Why Keep a Variety of Beans in the Kitchen?
There can’t be enough said about the nutritional value of beans in your diet. Beans happen to be rich in fiber, calcium, iron, folic acid, potassium, and protein. These nutrients have the power to fuel your body and reduce your chance of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, while inspiring you to feel energetic and light on your feet.
What Beans Should You Choose at the Store?
Just like there are several amazing fruits and vegetables you can choose from, there are a wide variety of beans from which you can benefit. Some of them include:
- Black Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Pinto Beans
- Green Beans
- Garbanzo Beans
- Cannelloni Beans
- Fava Beans
- Navy Beans
- Fat-Free Refried Beans
Put simply, there is no limit as to how you can prepare and enjoy this wide selection of beans.
When shopping for fresh beans, it is important to find a place that has good turnover. Beans that are not fresh tend to be very tough, even when fully cooked. Since old beans bear no physical differences from new beans, it is important to use fresh and dried beans soon after buying them.
If this seems like a problem, then the alternative to this is to buy canned beans. Canned beans have a much longer shelf life than fresh and dried beans. These beans are also very easy to prepare. Just open the can and enjoy! The one caveat to solely using canned beans is that canned beans contain high amounts of sodium. Look for canned beans that are marked as low sodium, as this is a better option.
In the case that you need to eat canned beans, you can wash them to eliminate some of the sodium.
