Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Healthy Black Bean Beef Chili Recipe

By Jessica King


Chili is a great dish for busy people, since it takes little time to prepare and pretty much cooks itself on the stove while you do other things around the house. A black bean beef chili recipe is great for company, for family dinners, or for weekend cooking to make sure there are easy-to-fix, appetizing leftovers for quick meals during the week. It is also one of the healthiest meals you can make for many reasons.

Black beans are native to North and South America, but are now found all over the world. They are small, tasty legumes with many health benefits. They are packed with minerals, phytonutrients, bioflavanoids, and fiber. They are considered 'good carbs', being lower on the glycemic scale than many other legumes.

Even though seventy percent of the caloric content of black beans is carbohydrates, consuming them doesn't raise blood sugar levels dramatically and cause excessive insulin release. This is good news for those who are watching their weight or who are battling insulin resistance or diabetes. The 'carbs' in this legume are 'resistant' to being broken down in the small intestine, where glucose is released into the bloodstream. Most of their carbohydrates are processed in the large intestine, making them a good source of nutrition for that organ and thus for the rest of the body.

The seedcoat of the bean, from which it gets its rich, dark color, contains flavanoids and anthocyanins, two categories of phytonutrient that have been shown to be highly beneficial. These legumes are ranked with other colorful vegetables like red cabbage and red onions. Another nutrient called quercetin promotes the immune system and helps people fight allergies and high cholesterol.

Beans in general are considered worthy of inclusion in a sensible diet plan, being good sources of protein and minerals. Black beans are rich in zinc and provide it in a bioavailable form that both men and women can absorb. The elements in seeds of all kinds that often bind minerals and make them hard to use don't seem to act against zinc in this legume. Called phytates, these elements also have antioxidant properties, making black beans even more nutritious.

These small, flavorful beans work in any recipe. Merely substitute them for red kidney, white, or pinto beans. Canned beans can be added directly, but dried beans should be rinsed and culled. Many people like to presoak them to make them more digestible. Just cover them with cold water and allow them to stand overnight. For faster cooking, bring them to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to stand until the beans are tender. You can use the soaking water for the final dish or pour it off and just use the beans.

For great chili, saute onion and brown beef, adding several cloves of garlic. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, precooked or presoaked beans, and spices.(Add spices after beans are cooked to keep them tender and reduce cooking time.) Season with red chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. (Add black pepper after cooking to preserve the valuable antioxidants in the pepper.) Garnish with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Use black beans for their great taste and their nutritional benefits. Chili is only one of the great dishes you can make. Try these nutritious legumes in soups, salads, dips, and tacos. Enjoy.




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