Black beans are full of goodness, but fibre is probably one of the greatest assets of this awesome legume, given that the benefits to our digestive system are second to none. From one cup of cooked black beans your body gets around 15g of fibre, which is well on the way to the recommended daily intake of 25–30g per day for adults.
More specifically, although all legumes contain a certain amount of starch, black beans contain a large proportion of resistant starch. Resistant starch is a form of starchy fibre that can’t be digested in the small intestine, and passes through to the colon where it is then fermented by bacteria. This process of fermentation produces metabolites, shortchain fatty acids, gases and small amounts of organic acids and alcohols. These metabolites, particularly the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, are important food and energy sources for our enterocytes — the cells that line the gut wall, thus enabling them to perform at their best.
Not only that, these metabolites seem to have protective effects against DNA damage to the cells and the development of colon cancer, help to regulate metabolism, optimise the secretion of hormones and reduce the pH of the large intestine.
This story is from the Issue #29, 2020 edition of Eat Well.
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This story is from the Issue #29, 2020 edition of Eat Well.
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ARE YOU TO FU enough?
Love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion about tofu. Tofu is a very popular plant-based protein for vegans and vegetarians, but now this humble bean curd is starting to shine for meat lovers too as an alternative source of protein.
Sweet TRAYBAKES
Whether you want to feed a group of people or make a batch of treats for the week, traybaking is a no-fuss way to cook up something sweet and easy that will please everyone. Your family and friends will love you when you offer them some of our: cinnamon scrolls; fruity chocolate; espresso brownies; lemon & coconut slice; or ginger cake with brown butter frosting.
ROLL UP
When you roll food, whether in Lebanese bread, a thin pancake or whatever you choose, you can create a parcel of nutrition that is perfectly suited to your own tastes and needs. Here are some roll-up recipes that will suit every occasion including: mango, snow pea, & sprout rice paper rolls; oat crepes with coconut yoghurt & mixed berries; or beef meatball & tzatziki flatbreads.
RICE BOWL Lunches
If you are working from home, or even enjoying your weekend, and lunchtime rolls around but you have no plans for lunch, then a rice bowl is an ideal saviour.
PLANT-BASED PIES
Pies are a piece of gastronomic brilliance: a filling with a case and lid you can eat is food genius. The first pies date back to Egyptian times and there is a recipe for chicken pie that was carved into stone more than 4000 years ago. For millennia, however, the pie casing was mostly used to cook the filling, but for around 500 years or more we have been eating the pie crust too.
20 FOOD CRAVING HACKS
Decipher the deeper causes of your cravings and discover tricks to curtail them.
Eggplant (Solanum melongena L)
Eggplant is a wonderful option for vegans and vegetarians, extremely nutritious and highly versatile in the kitchen.
5 PANTRY SAVIOURS
Whether you're cooking a simple breakfast or something more exotic, here are five pantry food staples you should have on hand to cook plenty of delicious meals in the comfort of your own home.
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)
Cucumbers are delicious fresh but they also offer plenty more options in the kitchen.
Our Chefs
Meet the chefs who bring this issue's recipes to you: Lisa Guy, Georgia Harding, Lee Holmes, Sammy Jones, Raquel Neofit, Naomi Sherman and Ames Starr.
