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Lima Beans: Nutritional Values And Uses of The Protein-Rich Bean

Lima beans are particularly large white or dark speckled beans. Thanks to the valuable nutrients and high protein content, lima beans are very healthy.

Lima bean: origin and cultivation

Lima beans (also moon or giant beans) belong to the legume family and are native to the Andes and Central America. According to the University of Giessen, the crop was already cultivated there by the Incas. Later, the bean was also cultivated further north in Mexico and the United States. A warm climate is a prerequisite for successful cultivation, which is why lima beans are hard to find in Central Europe.

Today, the bean is also grown in India and Africa on a larger scale and exported to Europe in dried form. It is also cultivated to a lesser extent in Italy and southern France, so it is always worth checking the indication of origin when purchasing.

Lima beans have an oval shape and are one to three centimeters long, with each pod usually containing two to four seeds. A distinction is made between two subspecies: in addition to the larger lima bean, the slightly smaller sieva bean is also grown (sometimes also known as the moon bean). However, the two variants differ little in taste and use.

Nutritional values ​​of the protein-rich lima bean

100 grams of cooked and salted lima beans contain the following nutrients:
Calories: 72 calories
Carbohydrates: 13.6 g
of which sugar: 0.8 g
Fiber: 2.4 g
Protein: 2.4 g
Fat: 0.4g
18 mg calcium
0.8 mg iron
170 mg of potassium
240 mg sodium

Hydrocyanic acid in lima beans: be careful with dark beans

Lima beans are found white in color or mottled dark. According to the University of Gießen, dark speckled lima beans contain linamarin – a cyanogenic glycoside from which toxic hydrocyanic acid can form. In contrast, the substance is hardly present in the white beans, which is why you can consume them without hesitation. You must boil dark lima beans before eating them and pour away the cooking water. White beans are therefore predominantly available on the market.

Flavor and uses of lima beans

The beans have a mild flavor and are mealy and soft after cooking. They are well suited as the main ingredient in hearty stews or soups. But the legumes also taste great on their own as a filling side dish. Since the beans keep their shape after cooking, you can also use them to make bean salad.

If you use dried beans, you should soak them overnight. This significantly reduces the cooking time. You can use the soaking water for cooking because it contains valuable vitamins and minerals. Dried beans are also great for stocking up on. Legumes can be kept for a year or more if stored in a cool, dry place. If they have exceeded their shelf life, you can tell by the fact that the beans are not soft even after the cooking time.

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Cooking Tips

Wholemeal Rice: Nutritional Values and How to Prepare it

Wholemeal rice contains a particularly large number of vitamins, dietary fibers and trace elements. In this article you will find out exactly what nutritional values ​​are in whole grain rice and what you should consider when preparing it.

Parboiled rice, white rice, basmati rice, wild rice: there are many different types and varieties of rice, some of which differ greatly from one another. In this article, we take a closer look at whole grain rice, also known as brown rice or brown rice. Utopia tells you what you should know about nutritional values ​​and cultivation and what you need to look out for when shopping and preparing.

Brown Rice: These nutritional values ​​make it so healthy

The nutritional value of rice largely depends on how far the rice grain has been processed. For white rice, for example, the silver skin and the germ are removed. However, these parts of the grain of rice contain a particularly large number of nutrients. Wholemeal rice, on the other hand, is largely untreated: it only lacks the inedible husk. That is why brown rice is also considered to be the healthiest rice.

Since rice is a natural product and the exact nutrient content depends on the rice variety and the growing conditions, the nutritional values ​​of whole grain rice also differ depending on the product.

In terms of calories, carbohydrates and protein, whole grain rice hardly differs from white rice. However, whole grain rice contains significantly more minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron as well as more vitamin B1 and vitamin B3.

The carbohydrates are primarily long-chain carbohydrates, which are considered to be the healthier carbohydrates. With almost eight percent protein, brown rice is also a good source of vegetable protein.

However, there is one major shortcoming with whole grain rice: the arsenic content. The harmful semi-metal is mainly found in the husk of the rice grain, which is why whole grain rice contains significantly more arsenic than white rice. To reduce the arsenic content, you should therefore rinse and soak rice well. Reading tip: In our special article we explain everything you need to know about rice and arsenic.

Prepare whole grain rice: tips for the kitchen

As mentioned in the first section, you should wash whole grain rice thoroughly before preparing it and ideally soak it for several hours. This allows you to significantly reduce the arsenic content. You can find out the background and what you should pay attention to in our article Washing or soaking rice – does that make sense? If you want it to be extra quick, you can skip the soaking. In any case, you should wash the brown rice until the water runs clear.

You can then cook the whole grain rice in two different ways:

Add five times as much water as rice to the saucepan. With this cooking method, the arsenic content in the rice is further reduced. Due to the high water and energy consumption, this is also less environmentally friendly.
With the quick swelling method, you only add twice the amount of water to the pot.
In any case, you put the whole grain rice in the cold water, then bring it to a boil and simmer the covered rice for about twenty minutes over a low heat. Then let the brown rice soak in the saucepan for another ten minutes.

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Food

Green Beans: They Have These Nutritional Values

With their good nutritional values, green beans are a healthy legume from the region. In this article you will find out which nutrients are in the beans and how healthy they are.

The green bean is also called garden bean or beans and grows as bush or pole beans. Originally from Latin America, it has been cultivated in Europe since the 16th century. As a legume, it binds nitrogen from the air with the help of bacteria on the roots, which is why it also thrives on nitrogen-poor soils.

As a regional legume, green beans are in season in Germany from July to October. We will explain to you what nutritional values are in the bean and how healthy it is.

Green beans: nutritional values ​​at a glance

Like all legumes, green beans are a good source of plant-based protein and fiber. In addition, the bean contains vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B7 and beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A. When it comes to minerals, they contain significant amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium. (Source: Apotheken Umschau)

Due to the high proportion of B vitamins, green beans contribute to a healthy metabolism and a strong nervous system. The minerals it contains are important for healthy muscles, bones and teeth. Green beans provide a long-lasting feeling of satiety, but can sometimes lead to flatulence and other digestive problems. Read the next section to find out how to prevent this.

Green beans – nutritional values per 100 grams:

Calories: 33 kcal
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fat: traces
Egg white: 2.5 g
Minerals:

Potassium: 225 mg
Calcium: 65 mg
Magnesium: 25 mg
Phosphate: 35 mg
Beta carotene: 320 mcg
vitamins:

Vitamin B1: 76mcg
Vitamin B2: 111mcg
Vitamin B3: 570mcg
Vitamin B5: 500mcg
Vitamin B6: 264mcg
Vitamin B7: 7mcg
Vitamin B9: 56mcg
Vitamin C: 20 mg

Healthy beans: Important tips for preparation

In addition to the healthy nutritional values, green beans also contain lectins such as the protein phasin. This is difficult to digest and is considered toxic to humans. That’s why you should never eat green beans raw, but always cook or boil them sufficiently: heating destroys the dangerous protein compound. According to the Bavarian Consumer Advice Center, you should cook, boil or blanch green beans for at least ten minutes. Important: pour off the cooking water, as this is also poisonous.

To prevent digestive problems such as flatulence, you can add caraway and/or fennel (seeds) to the dish. Alternatively, you can also prepare a caraway tea or tea made from fennel or aniseed and drink it after the meal.

Recipe ideas: In separate articles we will show you how to prepare bean salad and other green bean recipes.

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Food

Jasmine Rice: Nutritional Values

Jasmine rice is a type of rice with a delicately fragrant, floral aroma. In this article you will find out what nutritional values are in fragrant rice and what you should pay attention to when buying and preparing it.

Rice is a versatile grain that comes in many varieties and forms. Jasmine rice is a long-grain white rice that is best known for its fragrance. After cooking, it is slightly sticky, which makes jasmine rice nice to serve. We tell you what you should know about nutritional values, purchasing and preparation.

Jasmine rice: nutritional values of fragrant rice

The nutritional value of rice depends largely on the degree of processing: since jasmine rice is white, polished rice, it has less fiber than wholegrain rice, which is particularly healthy. On the other hand, jasmine rice also has a lower arsenic content, since this dangerous substance accumulates primarily in the rice husk.

The exact nutritional values ​​of jasmine rice vary in detail because rice is a natural product. On average, however, jasmine rice has the following nutritional values ​​per 100 grams (source):

Calories: 349 kcal
Fat: 0.6g
Carbohydrates: 77.7 g
Fiber: 1.4 g
Protein: 7.4 g
With a protein content of more than seven percent, jasmine rice is a good source of vegetable protein. In addition, the fragrant rice can score with healthy carbohydrates, since these are primarily long-chain carbohydrates. With around 1.4 grams, jasmine rice contains less fiber than whole grain rice, but can still be considered a good source of fiber. On top of that, long-grain rice also contains important minerals such as iron, potassium and zinc.

Jasmine rice: tips for purchasing and preparation

We recommend that you pay attention to the following points when buying jasmine rice:

With rice in organic quality you support more environmentally friendly agriculture, as chemical-synthetic pesticides are not used. A nature association seal from Demeter, Naturland or Bioland is best.
Jasmine rice usually comes from Thailand or other Asian countries and has therefore been transported long distances, which has a negative impact on the ecological footprint. However, some organic producers and shops also offer jasmine rice from Italy, for example Cosmoveda.
By paying attention to the Fairtrade seal, you support the local rice farmers: The seal guarantees fair payment and working conditions. This is particularly important for jasmine rice from Asia, where the working conditions in rice fields are sometimes problematic.
Tips for the kitchen:

Before preparation, wash jasmine rice thoroughly with plenty of water until the waste water runs clear.
Put two parts jasmine rice with three parts water in a saucepan (e.g. 200 grams or one cup of jasmine rice with 300 milliliters or one and a half cups of water) and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Then cover the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting. After about 15 minutes, the rice will have absorbed all the water and is ready to serve.
Alternatively, you can soak the jasmine rice for a few hours before cooking. You can find more information about this in our article “Washing or soaking rice – does that make sense?”.
Jasmine rice goes well with Asian and oriental dishes, especially as an accompaniment to curry recipes.
Since the cooked jasmine rice has a slightly sticky consistency, you can also shape it nicely.

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