Manganese and Beans -12,000 years of history and preparing them to avoid the wind factor.

This week the focus has been on Manganese a macro mineral that is rather overlooked as part of the chorus of nutrients that we need to be healthy. The stars that usually appear in nutritional information and articles are Calcium, Vitamin C and Magnesium. But without Manganese many of these headliners would be unable to sustain their role. Without manganese in our diet we would be at a higher risk of chronic diseases such as arthritis, asthma, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Including beans in your diet regularly provides you with 63% of your recommended daily requirement for this important mineral and if you eat plenty of green vegetables and berries with wholegrains; you will be unlikely to be deficient. You can check back with the other posts this week with the links provided. https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2016/02/24/mineral-of-the-week-asthma-and-the-link-to-manganese/

Beans.. One of the main staple foods in the world for thousands of years.

Mention the fact that you are an ardent bean lover and people automatically give you a wide berth. Unfortunately this very nutritious food group has developed a rather anti-social reputation over the years but prepared and cooked correctly beans can overcome their wind producing properties.

HISTORY OF THE BEAN.

There is evidence going back nearly 12,000 years that peas were part of the staple diet in certain cultures and certainly natives of Peru and Mexico were cultivating beans as a crop 9,000 years ago. It is likely that they were one of the first crops to be planted when man ceased to be nomadic and settled into communities.

There are many types of bean used as a staple food in different cultures around the world including Black beans, Chickpeas, Kidney Beans, Navy Beans and Soybeans. In Asia where consumption of soybean products is very high it is regarded as one of the best preventative medicines that you can eat.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEANS?

For anyone suffering high cholesterol levels, blood pressure, heart disease, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, Diverticulitis, colon cancer, diabetes or iron deficiency, beans are definitely on the healing foods list. One of the main health benefits of eating beans is their high fibre content.

Although fibre is not exactly up there on everyone’s favourite foods list it is extremely important to our overall health. Fibre is carbohydrate that cannot be digested and there are two types, water-soluble and water insoluble. Primarily water-soluble fibre comes from oatmeal, oat bran, nuts and seeds, fruit and legumes that include peas, lentils and beans. The insoluble fibre is mainly found in wholegrains, wheat bran, seeds, root vegetables, cucumbers, courgettes, celery and tomatoes.

Fibre acts like a vacuum cleaner, travelling through the blood stream and intestines collecting cholesterol plaque, toxins, waste products from normal bodily functions and anything else that should not be there.

Provided you do not pile high fat sauces and butter onto this group of foods they can be a very healthy aid to weight loss as fibre has no calories and the foods containing it are generally low in fat and high in nutrients.

WHAT ELSE IS IN BEANS THAT IS HEALTHY?

Beans are packed with nutrients as well as fibre including Vitamin B1 (thiamin) copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and tryptophan. The combination of nutrients will help boost your immune system, balance blood sugar levels, lower your risk of heart disease and help protect you against cancer.

Vitamin B1 (thiamin) is essential in the metabolism of carbohydrates and for a healthy nervous system. Every cell in the body requires this vitamin to form the fuel the body runs on, ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). Vitamin of the week B1

Copper is an essential trace mineral needed to absorb and utilise iron and also assist in the production of collagen.

Folate is a B vitamin essential for cell replication and growth. It is needed for our nervous system and heart health as folate helps lower homocysteine levels in the blood, a leading contributory factor in heart disease.

Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for bone, protein and fatty acid formation, forming new cells, activating the B vitamins, relaxing muscles, clotting blood and forming ATP. The secretion and action of insulin also needs magnesium as does the correct balance of calcium in the body. Mineral of the week Magnesium

Iron is an integral part of the oxygen-carrying haemoglobin in the blood, which is why a deficiency can cause fatigue and ill health.

Manganese boosts energy and the immune system and molybdenum another trace mineral helps detox the body of sulphites a commonly used preservative in processed food and one that many people have a sensitivity to. Also has many other health benefits including decreasing the risk of a number of chronic illnesses such as asthma, arthritis, bone density and diabetes.Mineral of the week – Manganese

Phosphorus  is essential for bone formation and production of red blood cells.   Also needed for the production of ATP fuel for energy. Small amounts are involved in most of the chemical reactions throughout the body.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that is critical in the manufacture of serotonin a neurotransmitter that affects our mental wellbeing.

PREPARING BEANS TO AVOID THE WIND FACTOR.

If you are not used to fibre then you need to introduce it into your diet over a period of days. This guideline particularly applies to eating beans, as people who eat them regularly seem to have less of a problem. There are a number of preparation and cooking tips to ensure that you receive all of the benefits and none of the more anti-social side effects.

1. Soak your dried beans for at least 6 hours before cooking. Change the water several times.
2. Put the beans in a large pot and cover with cold unsalted water usually 3 to 6 times the amount of beans. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Drain the beans after 30 minutes and replace the water. Bring back to the boil and then simmer.
3. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface of the water.
4. When the beans have softened add some salt, as this will bring out there flavour. If you add salt at the beginning of cooking it can make the beans tougher. If you are on a low sodium diet then be careful about how much salt you add or use and alternative.
5. When the beans are cooked you can prepare in a number of ways. Include in brown rice dishes; stir-fry with a little olive oil, seasonings and favourite spices.
6. A lovely way to eat beans is in a casserole with tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, carrots, potatoes, celery and vegetable stock.
7. Make your own baked beans with homemade tomato sauce and serve on jacket potatoes or on toast.
8. You can blend with other ingredients and make hamburgers, meatloaves and pates.

If you have a dish that contains beans that you could share with us – a recipe and a photograph then please send to sally.cronin@moyhill.com.. No hurry just when you prepare next time and I will post with your links.

You can find the previous posts on the featured vitamins and minerals in this directory.

Vitamins and Minerals of the Week

©sallygeorginacronin Just Food for Health 2009

 

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