Dry Bean Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 4
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Smart Choice for a Healthy Life Vol. 6, No. 4 Consumers Tend To Overlook the Value of Beans Despite Superior Nutritional Profile By Alice Henneman, MS, RDN Tracking Bean Recipes As registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), we can assure clients or patients For Clients, Patients that their cupboard is never bare of healthful, appetizing, cost-effective food By Alice Henneman, MS, RDN as long as it contains several cans or bags of dry beans. But today’s consumers With the wide variety of beans, it’s possible to often go elsewhere with their food dollar. find a bean with a taste that appeals to almost everyone. Review the Bean Institute’s chart of Take a look at these numbers. Check the Nutrition Facts label on a 15-ounce bean varieties and characteristics at beaninstitute. can of beans and you’ll see the can provides about three ½ cup servings. The com/what-type-of-bean-should-i-use and share a cost of a can of pinto beans, the most frequently consumed dry bean in the printed copy with clients to help them choose some bean varieties they feel they would enjoy. United States, is about $2, or 67 cents per ½ cup serving. If people buy the RDNs might print off a selection of recipes from store brand instead of the national brand, the cost may be $1 or less per can, the Bean Institute’s website. For starters and to or about 33 cents per ½ cup serving. The price is still lower if beans are cooked encourage frequent consumption of beans, choose from scratch. One pound of dry beans yields about 6 cups of cooked, drained recipes that meet these criteria: beans and costs about $2, or 17 cents per ½ cup serving. ■ Use a limited number of ingredients (not including water, oil, salt, or pepper). Beyond their desirable cost benefits, beans provide additional benefits. Dry beans ■ Contain ingredients consumers are likely to are an excellent source of fiber, potassium, and folate.1 Beans also provide iron already have in their kitchen. and zinc. RDNs and their clients or patients can also appreciate what beans don’t ■ Can be prepared in a half hour or less. have: cholesterol, fat and—depending on the choice of bean—sodium. And, ■ Avoid leftover portions of ingredients clients with canned beans, about 40 percent of the sodium can simply be rinsed away.2 may never use. See the sidebar on page 3, “Quick and Easy Bean The Cost of Protein Foods Recipes,” for photos and links to three examples of bean recipes that meet these criteria. For clients According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ¼ cup of cooked wishing more recipes using few ingredients, direct dry beans counts as a one ounce equivalent in the Protein Food Group. (Note: them to this section of the Bean Institute website— beaninstitute.com/recipes—and have them click Dry beans also count as vegetables in MyPlate.) The protein group also includes on the “5 Ingredients or Less” icon. For more meat, poultry, seafood, dry peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and quick and easy ideas for clients, provide a printed seeds.3 For example, a ½ cup of cooked beans would be equivalent to 2 ounces copy or direct clients to the Bean Institute’s “No Recipe Required” web page at beaninstitute.com/ of cooked meat. no-recipe-required. Protein foods account for 32 percent of average food costs, according to The adventurous or gourmet cook also can find USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). This is about 10 percent more recipes on the Bean Institute’s website. There is a bean recipe suitable for all appetites and levels of than USDA food plan recommendations for protein foods. Fruits and interest in cooking. These may prove enticing for vegetables account for about 26 percent of food costs, while the USDA has set the hurried weekday cook who wishes to spend more time cooking on the weekend. 41 percent as the goal for these foods (See Table 1, page 2).4 ERS recommends an increased consumption of plant-based protein such as dry beans, which are The recipe for Southwestern Pork and Bean Soup (on page 3) is one the author has used as an generally less expensive, to reduce spending on protein foods. example of desirable taste, price, healthfulness, and convenience. If there are leftovers, this soup Why People Decide to Buy Foods and Beverages freezes beautifully so no food is wasted. See the article on page 4, “Freezing Beans: The Basics,” As many RDNs know, however, nutrition is not the top reason most consumers for more information. Continued on pg. 2 www.beaninstitute.com Check out our new website! Winter 2016 1 Consumers Tend To Overlook the Value of Beans Despite Superior Nutritional Profile continued from pg. 1 buy a food. According to Table 1. Americans allocate their food dollars the International Food differently than what USDA food plans recommend Information Council Other foods (IFIC) Foundation’s 2015 Food and Health Survey, Protein foods taste and price are the Dairy two main considerations, Fruits followed by healthful- Vegetables ness and convenience. Grains This same ranking has 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% been consistent on IFIC’s yearly survey since 2006; I Cost shares of average consumption I Cost shares of USDA food plans References available at Table 1. Americans allocate their food dollars BeanInstitute.com sustainability has consis- Table adapteddif fromferently data providedthan what by USDA,USDA Centerfood plans for Nutrition recommend Policy and tently been rated 5th since Promotions.4 it was added to the survey in 2011Other foodsTable 52. Howpublic much awareness of an impact of their do thenutritional following benefits (See Tablehave 2). on your decision to buy foods and beverages? Protein foods While RDNs would like to see more people(% rating 4 to 5 onas 5-pointpart of scale, sustainable from No Impact food toproduction Great Impact) aimed eating beans for their healthfulness, tasteDairy and toward food security and nutrition,” according to Taste 83% price are also important selling points. Fruits the U.N. In addition to their nutritional benefits, Vegetables pulses contribute to sustainability in that they Dry Bean Quarterly is Remember, however, the fourth reason Pricefor “are leguminous plants that have68% nitrogen-fixing published four times a year Grains choosing foods is convenience. When Americans properties which can contribute to increasing by the Northarvest Bean Healthfulness 60% were asked in the IFIC survey how they would0% 10% 20% 30% 40% Growers Association. An soil fertility and have a positive impact on the spend an extra four hours a week, mostI said they 7 I electronic version of this Convenience Cost shares of averageenvironment,” consumption according 52 Cost% shar toes theof USDA U.N. food plans newsletter, with complete would “exercise” or “spend time with friends references, can be found at and family.” Only about Sustainability 35% www.beaninstitute.com. one in ten would spend Table 2. How much of an impact do the following any of the time cook- have0% on your10% decision20% 30% to buy40% foods 50% and 60% beverages? 70% 80% 90% Editorial Advisory Board ing.5 Women reported (% rating 4 to 5 on 5-point scale, from No Impact to Great Impact) Julie Garden-Robinson, PhD, RD spending an average of Kristin Kesterson, RD Taste 83% 37 minutes daily (and Robin Plotkin, RD Joanne Slavin, PhD, RD men 17 minutes daily) on Price 68% food and drink prepara- Editorial Staff tion in a Bureau of Labor Healthfulness 60% Ed Stroesser, Managing Editor Statistics American Time Convenience 52% Adam Veile, Editor Use Survey.6 So, quick, easy preparation methods Sustainability 35% Please send comments to: should be a consideration Dry Bean Quarterly 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% P.O. Box 237 when providing informa- Jefferson City, MO 65102 tion about beans. Table adapted from data provided in International Food Information Council Foundation’s 2015 Food and Health Survey.5 [email protected] “Sustainability” is a newer term added to the IFIC survey with nearly two- Northarvest Bean Growers About the Author thirds of Americans indicating in 2015 they have Association Alice Henneman, MS, RDN, is an extension educator 50072 East Lake Seven Road given thought to the environmental sustainabil- 5 with the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension. Frazee, MN 56544 ity of their foods and beverages. She has spent more than 30 years helping consumers Tim Courneya, The United Nations has declared 2016 the Inter- select and prepare healthy foods that fit into their Executive Vice President national Year of Pulses. A “pulse” is the edible lifestyle. She regularly provides consumer food and www.beaninstitute.com seed of certain leguminous plants such as beans, recipe advice through a website she helped create for peas, and lentils. Pulses were chosen to “heighten the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and in her blog. 2 Dry Bean Quarterly You May Have “Bean” Wondering . By Alice Henneman, MS, RDN Smart Choice Recipe Here are answers to some frequent questions clients have about dry beans: Recipe courtesy of National Pork Board. For more information about pork, visit PorkBeinspired.com. ■ One type of bean usually can be substituted for Photo by Alice Henneman another in recipes. The taste and color may vary slightly. Check the Bean Institute’s “Bean Refer- ence Chart” for more information about the color, Southwestern flavor, and characteristics of various beans.1 Pork and Bean Soup ■ Beans freeze well for later use in cooked dishes Enjoy a non-traditional such as soups and casseroles. Make a big batch from form of “pork and beans” scratch and freeze some for later use.