Beans are cheap, nutritious and super healthy, all the more reason to celebrate National Bean Day this month. Beans come in many varieties. They are packed with protein and fiber while low in calories. They are also exceptionally high in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Bean are among the most weight-loss friendly foods you can eat because they are high in fiber and protein, but low in calories which can keep you feeling full for longer.
Beans may help reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering you LDL (bad) cholesterol. They may also help people with type 2 diabetes because they have high fiber and a very low glycemic index.
I am sure you are familiar with the beans we can buy at the grocery store like pinto beans, navy beans, lima beans and kidney beans, but did you know there is a whole other category of beans called heirloom beans? I had no idea until I saw a show about them recently.
Heirloom beans have been handed down from generation to generation. They are produced by nature and have been cultivated by world cultures through thousands of years. They are untouched by genetic science or modern technology. Today there are over 10,000 known varieties of heirloom beans and legumes.
There are actually farms in our country that specialize in growing heirloom beans. One such farm is called Zursun Idaho Heirloom Beans which was founded in 1985 and is the original company to offer heirloom beans and legumes worldwide.
I took a tour of their website and was truly amazed at the variety of beans they have. Some of the names are Orca, Rattlesnake, French Soldier, Yellow Eye and Tongues of Fire. There are descriptions and interesting facts about each one.
They also have a recipe tab that has ways to cook the different varieties which of course you can buy on line, but I did notice that Central Market carries their line too.
I think you would enjoy a visit to their website. Click here to get there.
– Becky Lynn is a writer for EllisDownHome.com. She and her husband Bob enjoy spending time with their 8 grandchildren and traveling. Becky loves cranking up the music and heading to the kitchen to try out new recipes or cook for an upcoming party. She is passionate about continuing to be a life-long learner!
