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Beans are an often-overlooked source of incredible health benefits. ' They have a lot of carbs, leading people to believe they should be avoided and seen as a weight gain risk only. Nothing could be farther from the truth though, as research has shown that the carbohydrates found in most beans are of the complex variety. Complex carbohydrates are not contributors to any sort of weight gain, instead providing the brain and muscles with a lot of good, stable energy supplies.

Beans actually contain a wider variety of healthy nutrients than most foods. These include calcium, potassium, vitamin B6, magnesium, folate, and alpha-linolenic acid. These nutrients work together on several key areas of the body promoting total health. Beans also happen to be good sources of complete proteins, which is rare in plants. Plants, while having many different nutrients, often lack complete proteins of any kind. This is unfortunate, as protein is a vital ingredient to the healthy and normal functioning of the human body, and the most readily available sources of protein have negative effects on the heart. Beans, however, are plentiful in protein.

More important than their simple nutrition, beans are generating a lot of talk because they offer protection from many illnesses found in America today. Extensive studies have shown that regularly consuming beans can help you significantly lower your risk for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. How much? A study done at Michigan State University found that people eating beans regularly had as much as a 22% reduction in their likelihood to suffer from a cardiovascular disease, and the powerful energy-providing nutrients in beans can help the body more effectively manage its energy sources, aiding in weight-loss. This also can help boost your energy levels throughout the day, making you more active.

Also contributing to beans increasing popularity with the health-conscious is their high amounts of antioxidants. Antioxidants, of course, are nutrients that guard the body against free radicals. Free radicals are agents that attack and damage the body, causing many undesired illnesses and effects. The most extreme of these, of course, are premature aging, and cancer. This means that beans, while protecting you from the development of cancer, may also help you both look younger and feel younger with increased energy and the benefits of antioxidants.

So which beans are the best for you? Studies done at Michigan State University have concluded that 'dry' beans are the best. Overall, though most all beans contain similar nutrients and benefits, some of the best are considered to be Lima beans, Navy beans, Kidney beans, and Pinto beans. Ideally, it is recommended that you get about 3 cups of beans per week in order to maximize their wonderful health benefits, but scientists have shown that as little as 1 cup of beans consumed each week will yield impressive results.

Beans are wonderful sources of nutrition that haven't truly been recognized until now. Once thought of as a fattening food that gives you gas, beans are now being correctly hailed as nutritional giants that pack a lot of benefits in a tiny package. New science and extensive research has done a lot to increase our understanding of the bean, and fortunately for us, beans come in limitless varieties. This makes it easy to get them in your diet, and you can find them anywhere.