THOMPSON: In praise of The Musical Fruit, the lowly bean

  OPINION Those who know me at all, know that I am an inveterate foodie. While I made my living as a journalist, speechwriter and advertising/public relations executive, for more than a half-century I have also pursued the preparation and appreciation of great food, relentlessly. I sharpened my culinary skills at the Cordon Bleu School in London, the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and Napa Valley, and Cucina d’Italia in Tuscany. On my own, I learned the ins and outs of German, French, Spanish, Cuban, Mexican, Caribbean, Creole/Cajun, and Southern U.S. cooking, among others. There are certain foods that cross all cultures…for example, the bean. Beans rarely get the respect of people…even foodies. Beans are culinary’s Rodney Dangerfield. In Italy, folks in Milan and Venice openly speak of Tuscans as “mangiafagioli”…bean eaters. It is not intended as a compliment. But, let me assure you, there are few foods more flexible, more versatile, more nutritious, lower in fat and less expensive…than the lowly bean. But, here, today…beans get their due. A diet that includes beans - they’re actually legumes because they grow in pods - improve overall health, as well as decreasing the risk of heart disease, diabetes and a host of cancers. Beans are actually a fruit…botanically…but everyone, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, consider them vegetables. Everyone over the age of five, of course, knows “Beans, Beans, The Musical Fruit" or "Beans, Beans, good for your heart" and the respective second lines about how beans cause flatulence. There is truth to these playground rhymes…largely due to oligosaccharides…a carbohydrate. But gassiness aside, a wide range of studies show that eating beans regularly decreases total cholesterol and especially more harmful LDL cholesterol. Not only that, beans reduces blood sugar spikes that normally occur after eating meat-heavy diets. A study of more than 15,000 people people found those who ate a diet rich in beans gained less weight and carried less belly fat. Your gut is loaded with bacteria that help protect against chronic illnesses…type 2 diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. Your gut needs fiber, too, and beans are loaded with fiber. The good bacteria in your gut breaks down fibre…producing short-chain fatty acids…which boost immunity and lessen inflammation. Conversely, bad bacteria loves sugar…which is the best reason to decrease sugar and increase fibre in your diet. And yet, most people - especially in North America - don’t eat many beans. Personally, I believe folks shy away from beans because they know only one or two ways to cook them. If your best memory of beans is your mom’s tiresome pork and beans or beanie weenies…I understand the reluctance. Let’s take a quick tour of bean world. Black beans are a favourite of mine. They cook to a creamy white on the inside…even though they retain a black exterior shell. Those of us who are carnivores and omnivores find them, well, especially meaty. The folks from Central and South America and the Caribbean have included black beans in dishes for thousands of years. If your repertoire of black beans recipes runs only to a dip for chips, you’re missing a lot of good stuff. I use them in my chicken enchiladas, chilli, tacos, as well as soup, and a Cuban favourite…black beans and rice. A doctor friend, as well as my search on the Mayo Clinic website, confirm that black beans are rich in protein and fibre, with healthy amounts of calcium, folate, iron, potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. Black beans also have choline, a nutrient that helps your brain and nervous system uses to regulate mood, memory and muscle control. Finally - and not insignificantly - I can attest that black beans are tasty. Kidney beans might be one of the more popular beans in North America…both the red ones and white ones, also known as cannellini beans to those who cook Italian cuisine. The red kidney beans have a stronger taste and to me…a tougher skin. Cannellini beans are milder…and in my Tuscan beans with stewed tomatoes and garlic or Ribollita soup recipes…sublime. I won’t venture too far into the chilli with beans or without debate…but I’ve never been a fan of red kidney beans in chilli. Actually, I prefer pinto beans, which are tastier and better textured for chilli. Pintos are another delightful choice for a number of great entrees and salads. Pintos are used in a lot of Mexican, Spanish and Tex-Mex cuisine, including refried beans, burritos, soups, tacos and quesadillas, among other dishes. Eating pintos - just a half cup a day - for a month lowers total and LDL cholesterol significantly. Now, for no apparent reason, here are some facts about beans that I guarantee neither you nor few others know. The tallest bean plant grew to 46 feet, 3 inches. North Dakota grows one-third of all the beans grown in the U.S. Bean soup has been on the U.S. Senate Dining Room Menu every day for the last 117 years. There are lots of bean choices - I didn’t mention Great Northern, Chickpeas, Soybeans, Lentils, Limas, Favas - and while they vary in what nutrients they provide…they are all healthy and should be in everyone’s diet. — Don Thompson, an American awaiting Canadian citizenship, lives in Vernon and in Florida. In a career that spans more than 40 years, Don has been a working journalist, a speechwriter and the CEO of an advertising and public relations firm. A passionate and compassionate man, he loves the written word as much as fine dinners with great wines. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. 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