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It’s time for lima beans to step out of the shadow of other popular bean varieties like pinto beans, great northern beans, and kidney beans. and not just as another ingredient Classic legume cropslima beans deserve recipe headlines. After all, they are a nutritious and healthful legume.
according to registered dietitian Angel Luk, Lima beans contain a lot of nutritional value. Luk explains: “Lima beans… are high in fiber, protein and (and) carbohydrates and are also a good source of manganese, copper, magnesium and iron,” Luk shared in an exclusive interview with Health Digest.
Lima bean data comes from U.S. Department of Agriculture Support Luke. One cup of ripe, cooked lima beans contains 13.2 grams of dietary fiber, 14.7 grams of protein, 0.442 milligrams of copper, and 4.49 milligrams of iron. Plus, they contain less than 1 gram of fat. These facts suggest that lima beans are particularly useful if you want to increase your fiber intake to lower cholesterol (and thus reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease).
Increase fiber to promote cardiovascular health
While eating any fiber can be a help when you’re trying to prevent rising cholesterol levels, the fiber in lima beans (soluble fiber) is especially helpful. "Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a thick gel-like substance in our intestines, which slows digestion and helps trap the fats we eat so they can’t all be absorbed," says Angel Luk. "In this way, a diet rich in soluble fiber may not only reduce inflammation in the body, but may also lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or 'bad' cholesterol levels."
2023 review Advances in Nutrition studied the alleged relationship between increased soluble fiber consumption and lower cholesterol readings. After testing, the researchers concluded that for every 5 grams of soluble fiber consumed, total and LDL cholesterol levels dropped by 3.69 to 7.61 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). At the same time, 2016 study Similar findings were obtained in the current atherosclerosis report. The authors found that eating fiber-rich foods, including beans, reduced LDL cholesterol by 5 to 10 percent.
Introduce new beans into your recipe rotation
Even if you’re not new to lima beans, you may be wondering how to add them to more meals. Angel Luk recommends boiling or steaming lima beans in broth so they can absorb the flavor of the liquid. (Just serve with low-sodium broth to avoid exceeding American Heart AssociationThe daily sodium intake limit is 2,300 mg. ) Luk adds another quick way to incorporate lima beans into your kitchen: Sprinkle a handful into your favorite soups and stews to benefit from their buttery, creamy texture.
You can also serve lima beans in cold dishes. For example, they’re easy to add to a fresh green salad to enhance its visual appeal and flavor profile (and increase the salad’s nutritional value). If you’re looking for more ways to show your lima beans a little culinary love, consider buy a cookbook Dedicate yourself to this underrated but cholesterol-friendly food.