Nigerian brown beans are what most Nigerians expect when one mentions beans. You can find them at your African/ethnic grocery stores usually called ‘african beans
Beans are a major source of protein -the protein content in Nigerian brown beans is higher than that in the common black eye beans- and a good source of soluble fiber which lowers your cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar. They're great for heart health, too. Beans are also high in folate (folic acid) which can help protect against many health problems including heart disease and stroke and they are rich in blood building iron, vitamins B6 and B1, as well as potassium (for healthy heart and nerves), selenium (for great skin and chemical processes in the body), and other vital minerals.
Women in their child-bearing years and pregnant women are advised to take folate supplements and eat folate-rich foods to prevent birth defects and congenital disorders. Folic acid was shown to help people over 50 with short-term memory and cognitive function
Dietary fibers makes beans give a "filling" effect, that a little amount gives you a great sense of satiety. This is a desirable effect for weight loss, as you will not need "a lot" of servings to feel satisfied. High dietary fiber also means that you get the bulk effect needed for good bowel function, meaning you should have less problem with constipation, and many other bowel disease.
They are also a fantastic choice of energy for diabetics. Other Protective Ingredients. African brown beans is very rich in many ingredients that helps in protecting us against diseases such as cancer
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This is a great blog Emese. I like that you mentioned diabetics as this is a major issue in Nigeria (and in the Nigerian diaspora) today. Most of Nigerian food was 'developed' when we were way more physically active. However now that we have assumed a more sedentary lifestyle in front of computers, we have kept a lot of the classic starch-based foods.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of Weight loss (or diet control generally) from the Naija food perspective is a much required. Thanks. Good read.
Dear Ade,
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. As my husband is Nigerian I know a lot about health issues in the country. Diabetes, heart disease etc. certainly need more attention. The aim of this blog is to discuss these issues and everything that is not clear in Nigerian diet. I eat a lot of Nigerian food as well and I'm also highly interested in dietetics so I'm trying to analyze the type of foods we eat. Happy to help.:)
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ReplyDeleteVery good points you wrote here..Great stuff...I think you've made some truly interesting points.Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteWeightlosstop