Kasia the Expert

   Picture yourself feeling full without filling up on calories. Sounds like a dream? It is possible with foods that contain fiber, such as low fat whole grain foods, veggies and legumes, including beans. Fiber is a form of carbohydrate that your body can't fully digest. Fiber is mostly known for its role within the digestive health, specifically, maintaining regularity. Interestingly, a lesser known fact about fiber is that it can actually help satisfy your hunger while keeping portion size and calories in check.

No doubt, the benefits of fiber are impressive, yet most Americans consume only about 15 gramsof fiber per day instead of the daily recommended 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men.

Personally, the easiest way to incorporate fiber into my diet is with canned beans. They are fiber-rich, shelf-stable nutritional powerhouses and come in many varieties: pinto, kidney, garbanzo, navy and black are just a few examples. I find dishes made with beans not only satisfying but flavorful and wholesome. My favorite is adding just 1/2 cup of low fat refried beans to a burrito. This simple step adds about 6 grams of fiber or almost a quarter of my daily requirement of fiber in just one dish. My other favorites include pairing white beans with tuna salad, or black beans with salsa.

Remember, because your body can't fully digest fiber you might experience some discomfort often associated with eating fiber-rich foods, including beans. The key to incorporating more beans into your diet while keeping the discomfort to a  minimum is to add beans to your meals gradually.

     All over the world, people enjoy beans, peas, lentils and other foods from the legume family, a plant family with pods that contain a single row of seeds and split along both sides when ripe.  No matter what the variety or form (fresh, frozen, canned or dried) legumes are a source of fiber, folate, iron, potassium and magnesium.  As if this weren't enough, legumes are also naturally low in fat and cholesterol free.  According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, we don't get enough fiber, magnesium or potassium making legumes a great way to get more of these important nutrients.  Also, legumes are a great source of protein when paired with grains over the course of the day (please see my previous blog, "Getting a Complete Protein with Beans," to learn more.)  If you'd like to eat more legumes and are short for time, you can always opt for canned, frozen or fresh legumes.  Otherwise, try the traditional way by soaking dry legumes first (Note: lentils or split peas don't require soaking; all others do).  Try these tips:

• Leisurely method.  Reduce cooking time by up to half by soaking beans for at least four hours or overnight in room-temperature water.
• Quick method.  Bring water to a boil, let beans soak in hot water for 1-4 hours.
• Cook beans thoroughly before adding other ingredients.  Why?  Acidic foods, such as tomatoes or vinegar, slow the softening process.  Wait until the end of the cooking time to add these ingredients.

     I'm going to enjoy experimenting more with legumes this summer, whether it's a delicious cold salad or a simple side dish.  I hope you enjoy adding more legumes to your meals and snacks too!

   You may already know that beans are full of nutrients including protein - an essential nutrient made up of building blocks called amino acids. Your body needs amino acids to build and repair body tissue, keep your immune system strong, make hormones, and produce energy.

To get the most of protein, your protein sources must provide all nine indispensable amino acids. Protein sources that contin all nine indispensable amino acids are referred to as "complete proteins" or "high-quality proteins." Complete proteins are from animal sources and can be found in meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, cheese and yogurt.

Proteins from plants, legumes, grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables are deficient in one or more of the indispensable amino acids and are called "incomplete proteins."

How do you make an incomplete protein complete? Plant protein, including protein from beans, can become complete if you consume a variety of plant foods to get all of your essential amino acids. For example, beans are short in an amino acid called methionine. Brown rice, on the other hand, does contain methionine making rice and beans a great combination that turns an incomplete protein into a complete one.

Combining beans or legumes with grains - i.e., rice and beans, corn and beans and peanut butter and bread - will help you get all your amino acids. You have an option of combining foods over the course of the day or the same meal.

Cold lentil salad made with tomatoes, basil and green onions with crackers served at a picnic or a hearty bean soup with whole grain bread made on a cold winter day are great examples of getting a complete protein anytime!