Nutrition In Beans
More Information On Nutrition In Beans
Navy Beans - Like kidney beans, the caloric value of navy beans is quite high, a bit higher in fact. Total fat content is nearly double that of most varieties of beans, at about 4% of the recommended daily requirement. With a serving of navy beans, nutrition focuses on protein and dietary fiber. A serving of navy beans will give you nearly the total daily requirement of protein, and twice what you normally require as far as dietary fiber is concerned. Navy beans also provide a high percentage of iron (74%) and calcium (32%). It should be noted however that these values drop when the beans are cooked, but with other foods, or in greater amounts, Navy beans still provide a good supply of essential nutrients. Navy beans, when cooked, remain significantly greater in nutrients than is the case with cooked kidney beans.
French Beans – These are another variety with a fairly high caloric value per serving. The total fat content is about average across the bean spectrum, at just under 6% of the recommended daily requirement. As with the other bean varieties, French beans contain no cholesterol. They are somewhat lower in carbohydrates than other bean varieties, but as far as dietary fiber and protein are concerned, the nutrition numbers for French beans are high indeed.
What About Baked Beans? - Baked beans are nearly as common as cooked green beans in many households. They usually come out of a can, although at times are prepared in the home. Baked beans are often are accompanied by bits of pork or bacon. With baked beans, nutrition values fall somewhat, which may be expected. Fat percentage is higher, at around 20% of the recommended daily value, which probably isn't too bad in those cases where baked beans make up the complete meal. The levels of dietary fiber are still reasonably high, but you'll find lower percentages of carbohydrates and protein than is the case with other bean dishes. Baked beans are still a good source of iron.
Summary - It would appear, from the standpoint of nutrition in particular, and healthy eating in general, no matter what variety of bean you choose, you have a win-win situation. There are of course many more varieties than have been covered here. We've barely scratched the surface. It would appear that the only beans that are not nutritional powerhouses are baked beans, and they are still a very popular dish, giving you a good supply of calories and a decent supply of fiber. Most any of the beans will suffer nutritionally when cooked. Vegetables are generally like that. Rather than worry about all the good stuff that is drifting away when we cook beans, nutrition is still there and still plentiful. Focus on what's left in the pot and you'll see that it's still a very healthy food to take to the dinner table.
There do not seem to be numbers readily available for such things as a 5-bean salad or a 3-bean soup. Trying to figure out the nutrition numbers for these combinations probably would not be particularly easy. There would be too many other food items present to tell just what the contribution of the beans might be. The results might not be terribly important anyhow. It would be expected that what the beans contribute in dishes like these would be little different than what has been described here. Suffice it to say, bean salads and bean soups are delicious, and nutritious.