Could You Have Chronic Active EBV infection? Take our quick quiz to see if you might be at risk...

Take the Quiz!

28-Day EBV Video Challenge

Daily challenge with one 10-15 minute video emailed to you each day

View

Black Bean Soup

Jump to recipe

More and more people are interested in black beans for their health benefits. It turns out that they have been used for hundreds of years in many different cuisines, they contain many important nutrients, and they bring many different health benefits. Dishes based on black beans come in many forms, but according to some experts, it is best to consume them as part of a soup. In addition to black beans, the black bean soup contains many other useful ingredients like garlic, celery, dried parsley, cumin, turmeric, and marjoram. Now let’s check the health benefits of black beans.

Health Benefits of Black Beans

Black beans are native to America and are often called a nutrient powerhouse.

First of all, black beans are an excellent source of high-quality fiber. This makes them great for people who want to lower their cholesterol levels, decrease toxicity, and move bowels regularly. In addition, the fiber is here to stabilize glucose levels and maintain a good level of energy all the time, and as such is beneficial for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.  Another thing that is worth mentioning is that, unlike meat, black beans provide no-fat protein. The high level of fiber in it will make you feel sated for many hours. Thus, black beans are great for the waistline too because they keep people sated and speed up metabolic processes.

The special dark color of black beans comes from the presence of anthocyanin. This natural pigment is responsible for the high number of health benefits. For instance, it supports the improvement of eye vision. Additionally, it improves the circulatory system and keeps people safe from degenerative processes associated with the process of aging.  A few recent scientific studies have confirmed that black beans contain at least eight different kinds of flavonoids with great antioxidant properties. Some of these phytochemicals can protect us from cancer. In a large Nurses’  health Study II of more than 90 thousand nurses, thise with the highest intake of beans or lentils significantly reduced their breast cancer risk. Because they contain folate, B6 and magnesium, they support your heart. B6 and folate also help keep homocysteine in check, further protecting us from heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

Black beans are very nutritious and healthy and you can use them to prepare bean salads, stews, and soups.

How to Cook Beans Properly

There are many people who are not sure whether they should presoak black beans or not. It’s good to mention that there is no definite answer to this question. Many experts point out that presoaking allows many of the compounds that cause flatulence to be eliminated. However, other experts highlight the fact that this presoaking will not only wash away these useless (and potentially problematic) compounds, but it will also eliminate many helpful nutrients too. What is known for sure is that the resistant starches that improve digestion will still be there, so it is up to you to make the right decision.

Black beans can be cooked in a pressure cooker or in a simple pot on a stove. Before placing them in a pressure cooker or a pot, wash them carefully and check for small stones. After that put them in a big pot and cover them with fresh water (a few generous inches above the black beans). Once you bring them to a boil, lower the temperature and keep a simmer. Add 1 to 2 bay leaves and skim the grayish foam until it is gone. Do not salt until fully cooked or the skin will harden. Rinse them once cooked. I like to cook up a lot of beans at a time and then freeze them in zip log bags for future use.

Now that you know how useful black beans are and how to prepare a black bean soup, it’s time to try preparing a soup like this. Enjoy!

Looking for more recipes with functional nutrition benefits? Follow me on Pinterest!



Eat Well. Look Great. Feel Spectacular. Naturally!

0 Comments

No comments yet

LEAVE A COMMENT

If you want to transform your life, if you want health and wellness, if you want peace of mind, there isn’t a better investment than working with Kasia.~ Beth