What about beans?

Are beans healthy for us? Do you avoid beans because they cause you gas and discomfort? Do beans help balance your blood sugar?

There have been sources that either tell you to eat or avoid beans. When I created the Conscious Nutrition Food Tree, I intentionally placed beans under the protein side of the tree. Even though they contain a higher percentage of starch than protein, these beans are an excellent non-meat source of protein.

**Also, for your reference, take a gander at the serving size and comparison of nutrients between a can of black beans and red lentils.

Can of black beans                                                         Can of lentils

1/2 cup                                                                              1 cup

Calories: 120                                                                    Calories: 70

Carbs: 22 grams                                                              Carbs: 17 grams

Protein: 8 grams                                                              Protein: 8 grams

During my research, I noticed beans and lentils would consistently show up in many categories under nutritional dense foods. They contain high amounts of folate, fiber and amino acids while having a low glycemic index.

However, I kept observing my clients, especially vegetarians, having digestive distress when they ate their beans. Vegetarians are taught to combine rice with beans and create a complete protein to receive the essential amino acids from food. However, this does not have to be true to combine together during each meal. So, I suggest to separate the beans from rice and try having rice with lunch and beans with dinner. This supports individuals experience less bloating or digestive distress. You may not have to do this every time you eat beans and rice, but if you have inflammation, separating beans and rice may help offer relief.

The strategy with the Conscious Nutrition Food Tree is to experiment with different meal types to support optimal digestion. If we try separating our proteins and starches while combining them with healthy fats and vegetables, we may discover more energy and less digestive dilemmas. We do not want to OVERRIDE our digestive fire but instead, STOKE it.

What foods are stoking or putting out your fire? If you are curious to learn more, you can visit my youtube video here or join the Conscious Nutrition Community. The community is experimenting with finding your own circadian rhythm while infusing our relationship with food and bodies with nutrition knowledge and self-wisdom. I lead seasonal group programs, monthly Healthy Happy Hours, amazing expert interviews, provide seasonal recipes, private Facebook group interaction, videos and education.

To learn more about becoming a Conscious Nut:) Reach out to me personally or Click here to learn more.

Bean me up, Scotty,

Heather Fleming, C.C.N.

P.S. This cute puppy belongs to my dear friend and colleague Angela Smith. She will be an upcoming guest expert in the Conscious Nutrition community. Click here to learn more about her work and follow Beans.