The importance of legumes

[Second Summer]

Certainly vegans do not have to worry about kwashiorkor, an extreme deficiency disease seen only in the most impoverished populations. It doesn’t mean that all vegans have optimal intakes of protein, however. The suboptimal or marginal intake I’m talking about is miles away from acute deficiency. But it can take a toll—on bones and muscle mass with aging for example.

This was demonstrated in a report from the Adventist Health Study-2 last fall. The research looked at associations between different protein-rich foods and risk of hip fractures. Eating beans, veggie meats and meat were all associated with lower risk for hip fractures. Jack offered more information about this study on his blog.

Read more: Plant Protein: Why Vegan Diets Need Beans (Ginny Messina - the vegan r.d., 10. Feb. 2014)

This is what I've been saying for years! (Well, not in those exact words ...!) And would people listen? Oh no, they knew it all so much better. Because you got "enough protein" even if all you ate was the recommended calorie intake in brown rice. And "protein is a myth".

 

[Wolfie]

I was going to post this article. You beat me to it. People seem to think that by saying "pay attention to protein" we're saying don't be vegan, which doesn't really make sense when we're vegan ourselves. The other board seems to be even worse about it than here. There have been times I've messaged others about protein/lysine, instead of answering in their thread about it, because I don't want to deal with all the drama.

 

[thefadedone]

I've been trying to pay a lot of attention to my protein intake. I take lysine supplements and almost every meal contains a serving of beans. If one meal doesn't contain beans, then it contains tofu, mock meats, and occasionally seitan or tempeh. I really don't know how veg*ns survive without beans! There's so many varieties that can be used in so many different ways.

I found this video very enlightening. It addresses a number of issues within the vegan community , but the honesty of Sayward's admission about her health is very eye opening. http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2014/01/...-vegan-phenomenon-plus-best-day-ever-perhaps/

Here's more of her complete story:http://bonzaiaphrodite.com/2013/01/facing-failing-health-on-a-vegan-diet/

 

[PTree15]

I totally agree on beans. I love them so much, and there are so many ways to eat even just one variety. I never get bored with beans. And they are so tasty.

 

[Oasis]

I'll be one of the first to admit that I tend to shy away from beans out of fear of becoming too gassy... I've done some research though, and apparently certain seasonings, and if you cook them in a certain way can reduce it. I've also seen tips not to eat potatoes in the same meal with beans, since beans need so much attention in your digestion. Plus I imagine the more you eat them on a day-to-day basis, the more accustomed your system becomes. (ie, more efficient and therefore producing less gas) I wouldn't worry about this so much, but it's just that it's such a social stigma that one can't help but be a bit worried when out in public...

I can definitely say that I'm feeling more confident about including them more often in my diet! Maybe I'll just start off having them on days off work until my body is more accustomed.
(I've never had any troubles with chickpeas though. I eat chickpeas everyday whether it's in their whole form or as hummus, and they've never caused me any embarrassments, thankfully.)

Do any of you have more tips on the subject? I would definitely want to incorporate them more into my diet -- not just for the health, but because I actually DO like them too -- without becoming socially ostracized? Haha.

 

[Mischief]

Tofu is a legume, since it's basically pure soybean.

Oasis, you're right - with time, eating beans on a regular basis no longer causes gas; at least, that's been my experience.

 

[Trinity]

Thanks for sharing. This is a really interesting subject and I am glad that you raised it.

Especially since I am not into beans or legumes at all and eat them about twice a week... (because I just don't feel good when I eat them).
I've been a vegan for 20 years and thought I was really healthy.
I eat lots of seeds and nuts (normally soaked and blended into pate), olives and avocado, which I though were also protein rich. So how can I actually tell if I get enough protein?

 

[Blobbenstein]

I suppose she didn't want to mention supplements as that makes veg*nism look hard, but I think it should be discussed.....there are times when I just have not wanted to look a bean in the face....and I think lysine pills have been good for those times....I'm enjoying beans at the moment though.

 

[SummerRain]

That's interesting. Whilst my better half was dieting, in order to cut down the calories in our meals, I cut almost all the nuts and most of the beans out of our main meals and hence most of my diet. He hasn't been dieting strictly for ages, but the habit stuck, so for the past year I've eaten lots of vegetable based meals (I don't eat much faux meat/etc, so it really was just lots of veg) I'm now trying to include more nuts and lots more beans though (i,e, something high protein in each meal), it's going well, and I'm re-enjoying the variety. I love nuts and beans.

 

[Second Summer]

That's interesting. Whilst my better half was dieting, in order to cut down the calories in our meals, I cut almost all the nuts and most of the beans out of our main meals and hence most of my diet. He hasn't been dieting strictly for ages, but the habit stuck, so for the past year I've eaten lots of vegetable based meals (I don't eat much faux meat/etc, so it really was just lots of veg) I'm now trying to include more nuts and lots more beans though (i,e, something high protein in each meal), it's going well, and I'm re-enjoying the variety. I love nuts and beans.

I think out of all the nuts, it's only peanuts that has a lot of lysine. There are other redeeming factors in some of the other nuts, but they do have a lot of fats too, so if you're trying to avoid that ....

 

[Trinity]

I found this interesting article about vegan lysine (to be honest, my brain goes into melt down when I start going into fact and figures, so I've gone along with a well rounded healthy vegan diet approach trusting that I'll get what I need).... the article says that "Quinoa, pistachios, and pumpkin seeds are also decent sources of lysine".
http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/protein

 

[Second Summer]

Thanks for sharing. This is a really interesting subject and I am glad that you raised it.

You're welcome!

Especially since I am not into beans or legumes at all and eat them about twice a week... (because I just don't feel good when I eat them).
I've been a vegan for 20 years and thought I was really healthy.
I eat lots of seeds and nuts (normally soaked and blended into pate), olives and avocado, which I though were also protein rich. So how can I actually tell if I get enough protein?

I'm obviously no expert, just some guy on the Internet, but I know that proteins are needed for a wide range of applications in the body, not just muscle mass. Some examples are for growing finger nails, toe nails, hair, growing and repairing skin. I would think issues in any of those areas could indicate suboptimal protein intake.

If you don't feel good eating beans, maybe you're not cooking them enough? (Assuming you cook them from scratch.) I know I had issues with that at one point back when I cooked my own food.

Also, how about lentils? I've found they are usually a lot easier to cook than beans. (Takes much shorter time too.)

 

[Trinity]

Also, how about lentils? I've found they are usually a lot easier to cook than beans. (Takes much shorter time too.)

Hmmm, I often forget about lentils - this is a good idea.... I think I'll experiment with that. My husband often has a portion of beans or lentils along side our dinner, because he feels that he needs them. I certainly get on better with lentils than beans though.

I do cook my beans well, but they make me feel sluggish and a bit bloated... Maybe I just have some sort of mental block against them. I think perhaps I should give them another chance.

This prompted me to look into this more and I've found quite a number of articles on the web that all talk about beans containing special sugar molecules known as oligosaccharides. This molecule requires the anti-oligosaccharide enzymes (which is absent in the human digestive tract) to properly digest them. This is what causes the boating and discomfort. However, I found some good tips on how to overcome this (and hence get the benefits of eating beans)

for example:

1. discarding the soak water prior to cooking helps (erm... I wasn't doing this) because it apparently contains stuff that creates gas.
2. cooking thoroughly (as mentioned above ) reduces these oligosaccharides.
3. start small and build up your body's ability to digest them over time (I think I just had loads in one sitting!).. apparently people who eat them regularly don't usually have problems digesting them.

I'm going to explore this further and see if it makes a difference - it would be nice to include them in my diet for a bit of more well-roundedness.

 

[thefadedone]

Plus I imagine the more you eat them on a day-to-day basis, the more accustomed your system becomes. (

Yep you'll get used to them once you eat them on a regular basis.

So how can I actually tell if I get enough protein?

You could have it checked when you get blood work.

1. discarding the soak water prior to cooking helps (erm... I wasn't doing this) because it apparently contains stuff that creates gas.
2. cooking thoroughly (as mentioned above ) reduces these oligosaccharides.
3. start small and build up your body's ability to digest them over time (I think I just had loads in one sitting!).. apparently people who eat them regularly don't usually have problems digesting them.

My stomach hurts just reading this! No wonder they made you feel uncomfortable after eating them.

 

[Oasis]

I've also read a suggestion not to eat fruit too close to when you eat beans for easier digestion.

I'm feeling really pumped now! I've read so much about proper soaking and cooking methods that I'm ready to give beans more of a proper shot (rather than just teensy bit in my quinoa wraps) I'm ready to hit the store and try some new recipes!

 

[PTree15]

Dried beans rock! They don't have the added sodium of canned beans, and to me they just taste better (this could be psychological, lol). They also usually are cheaper. Also, when you soak them, that helps with the gas issue. But it's also true that once you eat them regularly, the gas issue goes away for the most part.

 

[Second Summer]

for example:

1. discarding the soak water prior to cooking helps (erm... I wasn't doing this) because it apparently contains stuff that creates gas.
2. cooking thoroughly (as mentioned above ) reduces these oligosaccharides.
3. start small and build up your body's ability to digest them over time (I think I just had loads in one sitting!).. apparently people who eat them regularly don't usually have problems digesting them.

Yes, that all sounds very sensible. Especially to discard the soak water.

Also, I believe if dry beans get very old, they require longer cooking time.

 

[spottygiraffe]

Great thread.

I love beans and legumes but I have recently been really worried about anti-nutrients and phyllic acid, so it's good to read a positive article about the benefits for a change. I am also really freaked out about soaking nuts and seeds and have just gone on a frenzy of soaking and dehydrating everything in my cupboard.

http://www.yogitrition.com/why-you-need-to-soak-your-grains-beans-nuts-and-seeds/

I think that if you add bicarbonate of soda to the soaking water then it helps eliminate the gassy effects. They definitely need more soaking if they're older. I bought dried chickpeas from a shop that probably didn't have a high turnover of that kind of thing and they literally never cooked! I soaked them for 24 hours and they were still rock hard after 5 hours of cooking.

 

[Trinity]

I am also really freaked out about soaking nuts and seeds and have just gone on a frenzy of soaking and dehydrating everything in my cupboard.

I find soaking seeds makes them so digestible (and blendable for making pates). I am really into this too... much more gentle on my system.

 

[Mischief]

Trinity, would you mind sharing some of your favorite pate recipes, perhaps in the recipes section?