Food Day 26

Kidney Beans

Kidney beans are consumed all over the world and are especially popular in latin American countries. They make great additions to soups, salads, stews, and chilli and are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and protein.

How

1. Buy reduced-sodium canned kidney beans, these have the same nutrition as dried kidney beans that you have to cook yourself.
2. To reduce overall cost, buy dry beans in bulk, either pre-packaged or in the bulk container bins. Choose the beans that are whole with no cracks and avoid beans with excess moisture or insect damage.
3. Dried kidney beans can be stored in a cool dry area for about 12 months.
4. Add cooked kidney beans to your salads, soups and stews.
5. For a complete source of the essential amino acids, eat cooked kidney beans with rice or grain. Red kidney beans are low in the amino acid lysine, while rice is rich in this essential amino acid.
6. Rinse beans before use, or cook dry kidney beans in simmering water for three to four hours, or until tender. (See cooking instructions)
7. We recommend that you soak the kidney beans overnight to reduce the amount of oligosaccharides that cause gas.
8. Mix with tomatoes and scallions and dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and black pepper.
9. Avoid kidney beans if you are prone to gout because they contain purines.

Cooking Instructions

Dried kidney beans

1. Remove stones and damaged from the collection.
2. Rinse the beans under cold water.
3. Place beans in a container and soak overnight (should triple in size).

Canned/Dried kidney beans

4. Drain the soaking liquid and place the beans in a pot with clean water,1-2 inches above the beans.
5. Bring the beans to a boil and reduce to a simmer partially covering the pot. If foam starts to appear simply skim it off.
6. Simmer the beans for approximately 1.5 hours to complete. The beans should be tender once cooked.
7. Avoid adding any seasoning that is salty or acidic until after the beans are cooked.
8. Once the beans are cooked, strain and serve.

Health benefits & facts

• Helps Lower Cholesterol. The fiber in the kidney beans helps food move through your digestive system slower to prevent a rapid rise in blood sugar levels.
• May help prevent cell damage. The antioxidants found in kidney beans neutralize cell damaging free radicals
• May help mental function. Kidney beans contain Vitamin B9 (Thiamine) which may help with mental function in people with epilepsy.
• High in protein which is essential in maintaining a strong musco-skeletal system.

Reminder

Russet potatoes are a good source of fiber and carbohydrates and chamomile tea is a great source of antioxidants.

Russet Potatoes

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes. In addition to potato leaves being poisonous, the outer skin of the potatoes contain defence mechanisms to protect the plant.
2. Do not eat the green spots. These green spots contain solanin, a toxin that can irritate the gastrointestinal tract. If enough is eating, vomiting and diarrhea can occur.
3. Russet potatoes can be boiled, roasted, or mashed. They are a great source of carbohydrates for lunch
4. For the purpose of detox, avoid adding things like, cream, cheese, and oil.

Benefits

• Healthy digestion caused by the high fiber content of potatoes
• Antioxidants and lower blood pressure. Antioxidants remove toxins from your blood and a lower blood pressure is associated with less damage to arteries.

Chamomile Tea

How

1. Buy organic chamomile tea bags or flowers.
2. To make chamomile tea, steep a chamomile tea bag or chamomile flowers in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes in a mug covered with a saucer.
3. For stomach ailments, muscle spasms, and help in falling asleep, use about one tablespoon of dried herb per cup of water.
4. For headaches, drink this tea before the headache becomes too severe.
5. You can make your own chamomile tea with other plants like lavender or tulsi to vary the flavor, or drink it alone.
6. Drinking the tea for 30 to 45 minutes before going to bed can treat sleeplessness.
7. You can drink one to four cups daily.
8. Fill your water bottle with tea for maximum portability. You can drink this tea as a replacement for pop and juice.
9. Using chamomile during pregnancy is not recommended, since it is considered to be a substance that may cause abortions.

Health Benefits/Facts

• Promotes sleep. Chamomile tea is a herbal tea and contains no caffeine.
• Soothes migraine headaches. This tea is anti inflammatory and will help with headaches caused by inflammation.
• Possible treatment for stomach and intestinal cramps. One study from England found that drinking chamomile tea raised urine levels of glycine, a compound that calms muscle spasms.
• Good for skin. The tea’s anti inflammatory effects extend to the skin where it helps ease skin irritations such as eczema, acne, and allergies.
• Source of antioxidant which can help prevent cancer and has been shown to causes cancer cell death though further research is needed.

Bonus Tips

How to Build Healthy Habits

Read more

As you start the final push of the whole 30 program, it’s time to reflect on your status as a healthy habit builder. As you probably noticed, it’s not always easy to develop healthy habits, especially when you’re used to doing things another way. We’ve observed four stages of habit development that people go through when changing a health behavior. It’s important to know where you fall on this spectrum in order to move forward in a productive way.

• Contemplation: “I’m Thinking About It”

We’ve found that most people tend to be in this stage. It’s not hard to tell that habits are leading down a dangerous road. Many Americans are aware of their body image, thanks especially to the amount of advertising we’re all exposed to. But, many people feel too intimidated by the challenges ahead to start acting on their beliefs.

• Preparation: “I’ve Made Up My Mind”

Once people make up their minds, they move to the preparation stage, where they decide on the path forward. At this stage people are ready to move, and they actively set goals and seek ways to achieve them. But, there is still some uncertainty as to which way to go.

• Action: “I Have Started To Make Changes”

At this point, people implement their plans and begin seeing the effects. This stage lasts about 6 months, and it usually includes a bit of adjustment to a new dietary or behavioral routine. Troubleshooting is a normal part of the action phase.

• Maintenance: “I Have a New Routine”

After 6 months of consistent effort and application, people enter the maintenance stage. Here, changes have become habit, and despite slip-ups and setbacks, the habit has set in. After some time goes by, it might be appropriate to creatively modify the routine for continued improvement.

Featured photo credit: www.healthbenefitstimes.com via google.ca

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