Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat, the more you…
Actually, that part has never been true for me. No tooting here from beans.
What is true is that beans have become a daily staple in my healthy eating plan. My goal is 25 grams of fiber per day, and the easiest way I know to get there is by eating beans. Black beans and pinto beans are my favorites from the legume family. I also enjoy lentils and split peas, though they are a bit lower in fiber. And edamame makes a great snack. All of them are terrific sources of protein.
Most mornings I eat a cup of black beans for breakfast, paired with cottage cheese and wild blueberries. That one cup of beans provides about 15 grams of fiber, which makes the remaining 10 grams much easier to pick up throughout the day. Black beans, in particular, are rich in protein, antioxidants, folate, and magnesium, in addition to all that fiber. They also support heart health and help with blood sugar control.
As I continue this series on things I can live without, I am putting beans firmly in the “prefer not to live without” category. We all know by now that everything on this list is technically something I could live without, so this is really about preference. Of everything I have considered so far, beans probably come the closest to something I truly could not live without, at least not for very long.
My updated list:
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Vehicle (KEEP)
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Cell phone (KEEP)
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Computer (KEEP)
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Printer/Copier (KEEP)
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Kitchen “stuff” (KEEP)
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Sentimental keepsakes (KEEP)
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Pets (Live without, eventually)
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Plants, garden and inside house plants (KEEP)
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Beans (KEEP)
Joe has been eating beans for decades. They are in his lunch every day and in most of his evening meals. He also eats plenty of other foods that are good for you, lots of fruits, vegetables, and healthy grains. For the past 14 and a half weeks, I have been eating like Joe, and my body loves it. Joe likes to say, “You have come over to the dark side.”
This morning, my brain loved it too. Thanks to Coach Becky’s guidance with manageable macro balances and a reasonable amount of activity, I have now lost 30 pounds and a similar number of inches. I especially appreciate calling it “activity” instead of “exercise.” The best part is that I am not hungry, I enjoy what I eat, and I have more energy than I have had in a long time.
So yes. Beans, beans, the magical fruit.
The more you eat, the healthier you feel.
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