Olympic skater says: "Be a champion of health" and eat beans

Better Nutrition, Jan, 1998 by Patricia Andersen-Parrado

Olympic medalist, medical doctor, and new mother -- former champion figure skater, Debi Thomas, certainly seems to have a knack for "doing it all." A resident of Little Rock, Arkansas, Thomas was recently in New York promoting the health benefits of one of our most healthful, but, arguably, least respected foods -- beans.

She told Better Nutrition, "I have friends who are like, `you eat beans.'" To this Thomas responds, "try them, you'll like them." After all, beans are low in calories, low in fat, high in com lex carbohydrates, and a good source of fiber, folate, and protein. They are also versatile, convenient, and delicious. Thomas says that when she was in training, beans were a big part of her diet. "For athletes, especially in a sport such as figure skating, in which you don't want to be carrying around any extra weight, beans are a perfect nutrition source." And while Thomas may have hung up her skates for motherhood and a stethoscope, beans have remained a part of her daily routine.

With the Winter Olympics taking place this year, Thomas has teamed up with the Bean Education & Awareness Network (BEAN) to promote beans as part of a healthful diet for all, especially women, for whom beans hold especially important nutritional value.

The benefits of beans

A good source of fiber. A high-fiber diet has been associated with a variety of health benefits, including lowering cholesterol levels; protection against a number of cancers, especially colon cancer; prevention of coronary heart disease; and improved absorption of blood glucose among diabetics. According to Kathleen Mayes and Sandra Gottfried in their book Boutique Bean Pot, "Fiber's major service to your body is to keep digestion ticking along in an orderly fashion."

In addition to beans, other good food sources of fiber include: fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, peas, and lentils. Besides food sources, there are many fiber supplements which feature components of foods that are high in fiber, such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and pectin, as well as a variety of herbs and other nutrients.

Folate. This nutrient is also known as "folic acid." When found in foods, it is referred to as folate; however, in supplement form, it is called folic acid. While folate is an essential nutrient for all, it is especially important for women of childbearing age, since research has shown that it may help to reduce the risk of certain birth defects, such as spina bifida (a potentially crippling defect in which the spinal cord is not completely encased in bone) and anencephaly (a fatal defect in which a major part of the brain never develops). BEAN notes, "Folate is [most] critical before and during the first few weeks of pregnancy -- before many women are even aware they are pregnant." Studies have also shown that folate offers protection against heart disease and certain forms of cancer, too.

In addition to eating beans and taking folic acid supplements, other ways to ensure that your getting enough folate is to include a variety of folate-rich foods in your diet. These include: barley, brewer's yeast, brown rice, cheese, chicken, dates, green leafy vegetables, oranges, salmon, tuna, wheat germ, and whole grains.

Protein. According to a 1997 Roper Poll sponsored by the Vegetarian Resource Group (VRG), about 1 percent of the U.S. population -- approximately 2 million people -- are vegetarians. In addition, VRG reports that a 1994 study showed that over half of all American households ate two or more meatless suppers each week and 20 percent of U.S. households ate four or more meatless dinners per week. This indicates that even those who do not consider themselves to be vegetarian are giving meatless meals a try. Although vegetarians can easily meet their protein needs by eating a varied diet, many still wonder how they can get their protein without eating meat; of course, beans are an ideal choice. In addition to beans, other vegetarian protein choices include: lentils, tofu and tempeh (both are derived from soybeans), low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, and peas.

REFERENCES

Balch, James, F., M.D., and Balch, Phyllis A., C.N.C. Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.

Mayes, Kathleen and Gottfried, Sandra. Boutique Bean Pot. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Woodbridge Press, 1992.

Wynder, Ernst L., M.D. "High Fiber Intake -- Indicator of a Healthy Lifestyle," Journal of the American Medical Association 275(6):486-487, Feb. 14, 1996.