These Are a Powerhouse of Nutrients and Health Benefits

These little yummies are a real wonder. They have a ton of fiber, minerals, and vitamins not to mention protein. They're good for heart health, lowering cholesterol, and may even improve blood sugar and a number of other things. They can help us lose weight and they have an incredible shelf life. Legumes are an important part of human nutrition, packed with many of the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy and energized. They’re versatile and easy to incorporate into meals. Their long shelf life also makes them ideal to have on hand in the event of an emergency. What's not to love?

Lower Blood Sugar

Legumes, which include beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils and peanuts, are packed with fiber and low on the glycemic index. High-fiber foods help control blood sugar spikes by slowing digestion. This makes legumes a great dietary choice for everyone but especially for people who have trouble regulating blood sugar levels. Consider adding more legumes to daily meal plan to help keep blood sugar in check.

Improve Heart Health

Eating legumes can improve heart health by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition to their fiber content, legumes are also rich in potassium and magnesium, and all of these assist in controlling blood pressure. Eating a cup of legumes a day can notably reduce both systolic and mean arterial blood pressure.

Replacing red meat with legumes just twice a week could significantly improve bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well. The antioxidants in some beans may also improve heart health by reducing systemic inflammation. Additionally, the dietary fiber, resistant starch and oligosaccharides they contain may improve gut flora, which could provide additional heart-protecting anti-inflammatory properties.

Lose Weight

Looking to lose a few pounds? Try increasing your legume consumption. Because they’re high in fiber, research has found they help you feel fuller longer. This may reduce snacking after meals.

Legumes are also high in protein, and they don’t contain any saturated fat. Legumes contain chemical compounds that can affect levels of certain hormones in the body, some of which may benefit dieters. For example, consumption of beans can reduce leptin levels, and lower leptin levels may improve appetite regulation.

Reduce Cancer Risks

Legumes contain numerous healthy compounds that may help the body fight cancer. Beans are rich in polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that improve your health at the cellular level — and the darker the beans, the more antioxidants they contain. Some legumes feed strains of beneficial gut flora that produce metabolites with additional anti-cancer properties.

Perfect for Stocking Up

Dried legumes stored properly in an airtight container can last a year or longer on a shelf, and there’s no evidence that long-term storage reduces any of the nutritional value. Legumes are also versatile. They make a great addition to soups, stir-frys, curries and even work beautifully on their own. Enjoy beans in chili, or make your own burritos. Add hummus to the menu or enjoy a curry with chickpeas.

Keep bags of dry beans, split peas and lentils in the pantry, just in case. Make enough split pea, bean or lentil soup to store in the freezer. Keep cans of other types of legumes, like chickpeas, to throw in with pasta dishes and salads, and keep peanut butter on hand for quick sandwiches.

Ideal for Meatless Mondays

Legumes are an ideal protein option for vegetarians and vegans. You can combine legumes with any type of grain, such as rice or bread, but the myth of needing a "complete protein" has been dispelled. Enjoy beans as a great way to get away from eating so much meat, but don't stress about combinations. They provide plenty of plant-based, readily available protein just as they are.

Legumes are a versatile and nutritious food choice that can stretch meals and last a long time in storage but more than anything they're great because they provide an incredible amount of nutrition and boast many health benefits as a result. Have fun playing around with different combinations and finding new uses for legumes in favorite meals. You could lower blood sugar, reduce cancer risks, gain better control over cholesterol and blood pressure, and possibly even lose a little weight in the process.

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