{"id":112,"date":"2025-05-02T15:16:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T15:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/?p=112"},"modified":"2025-05-02T18:59:29","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T18:59:29","slug":"add-beans-to-boost-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/add-beans-to-boost-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Add Beans to Boost Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Beans and legumes often take a backseat in the average American diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re starting to get the attention they deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new report from the United States Department of Agriculture’s advisory committee recommends increasing the weekly intake of beans and lentils to at least 2.5 cups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This suggestion isn\u2019t just about adding variety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s part of a push to prioritize plant-based proteins over red and processed meats in dietary guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time, beans, peas, and lentils are being highlighted as primary protein sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nuts, seeds, and soy products follow suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meats, poultry, and seafood are taking a lower spot in the recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This shift reflects growing awareness of the nutritional power of beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Yet, most Americans are still far from meeting even the current goal of 1.5 cups per week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beans and legumes offer a wide range of health benefits that make them worth including in your meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are packed with protein, fiber, folate, and antioxidants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of these nutrients contributes to better overall health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber is essential for good digestion and weight management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antioxidants like polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These properties may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beans also contain soluble fiber, which helps lower LDL cholesterol levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This type of fiber also supports blood sugar management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their resistant starch acts as a prebiotic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This prebiotic promotes a diverse and healthy gut microbiome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From an affordability standpoint, beans are often more budget-friendly than animal protein.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes them a practical choice for many households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to which beans to eat, there\u2019s no need to limit yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Red lentils, black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans all have unique nutritional profiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing a variety not only keeps meals interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It also ensures you benefit from the different nutrients each type provides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adding beans and lentils to your meals is easier than you might think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chickpeas can be tossed into salads, soups, or roasted for a crunchy snack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kidney beans work well in chili or cold salads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Black beans can be paired with rice or used as a meat substitute in pasta sauces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

White beans are versatile too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can be saut\u00e9ed with garlic and olive oil or tossed into pasta dishes with vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even hummus, made from blended chickpeas, is a simple and delicious way to incorporate beans into your routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If cooking beans from scratch feels daunting, canned options are convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canned beans are just as nutritious as dried beans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing low-sodium brands can help keep your meals healthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who may struggle with the digestive effects of beans, it\u2019s okay to adjust your diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beans aren\u2019t for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s important to listen to your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of beans and lentils are worth exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re just one piece of a balanced diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiment with different varieties and recipes to find what works best for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incorporating these powerful plant-based foods can improve your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can also bring a new dimension of flavor and nutrition to your meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beans and legumes often take a backseat in the average American diet. They\u2019re starting to get the attention they deserve. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=112"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127,"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/112\/revisions\/127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/youraquasculpt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}