Did you know that as reported in the Book of Samuel, beans were among the highly nutritious foods sent to feed King David’s hungry army and restore their strength for the hard times ahead? But how and why might beans have been so important?
We now know that beans are absolutely packed with soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL
and reduces blood pressure. That same fiber also helps keep blood sugar levels stable,
staves off hunger and has even been shown to reduce the insulin requirements of people
suffering from diabetes.
Important as they are to us today, they were even more important as a staple food in biblical
times. Beans are a wonderful source of protein as well as being packed full of vitamin C, iron
and dietary fiber. In the West, most of us get these either from other foods or from
supplements.
Beans were also easy for these early farmers to cultivate and could be made into purees and
pottages or a type of coarse bread. Another advantage was that they were easily dried and
stored for use during hard times.
Bible scholars say that the beans mentioned in the Bible were broad beans because these
were extensively cultivated throughout the countries of the eastern Mediterranean during that
period. They are known to have also been a popular food in Egypt.
Unlike our biblical ancestors, today there is a wide range of beans to choose from – red,
white and black beans, black-eyed peas or cowpeas, chickpeas, fava, kidney, lentils, lima,
split peas, pinto, white, Great Northern, navy and butter beans. All of them offer the same
kind of wonderful health benefits.
Beans help lower blood pressure and reduce the “bad” cholesterol that today’s research has
shown to be the cause of so much devastating heart trouble – a rarity centuries ago.
Beans also contain chemicals that inhibit the growth of cancer and help control insulin and
blood sugar levels so vital to the good health of diabetics. On a more routine level, beans
help prevent constipation. They can stop hemorrhoids and other bowel-related problems
from developing and help cure them if they do.
In those ancient times, beans and garlic were often boiled together, which produced a
primitive version of cough medicine that was said to stop even the most stubborn cough.
But you don’t have to eat beans morning, noon and night to receive the benefits. A cup of
cooked beans a day may be all that’s needed.
Even canned baked beans don’t lose all their therapeutic strength as a result of their
processing. One study found that a can of pork and beans could lower cholesterol levels by
an average of 12%. But beware, most canned goods also come packed in lots of salt.
Here’s a quick list of the power of beans:
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They are naturally packed with potent levels of plant protein.
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That same cup contains 6-7 grams of valuable fiber.
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They are low in fat and cholesterol free.
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They are high in potassium, iron and thiamine and low in sodium.·
God Bless!
Simone :)
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