14 part SuperFood discussion:Part 1-beans

I have decided to write a 14 part series about 14 different super foods to help increase your nutrition and improve your diet with these different foods and easy steps.  This blog series is based off the book called "SuperFoods RX" by Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews and complete with my own thoughts and additions.

Day 1-Beans
serving recommendation: about four 1/2 cups a week.

• Beans are often an over looked part of the diet but are very cheap, have many nutritional benefits, and come in a wide range of types (lima, garbanzo (chic pea), black, pinto, lentils, and even green beans).
• They are a good source of "low-fat protein". "For example, 1 cup of lentils provides 17g protein with only .75g fat. Two ounces of extra-lean trimmed sirloin steak has the same amount of protein but six times the fat". He goes on to talk about how beans are not a complete source of protein due to the fact that it has only 1 amino acid (lysine) however this is an important amino acid most vegetarians are missing and also this lack of other amino acids is made up by other super foods in the diet.  
• They have many vitamins and nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, iron, potassium, magnesium, and others.  
• Beans are known for helping your heart but they also help your blood sugar, help fight obesity, and even some evident of helping prevent some cancers.  
• Buying the dried whole beans in the bags generally give you a little more nutrients than the canned beans, but you must be careful.   Old beans will not cook and are not good for you.  You can tell the beans are older if they have a lot of powder. 

Different ways to eat:

• I love to make stir fries and put garbanzo beans in them, I also put them in salads.  I love putting black beans in salad too.  
• A vegetarian chili with black and pinto beans is great, or add some ground turkey and tomato sauce!
• any type of tomato based soup with lentils or other beans. 
• baked beans are good too, just avoid the high sugar and salt counts. 
• This may seem weird but I put beans and tuna.  

feel free to comment with questions.