Beans, Beans, the Magical Food

Despite the childhood rhyme, I’m doubtful anyone ever believed beans qualified as a fruit. But are they magical? Perhaps…

Growing up in a small Midwestern town, the only beans I remember devouring were either in chili, smothered in brown sugar and ketchup as baked beans, or covered in cream of mushroom soup and fried onions (aka green bean casserole). My mom made lima beans and always asked us to eat one spoonful of every vegetable on the table. I did as she asked, but I found them so disgusting I swallowed them whole with a tall glass of milk.

After college, beans became a part of my regular diet. Maybe my taste buds had changed? Maybe my exposure to new varieties and recipes opened my eyes? Perhaps it was my short-term love affair with cheap Mexican food as a poor college student? Maybe it was all of the above. Either way, beans of all shapes and sizes, including lentils and peas, are now some of my favorite foods.

Should you add more beans? Beans are an excellent source of iron, folate, protein and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. According to the AICR, just one half-cup provides as much fiber as two cups of cooked oatmeal. Adding beans is not the right decision for everyone undergoing cancer treatment, so consider the following tips first:

• If you are fighting constipation, fiber-filled beans may be your best friend.
• If you are having diarrhea or excess gas, hold off for now.
• If beans do not taste good, and you are not having any nausea or reflux, experiment with salt, sugar, pepper, hot sauce, garlic, vinegar or any other seasoning you prefer.
• If preparing dried beans requires too much energy, try using rinsed, canned beans instead or purchasing microwaveable bean dishes in the freezer section.
• If you find meat, fish and/or poultry does not taste good, beans make an excellent protein-rich meat substitute.

No matter what your taste buds are telling you, check out these recipe for new ideas using beans and lentils:

• AICR’s vegetarian recipes
• Registered Dietitian and Breast Cancer Survivor Diana Dyer’s cancer fighting recommendations.