Full of Beans/ Slow-cooked, baked or boiled, they may be the perfect

0 Comments | Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Oct 16, 2002 | by Teresa J. Farney

The evenings have become cooler, the days shorter. Can an appetite for hearty comfort foods be far behind?

When a craving hits, use your bean - that is, any of the varieties of dried beans to make a simmering pot of soup. This "feel-good" food is easy, economical and nutritious.

In a 19-year study of 9,700 people, Tulane University researchers found that those who regularly ate legumes four or more times a week had a 19 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who ate beans only once a week. Beans consumed by study participants included pinto beans, red beans, black-eye peas, peanuts and peanut butter.

So what is it about beans that makes them heart healthy?

"It may be the protein content," said Lydia A. Bassano, one of the study's authors. "For instance, soybean protein has been shown to reduce total cholesterol levels as well as lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) - or bad - cholesterol."

Beans are also an excellent source of plant protein. They're low in fat (except for peanuts and peanut butter), sodium- and cholesterol-free, and high in dietary fiber (soluble and insoluble). Soluble and insoluble fiber in the diet can help reduce bloodcholesterol levels, regulate digestion and slow the rise of blood glucose that normally follows meals.

"Protein is one of the key reasons that we suggest adding more beans to your diet," said Sally Stone, co-author of "The Brilliant Bean."

"Regular consumption of beans helps your body manufacture the proteins necessary to keep it in balance, while providing you with many other important nutrients."

The Tulane study also found a link between bean consumption and reduced risk of stroke. Beans - especially navy and kidney - are rich sources of folate, a B vitamin. Bassano said people who had diets higher in folate had 20 percent fewer strokes than those whose diets were low in folate.

Flavor sponges

Beans' botanical family, Leguminosae, includes an array of plants and trees. Generally, though, when we speak of legumes or pulses, we mean the protein-rich mature seeds of certain members of the Leguminosae family: Beans, peas, lentils and soybeans. The dried speckled, spotted or solidcolored dried beans are ready to become the base of a hearty, delectable soup.

"Dried beans act as flavor sponges, soaking up the seasonings and nuances of the dishes they're cooked in," said Sandra Gluck, author of "Beans (Gourmet Pantry)." While the beans are cooking, you can add seasonings or vegetables, a joint of meat or a hunk of sausage, or a dribble of molasses or maple syrup to zip up their flavor.

If you haven't cooked dried beans before, you should know that they take a lot of time to cook.

"Dried beans need time to soak and cook, which can often mean an overnight soak plus an hour or two of cooking," said Gwen DeVries- Ciesoak, a representative of the Bean Education & Awareness Network in Chicago.

If you don't have time to soak and cook dried beans, try canned beans. Many dried beans are available in cans, cooked. Be sure to drain and rinse the beans before adding them to recipes. Another alternative is to invest in a pressure cooker, which speeds up bean cooking.

Ounce for ounce, beans are a good deal. Generally, a pound costs less than a dollar. And the variety gives you plenty of ways for beans to offer a warm welcome home.

- Food writer Teresa Farney can be reached by e-mail at tfarney@freedom.com or by calling (800) 536-3252.

Keen on beans

Types, origins and characteristics of beans:

Anasazi: A Navajo word meaning "the ancient ones" or "the disappeared ones." Grown in Arizona and New Mexico; when cooked have a taste and texture similar to pinto beans.

Adzuki: Popular in Japan, where they are used in confections.

Baby lima: Named for Lima, Peru. Traditionally combined with corn in succotash. Black turtle: Popular in Mexico, and Central and South America.

Cranberry: Also called "shell bean," and known as "borlotti bean" in Italy. Cream-colored with red streaks, a nutlike flavor.

Fava: Popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, often cooked in soups.

Flageolet: A tiny, tender French kidney bean that ranges in color from pale green to creamy white. A classic accompaniment to lamb.

Great Northern: Grown in the Midwest. Particularly popular in baked-bean dishes.

Kidney: Popular in Chili Con Carne. White variety is known as cannellini beans.

Navy: Also known as the Yankee bean; gets its name from the fact that the U.S. Navy has served it as a staple since the mid-1800s. Used commercially for canned pork and beans and often in Boston Baked Beans.

Pinto: Spanish for "painted." Grown in the Southwest and common in most Spanish-speaking countries, where they're often served with rice or used in soups and stews.

Soybean: Cultivated in China for thousands of years and a major crop in the United States. The basis of many products, including soy sauce, tamari, miso, tofu, soy flour, sprouts and oil.

A good soak

To prepare dried beans, sort and rinse thoroughly just before cooking. Then soak them, using either the long- or short-soaking method.