The Superfood for A Slimmer Waist

Are you trying to lose a few pounds? The holidays were rough, but we have plenty of time to slim down a bit before summer. The question is, what's the best approach?

As a nutritionist I can give you a good route to go. It's SO SIMPLE you will, maybe, ....not even believe me.

Beans. 

Yes, I said beans. Eat beans.

Eat more beans and lose weight. That is all. That's the whole plan. 

If you add 1/2 cup of beans per day into your weekly diet plan (just 5 days of the week) you will likely lose .5-1 pound a week for the duration*. You will lose more than that if you also lower your calorie intake, but being able to lose weight by adding something into your meal plan is pretty cool.

Adding beans helps you lose weight for several reasons. Studies show eating beans helps reduce risk factors of metabolic syndrome like high blood sugar and a larger waist size. So, basically, eating beans helps lower blood sugar and slim your waist.(1) There specific types of pulses (beans) that were used in this study are lentils, chickpeas, split peas and navy beans. Personally I think it doesn't matter what type of beans you eat; beans help you lose weight. I most often eat black beans due to their lower carbohydrate content. 

There are other benefits of beans that help with weight loss The fiber in beans keeps you regular, which prevents bloating and just feeling larger than you actually are. Fiber also helps you feel fuller, which lowers your caloric intake even when you weren't planning on lowering it. It can also absorb LDL cholesterol, which can be a part of a heart healthy eating plan, so for this reason I'd call black beans a super food. The protein in the black beans adds another benefit for weight loss. Eating more protein helps you burn more fat. It's fuel for the fire, so to speak. 

So let's eat beans:

• My favorite way to eat black beans is to simmer them with olive oil and a dash of fennel seeds, salt and pepper. It's a minimalist approach, and it's delicious. We eat this every Monday night with brown rice (meatless Mondays). So easy and so healthy. 
• You can eat chickpeas by eating hummus, or you can just eat chickpeas with a little bit of salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. 
• Lentil Soup is great for the winter months. My kids love it with crackers or corn bread. 
• Refried black beans are a Tex-Mex miracle. Try them as soon as you can if you haven't tried them before. 
• You can also put cold beans on a salad
• Bean salad (black beans, cucumber, jalapeno, tomato, olive oil, salt and pepper, and whatever else you'd like to add). 
• You can also use bean flour for baked goods. This takes some trial and error, but if you do some research and experiment a little it can totally make your baked goods so much healthier. Generally, they (who is they anyway?) say to replace half the flour with garbanzo bean flour for your first try, then tweak from there. 

According to the USDA, a one-cup serving (about 172 grams) of cooked black beans nutrition provides approximately:

• 227 calories
• 40.8 grams carbohydrates
• 15.2 grams protein
• 0.9 gram fat
• 15 grams fiber
• 256 micrograms folate (64 percent DV)
• 0.8 milligram manganese (38 percent DV)
• 120 milligrams magnesium (30 percent DV)
• 0.4 milligram thiamine (28 percent DV)
• 241 milligrams phosphorus (24 percent DV)
• 3.6 milligrams iron (20 percent DV)
• 0.4 milligram copper (18 percent DV)
• 611 milligrams potassium (17 percent DV)
• 1.9 milligrams zinc (13 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligram riboflavin (6 percent DV)
• 0.1 milligram vitamin B6 (6 percent DV)
• 46.4 milligrams calcium (5 percent DV)

Oh, the many nutrients hiding in each small bean. They kind of remind me of nature's first vitamin pills. The protein helps burn fat. The folate supports healthy energy levels and a stronger heart. Magnesium helps lower blood pressure, thiamine helps reduce brain fog, iron improves energy, and zinc supports a healthy immune system. B6 helps reduce PMS symptoms and calcium helps you sleep deeper and longer. 

*no guarantees on the weight loss. Everyone is different, but more fiber (with good hydration) usually means weight loss.