If you decide to improve your nutrition and get rid of unhealthy foods in your diet, then this is the right step. Especially if you’re going to cut out industrially processed foods that can’t even be called food. But when it comes to whole foods, primarily plant foods, the principle applies here: the more varied, the better. It is for the variety of the diet that I constantly call. After all, a plant-based diet is not limited to carrots and potatoes, as many believe.
For two months I almost did not cook food, which really depressed me ? Therefore, after returning to Moscow, I spend a lot of time doing this activity and I understand that I cook a lot of legumes: bean and pea soups, lobio, side dishes. I think this is a very “winter” food. That’s why today I want to write about my favorite legumes: beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, mung bean!
I recommend buying them from these links: organic peas, organic red lentils, chickpeas, mung bean, organic black beans.
Many people deliberately avoid them or simply do not think about what they should be included in the diet. This is very bad, because studies have shown that legumes:
- help to slow down the aging process,
- contain powerful antioxidants,
- lower blood pressure
- contribute to the prevention of cancer,
- help lower cholesterol levels,
- reduce food cravings,
- saturate with energy and help fight excess weight,
- improve the intestinal microflora,
- destroy fungal infections.
If you don’t eat legumes, try to reconsider your attitude towards them, and I’ll tell you more about why.
Helps slow down the aging process
Have you heard about red wine and the longevity of the French? It turns out that wine contains the component resveratrol, which is able to prevent DNA damage that leads to aging. Some legumes also contain resveratrol in amounts comparable to wine. Record holders among them are black beans and lentils.
Contains powerful antioxidants
The damage caused by free radicals affects the skin, immune system and brain. As we know, antioxidants, such as blueberries, green tea, turmeric, and pomegranate, are rich in antioxidants that help prevent this damage. Legumes contain as many or even more antioxidants than these and other foods. In addition, beans provide us with unique antioxidants that help block the enzymes that lead to weight gain and diabetes — alpha-glucosidase and lipase. Legumes rich in these antioxidants include mung bean and adzuki beans.
Help lower blood pressure
Several studies have been conducted to find out if adding legumes to the diet helps to normalize blood pressure. All results showed that beans can significantly reduce systolic (“high”) and diastolic (“low”) blood pressure. The study studied legumes such as pinto beans, common beans, peas, and black beans.
Helps Prevent Cancer Development
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in adults after cardiovascular disease. The most common cancers in adults are breast, liver, colon, prostate, and stomach. Legumes have been shown to dramatically reduce the risks of all of these cancers. In addition, an extract from legumes called IP6 is currently being studied as a possible cancer-fighting drug.
Helps lower cholesterol
Just one serving of beans each day can help lower dangerous cholesterol enough to reduce your risk of heart disease by 25%.
Help Fight Food Addiction
Have you ever struggled with cravings for sweets or junk food? Legumes help reduce these cravings and promote healthy eating habits.
They are a powerful source of energy and help fight obesity
In a recent study, 35 obese men were randomly assigned to four diet groups for eight weeks, one of which was rich in legumes. Before and after changing the diet, scientists assessed men’s weight, body tissue composition, cholesterol levels and metabolic rate. Among the participants in the high legume intake group, health improvements such as significant reductions in fat mass, lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and increased rate of energy production were noted in the eight weeks.
By the way, I’ve already written about one of the lifestyle features of centenarians around the world – they eat legumes every day!
If you’ve decided to eat legumes more often, here are some of my favorite (and VERY simple) recipes:
Hummus
Beet hummus
Red bean soup
Quinoa and Black Bean Soup
Lentil soup
Lobio
Lentil salad
Lima beans with tomato sauce
String beans