What food is high in protein, virtually fat free and has more fiber than many whole grain foods? It’s beans! And now a new U.S. dietary guidance message says that diets including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

Dietary guidance messages of Beans are part of an effort by the FDA’s Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition Initiative (CHIBNI) to encourage good nutrition among consumers in multiple ways, including promoting and enhancing dietary guidance messages on food labels.Beans Dietary guidance messages are an opportunity to communicate with consumers and remind them about important health and nutrition information.

The new dietary guidance message about beans comes on the heels of the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend Americans eat more than three times the amount they currently consume – three cups of beans per week.

Beans, such as Kidney beans, Pinto beans, Navy beans and Black beans, are naturally low in total fat, contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, and provide important nutrients such as fiber, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium. Beans health benefits are consistent with many existing FDA-approved health claims, specifically those related to heart disease and cancer. In addition to health benefits related to heart disease and cancer, studies also suggest eating beans as part of a healthy diet may help to manage diabetes and help cut the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

The other dietary guidance message used by the food industry is: diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases.

Diets Including Beans May Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease and Certain Cancers

Don’t allow fear of gas to keep from enjoying beans’ versatility and nutritional advantages. Some cooking techniques and Beano, an over-the-counter product, may also help. The unwanted vapor comes from sugars and starches not completely digested by enzymes in the small intestine. Once these carbohydrates travel into the large intestine, normal, harmless bacteria make a meal out of them and produce gas in the process. Beano provides a digestive enzyme the body lacks, so take it when you sit down to your meal. Draining canned or soaked beans also helps, as it rids your meal of some of the hard-to-digest carbohydrate.

Also it may be helpful as well as tasty to season your beans with herbs and spices. To reduce flatulence and intestinal symptoms associated with eating beans, cook with herbs and spices such as fennel, anise, turmeric, lemongrass, dill, oregano, rosemary, cilantro, bay leaf, ginger, cinnamon, and cumin. Experience shows that the body gradually adapts to increased bean consumption.

Bean Gas