The Legume Controversy: to Bean or Not to Bean?

When it comes to their nutrition value, legumes are not mutually agreed upon by the experts. Let's explore why...

What is a legume?

It's simply a food found in a shell or pod.  Some of the most common are beans, peas, lentils, peanuts, and alfalfa.
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Why are legumes controversial, especially with paleo dieters?

Legumes are famous for being gas producing foods because they cause digestive trouble.  This is due to the fact that they contain the same troublesome anti-nutrients present in grains: phytates and lectins.  

Phytates: Phytic acid binds up the minerals in your food and prevents your body from utilizing them. It can make the minerals magnesium, calcium, zinc, and iron unavailable. This means they’re not digested well and can cause inflammation, bloating, indigestion, and gas. Yuck!  (Phytates are also found in grains, nuts, and seeds.)

Lectins:  These are carb-binding proteins that are relatively “sticky.” They’re difficult for our bodies to break down and thus cause indigestion. Their binding leads them to bind with your intestinal lining. This can also cause “leaky gut syndrome” when the lectins break down the intestinal lining and allow other toxins & anti-nutrients to “leak” into the bloodstream.

So, strict Paleo folks do not eat legumes because of their anti-nutrients. The diet's purpose is to strive for optimum heath by focusing on nutrient density and avoiding inflammatory foods. (Inflammation is the primary cause of modern day chronic diseases, most of which are avoidable with a healthy diet and lifestyle.)

​What about soybeans? Soy products are terribly ubiquitous in processed foods. Soy's everywhere! And, Americans consume far more than they know. Soy is especially controversial, and infamous, among nutrition experts. In addition to containing anti-nutrients, soybeans contain phytoestrogens, which mimic the body’s natural estrogen hormones. This has been shown to cause endocrine problems in men, women, children, and babies. (This LINK is a comprehensive collection of many studies done on the harmful effects of soy.) Additionally, soybeans are best to be avoided because they are a genetically modified (GMO) crop (unless they're organic). 
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​Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies link soy to malnutrition, digestive problems, thyroid dysfunction, cognitive decline, reproductive disorders, even heart disease and cancer.

The Whole Soy Story, by Dr. Kaayla Daniel, is a groundbreaking expose' that tells the truth about soy that scientists know but that the soy industry has tried to suppress. It's fascinating!

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​Properly preparing dried legumes

Don't fret if you're a legume lover! Stephan Guyenet, PhD, believes that legumes can be a part of a healthy diet with proper soaking to degrade the phytic acid (soaked for at least 12 hours).  He says: ​​

​"The minerals are partially bound by the anti-nutrient phytic acid, but simply soaking and cooking beans and lentils typically degrades 30-70 percent of it, making the minerals more available for absorption. Omitting the soaking step greatly reduces the degradation of phytic acid."

It's a very simple method:

​Sorting: Measure out the amount of dry beans you desire to cook. One cup will expand two-and-a-half to three times when cooked. Spread beans on a white plate. Remove any small stones and damaged or broken beans.

Washing: Place the sorted beans in a bowl and cover with cold water. Swish around and remove any beans that float to the top. Pour off water. Repeat rinsing once more or until the water runs clear. Place beans in a colander or strainer and rinse under cold water. Rinse out the bowl and place the beans in it.

Soaking: Most beans require several hours of soaking. Aim for a minimum of 12 hours and a maximum of 24 hours. (Any longer and you run the risk of developing mold.) For every cup of dry beans, pour three cups cold water over. Discard soaking water when done, as the beans release enzymes into the water that may cause digestive problems.

Cooking: Place soaked beans and water in a heavy pot. For every cup of soaked beans, add 3 cups of water. A small, 2 inch long piece, of Kombu seweed can be added to facilitate cooking. The minerals in kombu aid in digestion of beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam. Cover the beans and simmer on low for about 1 hour (cooking times vary). If more water is needed during cooking, add a small amount as needed to just keep the beans covered.

Seasoning: Do not add sea salt at the beginning of cooking; it will prevent the beans from cooking properly. Wait until the beans are tender before adding salt. Tomatoes, tomato puree, etc., added at the beginning of cooking will hinder softening. Add these at the end of cooking.​
(source)
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​What can be good about legumes?

• Legumes are most famous for their protein content, so they are good sources for non-meat eaters.
• They are also known for their fiber content and are considered complex carbohydrates (which don't spike insulin levels as much compared to simple carbohydrates).
• They also contain some vitamins and minerals, especially folate, iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium.
• And, they're quite inexpensive, which makes them nice for the budget-conscious. They are a staple food in poorer countries.

My friend, Christa Orecchio, from The Whole Journey, recommends eating aduki beans (sometimes spelled adzuki.)  They're my favorite, too. She says, ​

​"Aduki beans are our favorite bean for health. They are the easiest bean to digest and the least gas-forming for those who don't usually tolerate beans well. Aduki beans are tonifying to the kidneys and the adrenal glands. They taste sweeter than any other bean and are traditionally used in Japanese desserts."

Organic, soaked aduki beans
I'm a big fan of Eden Organic brand foods. The quality is always excellent. The cans are BPA free, too.

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The final takeaway on legumes:

• ​Legumes (properly soaked) are better for you than some other foods, especially "junk foods" and grains.  But, if you're looking for food rich in nutrients, you can do better.  Legumes are probably nutrient neutral, at best.  
• They are a source of protein, but nothing compares to protein from meat, with all 8 essential amino acids.  
• They are a source of fiber, but so are lovely phyto-nutrient rich fruits and vegetables.
• As far as peanuts, it's nearly impossible to find them roasted without inflammatory oils. Eat real nuts, like raw or soaked almonds and macadamias nuts instead.  Cashews are actually legumes, too.

So, if you never ate another legume in your life, you probably wouldn't miss them. But, if you like them, then it's fine to incorporate them into a healthy whole-food diet (when prepared properly). Bean away!
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​-- I myself enjoy eating the green legumes like green beans, snow peas, and sugar snap peas.  However, as far as basic beans, I think of them as just bland, cheap, boring, filler foods.  I do use the aduki beans in my chili recipe (below), but the majority is lovely grass-fed beef.  -- Jenny   ;-) ​

​Yummy recipes that include legumes:

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