protein.
Beans and Diabetes
Since beans have both carbohydrate and protein, where do they fit in a diabetes nutrition plan? Remember that beans are high in fiber. Your body doesn’t digest fiber so not all of the carbohydrate from beans will be turned into blood sugar. Additionally, the protein will slow down the digestion of beans. These factors give beans a low glycemic index, meaning they are unlikely to cause a spike in blood sugar. Several research studies have shown that beans can be helpful in managing diabetes as well as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
You still need to account for the carbohydrate in beans if you take insulin or are on a carbohydrate-counting plan. If you use the plate method for diabetes, the beans take up space in both the carbohydrate and protein sections.
Cooking Beans
You can buy dried beans and cook them yourself by boiling them in water based on the packaging directions. This allows you to control the amount of salt added to your beans. If you are short on time, canned beans will work just fine. You can remove some of the sodium if you drain and rinse them.
Beans can be eaten cold or hot. Whether you cook them yourself or buy them canned, it is easy to add beans to dishes such as salads, soups, tacos, casseroles, and more. They are also a great finger food for kids. Get some ideas from this Cooking Light article with 21 meals that start with a can of beans: //www.cookinglight.com/budget-friendly/meal-starter-can-of-beans?slide=312957#312957
Beans and Gas
…. The more you eat, the more you toot. If gassiness prevents you from eating beans, don’t give up yet. Beans are high in fiber and fiber is not digested by our body. If your normal diet doesn’t contain much fiber and occasionally you eat a large amount of beans, or any other food high in fiber, it is going to cause gas. Your digestive tract needs time to adjust. Start with smaller portions of beans and add them to your diet more frequently so your body can get used to the fiber.
A second tip is to drain and rinse canned beans. Not only does this reduce the salt, it also removes some of the carbohydrates from the bean liquid that are likely to cause gas.
Getting Started with Beans
Next time you do your meal planning, consider including beans as a low-cost part of a healthy diet. With so many varieties, you’ll be sure to find one that you like. Use this guide from The Daily Meal to determine which type of bean is the best fit for your favorite recipes: //www.thedailymeal.com/cook/heres-your-guide-every-type-bean-and-best-recipes-them-0/slide-17
It is important to get the recommended amount of each food group without going over your daily recommended calories. Keep in mind that the amount you should eat to maintain your weight depends on your age, sex, and level of physical activity.
Daily intake amounts listed in terms of cups or ounces may not actually translate to cups or ounces of the food you are eating. This is because some foods are denser than others, and some have more air or contain more water. For example, in the vegetables food group, 1 cup of raw spinach and 1/2 cup of cooked spinach both count as 1 cup-equivalent because they have the same nutritional value. Cup-equivalents and ounce-equivalents help you understand the different amounts of foods from each food group that you should eat.
Main food groups
Vegetables
Vegetables come in a wide variety of colors, flavors, and textures. They contain vitamins and minerals, carbohydrates, and are an important source of fiber. The vegetable food group includes dark green vegetables, red and orange vegetables, starchy vegetables, and legumes (beans and peas).
Dark green vegetables include broccoli, collard greens, spinach, and kale. Red and orange vegetables include acorn squash, carrots, pumpkin, tomato, and sweet potato. Starchy vegetables include corn, green peas, and white potatoes. Other vegetables include eggplant, beets, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, celery, artichokes, green beans, and onions. Legumes include black beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), kidney beans, soybeans, and tofu. Legumes can also be counted in the protein foods group.
1/2 cup-equivalent of vegetables equals:
1 cup uncooked spinach
6 baby carrots
1/2 cup cooked kidney beans
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 large (3-inch diameter, 3-3/4 inch long) red pepper
1/2 cup cooked green beans
See more foods in the vegetable group.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest. It is found in many foods that come from plants, including vegetables, beans, and peas. Eating fiber-rich vegetables can help prevent stomach or intestinal problems and lower cholesterol.
Fruits
Fruits bring color, flavor, and important nutrients to your diet. There are so many choices — citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits; different kinds of berries; fruits that grow on trees, such as apricots, cherries, peaches, and mangoes; and others like figs, grapes, and pineapples.
According to the Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 30.6M), older Americans generally do not eat enough fruit. Adding more fruit to your diet can have significant benefits for overall health. Fruits, like vegetables, contain carbohydrates and provide extra fiber that helps keep your digestive system moving. For even more fiber, eat fruits with the skin on — just make sure you wash all fruits thoroughly before eating. Although 100% fruit juice also counts toward this category, at least half of the fruits you eat should be whole fruits. When purchasing frozen, canned, or dried fruit, choose options that are lowest in added sugars.
1/2 cup-equivalent of fruit equals:
1 small piece fruit, such as a 2-inch peach or large plum
1/4 cup dried fruit
1/8 medium cantaloupe
1/2 cup 100% orange juice
1/2 medium grapefruit
1/2 cup grapes
See more foods in the fruit group.
Do you wonder how many vegetables and fruits you should eat at a meal? Look at your plate. Vegetables and fruits should fill up one-half of the dish.
Grains
Any food made from wheat, rye, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or other cereal grain is a grain product. This includes bread and pasta, breakfast cereal, grits, tortillas, and even popcorn. Grains — along with fruits, vegetables, and dairy — contain carbohydrates, the body’s main source of energy.
Read food labels to find grain choices that are low in saturated fat and added sugar. Be especially wary of options labeled “low-fat,” which can be high in added sugar.
At least half the grain foods you eat should be whole grains. Whole grains provide iron and many B vitamins, and they have fiber, too. Examples of whole grains include whole wheat, whole oats, whole bulgur (also known as cracked wheat), and whole cornmeal.
Some grain products are refined, which gives them a finer texture and a longer shelf life but removes fiber and nutrients. Most refined grains are enriched, which means that some nutrients are added back after processing. Examples of refined grain products include white flour, degermed cornmeal, white bread, and white rice.
1 ounce-equivalent of grain equals:
1 slice bread
1 small (2-1/2-inch diameter) muffin
1 cup breakfast cereal (flakes, rounds, or puffed)
1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
3 cups popcorn
1 small (6-inch diameter) corn or flour tortilla
See more foods in the grain group.
Protein foods
Proteins are often called the body’s building blocks. They are used to build and repair tissues, and also help your body fight infection. Your body uses extra protein for energy. Older adults should try to eat a variety of nutrient-dense proteins. Choose lean (low-fat) meats and poultry. Keep in mind that you can also get protein from seafood, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, and soy products. Protein from plant sources tends to be lower in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol, and provides fiber and other health-promoting nutrients. Plant sources of protein, such as nuts and seeds, have different nutritional value than plant-based meat alternatives, which can be heavily processed and high in sodium.
The Dietary Guidelines (PDF, 30.6M) recommend that you eat 8 to 10 ounces per week of a variety of seafood, not only for the protein but also because seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, which are good for your heart. Seafoods that are higher in EPA and DHA include salmon, anchovies, and trout. These seafoods are also lower in mercury, which can be harmful, than other types of seafood.
1 ounce-equivalent equals:
1/2 ounce nuts (12 almonds, 24 pistachios, or 7 walnut halves)
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/2 cup split pea, lentil, or other bean soup
1/4 cup tofu
1 egg
2 tablespoons hummus
See more foods in the protein group.
Are you confused about whether to count beans and peas as vegetables or protein foods? Consider these as vegetables if you regularly eat meat, poultry, and fish. Count them as proteins if you are a vegetarian or vegan or if you seldom eat meat, poultry, or fish.
Dairy
Consuming dairy helps older adults maintain strong bones and provides several vital nutrients, including calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. For your heart health, pick from the many low-fat or fat-free choices in the dairy group. These give you important vitamins and minerals, with less fat. Certain fortified dairy alternatives can provide similar nutritional content to dairy.
1 cup-equivalent of dairy equals:
1 cup yogurt
1-1/2 ounces hard cheese, such as cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, or Parmesan
1/3 cup shredded cheese
1 cup milk or calcium-fortified soy beverage
2 cups cottage cheese
1 cup pudding made with milk
For individuals who choose dairy alternatives, fortified soy milk and yogurt — which have calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin D added — are included as part of the dairy group and have nutritional content similar to dairy.
Other plant-based milks (for example, almond, rice, coconut, oat, and hemp milks) may contain calcium, but are not always fortified with the vitamins and minerals present in dairy. Look out for added sugars in dairy alternatives — reading the label can help you choose unsweetened or low-sugar options.
See more foods in the dairy group.
Other foods
Some foods are not in any of the main food groups. These include oils, which can be eaten regularly as part of a healthy diet, as well as unhealthy fats, sugars, and calories from drinks, which should only be consumed occasionally. There is no recommended daily intake amount in cups or ounces for these products. Limiting the calories you consume from this category can help keep your healthy eating habits on track.
Oils & solid fats
Oils are high in calories, but they are also an important source of nutrients like vitamin E. For older adults, the daily allowance of oils ranges from 5 to 8 teaspoons, depending on activity level. Oils contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are healthy fats that give you energy and help the body absorb certain vitamins.
Measuring your daily oils can be tricky — knowing what you add while cooking or baking is one thing, but oil is naturally a part of some foods.
Teaspoons of oil:
1/2 medium avocado has 3 teaspoons of oil
4 large ripe olives have 1/2 teaspoon of oil
1 tablespoon of peanut butter has 2 teaspoons of oil
See more oil equivalents.
In general, try to use oils instead of solid fats, such as butter or lard, which are high in saturated fat. Saturated fats occur naturally in some foods, but they are also added to foods such as baked goods and potato chips. To lower the saturated fat in your diet, eat low-fat or fat-free dairy products, choose cuts of meat with less fat, and remove the skin from chicken. Reading the Nutrition Facts label can help you keep track of how much saturated fat you consume.
Added sugars
Beverages
Coffee and tea. Drinking coffee or tea barely provides any calories unless you add sugar or cream, which are not nutrient-dense and should be consumed in moderation. Be cautious when ordering drinks from coffee shops because these are often loaded with extra sugars and fats.
Sweetened beverages. Examples of beverages that often have added sugars are soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened waters. Most sweetened beverages do not contribute to meeting food group goals and often contain a high number of calories.
Alcohol. Alcohol is not nutrient-dense and is not part of the healthy eating patterns recommended in the Dietary Guidelines. If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation, defined as one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men.
Calories from sugars, saturated fats, and drinks can add up quickly. As these foods provide no nutritional benefit, they should only be consumed on occasion and in limited amounts.
Read about this topic in Spanish. Lea sobre este tema en español.