The United
Nations (UN) declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. A “pulse” is the
edible seed of certain legumes such as dry beans, peas and lentils. Pulses were
chosen, according to the UN, to “heighten public awareness of their
nutritional benefits as part of sustainable food production aimed toward food
security and nutrition.”
Cooked dry
beans are an excellent source of fiber, potassium and folate. One-fourth cup
of cooked beans counts as a one ounce-equivalent in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Protein Food Group. Other protein foods include meat, poultry,
seafood, dry peas, lentils, eggs, processed soy products, nuts and seeds. As an
illustration: 1/2 cup of cooked beans and 2 ounces of cooked meat would both
be counted as 2 ounce-equivalents of protein.
Some bean
facts:
• A 15-ounce
can of beans provides about 3-1/2-cup servings of beans.
• One pound of
dry edible beans yields about 6 cups of cooked beans.
• The cost of a
15-ounce can of beans ranges from about 33–67 cents per 1/2-cup serving,
depending on whether people buy the store brand instead of the national brand.
• A half cup of
dry beans, cooked from scratch, costs about 17 cents.
• One type of
bean can usually be substituted for another type in recipes. Taste and color
may vary slightly.
Source:
Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, Extension
Educator, Lancaster County Extension, Lincoln, NE
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