Kidney Beans

KIDNEY BEANS
Good in simmered dishes where they absorb the flavors of seasonings and the other foods with which they are cooked.
Good source of cholesterol lowering fiber, prevents rapid increase in blood-sugar level after a meal.
Combined with whole grains like rice is a good source of fat-free high quality protein.
Excellent source of trace mineral Molybdenum that detoxifies sulfites (Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars).
Rich in soluble and insoluble fiber. Cup of Kidney beans provides 45.3 % of recommended intake for fiber.
Soluble fiber combines with bile and ferries it out of the body by forming a gel-like substance.
Insoluble fiber increases stool bolk and prevents constipation, prevents irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.
Kidney beans contributes significant amounts of folate and magnesium. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans provides more than half (57.3%) of the recommended daily intake for folate. One cup serving provides 19.9% of your daily needs for magnesium.
Kidney beans help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy.
It provides slow burning complex carbohydrates, and also increases energy by helping to replenish stores.
A one cup serving of kidney beans provides 28.9% of the daily recommended intake for iron.
A one cup serving of cooked kidney beans provides 18.7% of the daily value for thiamin.
Thiamin participates in enzymatic reactions central to energy production and is also critical for brain cell/cognitive function.
Just one cup of kidney beans supplies 42.0% of the daily value for very important trace mineral manganese, an essential cofactor in a number of enzymes important in energy production and antioxidant defenses.
Good protein source, comparable to that of red meat and dairy products, when combined with whole wheat pasta and brown rice, without high calories and saturated fat.
There is little difference in the nutritional value of canned kidney beans and those you cook yourself. Look for those that do not contain extra salt or additives.
Store dried kidney beans in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place where they will keep for up to 12 months.
Cooked kidney beans will keep fresh in the refrigerator for about three days if placed in a covered container.

Tips for Preparing Kidney Beans:

Before washing kidney beans, spread them out on a light colored plate or cooking surface to check for and remove stones and damaged beans. After this process, place the beans in a strainer and rinse them thoroughly under cool running water.

To shorten their cooking time and make them easier to digest, kidney beans should be presoaked (presoaking has been found to reduce the raffinose-type oligosaccharides, sugars associated with causing flatulence.) There are two basic methods for presoaking. For each, start by placing the beans in a saucepan with two to three cups of water per cup of beans.

The first method is to boil the beans for two minutes, take pan off the heat, cover and allow to stand for two hours. The alternative method is to simply soak the beans in water for eight hours or overnight, placing the pan in the refrigerator, so the beans will not ferment.

Before cooking the beans, regardless of pre-soaking method, drain the soaking liquid and rinse the beans with clean water.

To cook the beans, you can either cook them on the stovetop or use a pressure cooker. For the stovetop method, add three cups of fresh water or broth for each cup of dried beans. The liquid should be about one to two inches above the top of the beans. Bring the beans to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, partially covering the pot. If any foam develops, simply skim it off during the simmering process.

Kidney beans generally take about one and one-half hours to become tender using this method. They can also be cooked in a pressure cooker where they take about one-half hour to prepare. Regardless of cooking method, do not add any seasonings that are salty or acidic until after the beans have been cooked. Adding them earlier will make the beans tough and greatly increase the cooking time.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Combine cooked kidney beans with black beans and white beans to make a colorful three bean salad. Mix with tomatos and scallions and dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.

Serve cooked kidney beans over a piece of cornbread and top with grated cheese for a twist on the traditional tamale pie.

In a food processor or blender, combine cooked kidney beans with garlic, cumin and chili peppers for a delicious spread that can be used as a crudité dip or sandwich filling.

Make a pot of chili, the hearty Mexican soup that traditionally features kidney beans.

Make tacos with a vegetarian twist by using kidney beans in place of ground meat.

Kidney Beans and Phytohemagglutinin

In raw form, kidney beans can contain excessively high amounts of a potentially toxic substance called phytohemagglutinin. This substance is classified as a lectin glycoprotein, and in sufficiently high amounts it has been shown to disrupt cellular metabolism. The amount of this toxin in beans is usually measured in terms of hemagglutinating units, or hau. In their raw form, red kidney beans can contain 20,000 to 70,000 hau. This number drops down to 200 to 400 hau with fully cooked red beans. White kidney beans start off with about 1/3rd less hemagglutinin than red ones.