Aduki Beans

Natural Health, April, 1999 by Winifred Yu

THESE BEANS PROMOTE REGULAR BOWEL MOVEMENTS AND STRENGTHEN THE KIDNEYS.

WHAT THEY ARE Aduki beans are small, reddish-brown beans with a white ridge along one edge. Cooked, they have a sweet, nutty flavor. They originated in China but are also popular in Japan.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE Adukis are one of the highest protein and lowest fat varieties of bean. They contain high levels of potassium and fiber, as well as B vitamins such as thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin, and minerals such as iron, zinc, and manganese.

HEALING CLAIMS Aduki beans promote regular bowel movements, are a good source of energy, and help lower cholesterol. They may have a role in preventing breast cancer.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE CLAIMS According to traditional Chinese medicine, aduki beans benefit bladder and reproductive functions and the kidneys, and are therefore used to treat problems such as urinary dysfunction and bladder infections. And because ancient Chinese folk wisdom says that the kidneys govern the emotion of fear, the aduki bean is considered a source of courage that helps people meet challenges bravely.

HOW THEY WORK Aduki beans are rich in soluble fiber, which speeds up the elimination of waste from the body, promoting regular bowel movements and preventing the body from absorbing harmful substances. Soluble fiber has also been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in the blood.

Some experts credit the presence of phytoestrogens in aduki beans with helping to prevent breast cancer. These weak estrogens block receptor sites that would otherwise be filled by stronger estrogens. In women, the phytoestrogens fool the body into believing it is still producing real estrogen, says Erika Schwartz, M.D., co-author of Natural Energy (G P Putnam's Sons, 1999).

EVIDENCE A study published in the Journal of Lipid Research in June 1997 showed that eating legumes appears to lower bad forms of cholesterol. Proof of the aduki bean's other health benefits come from centuries of anecdotes. Wendy Esko, a macrobiotic cooking instructor and counselor at the Kushi Institute in Becket, Mass., says the beans have a diuretic effect and strengthen the kidneys.

"We recommend them because kidneys are the organs that take the most abuse, flushing out toxins," she says. Esko has also eaten them to help clear up bladder and kidney infections. "They were gone in three days," she says.

TYPES There are two kinds of aduki beans. Hokkaido beans are round, shiny, and deep maroon in color. They are grown in volcanic soil on the northernmost island of Japan. Basic aduki beans, grown in the midwestern United States as well as in Asia, are slightly smaller, lighter in color, and not as sweet.

HOW TO BUY, STORE, AND SERVE Aduki beans are available in natural food stores and Asian markets. They may also be called adzuki or azuki beans. They can be purchased dry, in cans, or in powder form. Stored in a dry container, the beans will keep for six to 12 months. Aduki beans are used to make tea, soup, and confectionery pastes. Aveline Kushi's Introducing Macrobiotic Cooking by Aveline Kushi and Wendy Esko (Japan Publishing, 1988) contains aduki bean recipes.

RECOMMENDED CONSUMPTION To derive the maximum benefits from aduki beans, Esko suggests eating half a cup per week. For people who are ill, she recommends eating the same amount twice a week.

Nutrient Profile

ONE CUP of cooked aduki beans has as much iron as 4 ounces of lean steak, more folate than a cup of cooked spinach, and about as much protein as 4 tablespoons of peanut butter.

CALORIES                      294
PROTEIN                       17 G
FAT                           0 G
FIBER                         12 G
IRON                          4.6 MG
POTASSIUM                     1,224 MG
ZINC                          4 MG
VITAMIN [B.sub.1] (THIAMIN)   .26 MG
FOLATE                        278 MCG

Winifred Yu is a freelance writer in Albany, N.Y., who grew up eating red aduki bean soup.