Originally published July 31 2005
Cold soups are a refreshing summer food
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Americans tend to forget the possibilities for a refreshing and healthy cold soup during the summer months. Delicious examples of these include the Polish chlodnik, Turkish cacik, Greek tarata, French vichyssoise and the more popular gazpacho, originating in Spain
Gastrointestinal issues aside, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research, legumes are among the healthiest, fiber rich, protein rich, disease-fighting foods you can eat.
Along with the health benefits, legumes are easy on the wallet and lend the culinary artist a variety of options in which to create diverse, tasty meals.
The 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines include legumes as a vegetable subgroup, and suggest eating about three cups a week, or about one-half cup a day.
They can serve as an alternative to meat protein in a variety of dishes, which is helpful in following the Guidelines' suggestion to lower meat intake and increase fiber.
Legumes are also high in potassium and folate, a nutrient considered to be especially important for women of childbearing age and those in the first trimester of pregnancy.
But beans and other legumes are probably best known for their fiber, which is lacking by a long shot in most typical American diets.
According to Lynn Glazewski, a registered dietitian at University of Michigan Health Systems Nutritional Counseling Center, the typical American consumes closer to 14 grams a day.
The fiber in legumes is water soluble, which stays in the stomach longer and helps slow down food absorption, delaying hunger - good news for those of us trying to eat a little less.
According to Glazewski, canned beans retain most of their nutrients, although some potassium is lost when pouring off the liquid.
Also, canned beans tend to contain added sodium unless the label specifically says otherwise, but rinsing them first eliminates much of the salt.
Glazewski says, "They have phytochemicals (nutrients found only in plant foods) that may have protective disease qualities which haven't even been discovered yet.'' Maybe legumes really are a "magical fruit,'' in more ways than one.
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