Positive aspects of beans

  1. Beans are dried seeds. Seeds contain everything necessary for new life, therefore they are rich in nutrients.
  2. They are high in fibre, this feeds the healthy bacteria in the gut.
  3. They are less expensive.
  4. They are easier on the environment than other crops.

Negative aspects of beans

  1. Beans contain a high amount of carbohydrates, most of which are starch, therefore turn to sugar rapidly, which can feed unhealthy bacteria in the gut and the sugars can be problematic for diabetics. BUT beans also contain “resistant starches”, it doesn’t get broken down and goes into the intestines and acts like fibre and feeds the healthy bacteria.
  2. Beans contain lectins. Lectins can stick to RBCs, promote clots and inflammation, linked to leaky gut and autoimmune disease. BUT fermented beans can reduce the harmful effects of lectins. With fermentation, bacteria break down and digest lectins, making them less likely to cause harm. Fermented beans include natto, miso, tempeh.
  3. Incomplete protein, meaning they don’t contain all of the amino acids that the body needs.

Cautions:

Careful with canned beans, as cans can be lined with BPA (Bisphenol A), a hormone disruptor. Canned beans can contain a high amount of sodium. BPA-free cans can contain BPS and BPF which are more potent and potentially harmful than BPA. Look for organic, low-sodium beans that are either dry or stored in jars.

Peanuts are legumes. I don’t recommend peanuts as they contain a toxin called fungus aflatoxin which is a toxin, carcinogen and fungal promoting.

We don’t need beans to survive, all the nutrients and fibre that beans contain can be obtained from vegetables. If you do consume beans then consume a maximum of 1/2cup of beans per day.