How Can This Ayurvedic Food Make You Feel Great?

AYURVEDIC ANALYSIS

Strong Food Cravings

Satisfying and loaded with protein, beans are nature's remedy for strong food cravings. Beans are one of a few hearty foods that actually help you drop pounds. They are so frequently prepared like a comfort food, so you might be surprised to find that they are an excellent ingredient in a reduction diet. A cup is a filling portion of cooked black beans but contains only 11 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calories, all while offering much-needed protein and fiber.

Beans & Your Bowels

The rich fiber content of beans aids in healthy elimination. 'Bean liquor' refers to the thick broth that forms while cooking beans - evidence of soluble fiber. The soluble fiber dissolves in water and keeps stools soft, acting as a bulk laxative. High in both soluble and insoluble fiber, the insoluble roughage stimulates bowel movements and helps to scrape the bowels. The fiber in beans also reduces cholesterol, all while increasing satisfaction.

Beans get a bad reputation for being the "musical fruit," causing unfortunate expressions after mealtimes, but the gas-forming astringent saponins actually help the legume protect itself against insects. Saponins form the sudsy foam on the surface of a bubbling pot of beans. These saponins also prevent protein digestion, making beans an especially challenging food for some. Vata individuals with insufficient digestive juices in the stomach may experience gas, bloating, and constipation after eating beans. Ayurveda says to avoid foods that make you gassy but also offers these tips to improve the digestibility of beans.

Beans & Spring Blood

Beans are especially medicinal in the early spring. As the body metabolizes a layer of insulating winter fat padding your skin, you may experience a two- to three-week period of small appetite, sluggishness, pressure in the ears, and upper-respiratory congestion. The back of your throat may seem damp and moist. Sweeter foods like bread, potatoes, and desserts only aggravate your discomfort this time of year. Beans to the rescue! The low glycemic index of beans is especially helpful in keeping your blood dry, thin, and congestion free. You may notice that beans even taste sweeter in February - a confirmation that beans belong on your plate.

ABOUT BLACK BEANS

Black beans are a rich source of vegetable protein, easing any meat cravings for those seeking satiation. The shiny obsidian quality of the beans are a beautiful addition to any meal, providing an earthy depth and dark contrast. Black beans appear along with rice and tortillas in a variety of southern cultures, from the chilis of Tex-Mex cuisine, to the cumin-bathed dishes of Cuba. You can even find black beans in Chinese food - fermented black beans appear like confetti in masterful stir-fries. Beans have an important role in North American agriculture - along with squash and maize, they constitute the famed three sisters, the trifecta that is the foundation of Native American agriculture.

BUYING & PREPARATION

Although canned foods are forbidden in Ayurveda, in the case of beans, you might find them easier to digest. Sprouted beans are even easier on the digestive system. Soaking beans overnight results in a more even textured bean, and the brilliant purple soaking water is a treat to behold. The power soak method is to boil beans for three minutes, set them aside for 24 hours, and then drain and discard the water and proceed with cooking. Beans contain several toxins which degrade at boiling temperatures. The toxicity of beans increases if they are heated but never boiled.

COOKING BLACK BEANS

Browse Recipes Beans are generally bland, but can be spiced to finger-licking perfection. Black beans readily acquire the flavors of spices and other foods cooked with the legumes. Like potatoes, chicken, and grains, beans are an extremely versatile ingredient. They are brilliant in burritos, gorgeous next to green, creamy guacamole, and can even be pureed into a hummus with a dash of smoky chipotle chili and large pinch of toasted ground cumin.

The cooking time of beans averages two to four hours but is substantially reduced with the help of a pressure cooker. Beans are combined with the herb epazote in Latin American to aid digestion. Kombu, a kind of seaweed, can also be added to the beans, making them more nutritious and digestible, as fans of macrobiotic cooking know. Salt, sugar, and acidic foods such as tomatoes may harden uncooked beans, resulting in longer cooking times. Favor adding these ingredients once the beans have softened and are cooked through, though digestive spices like cumin, coriander, and fennel can be added whole early in the process, perfuming the bean pot.

WHY EAT AN AYURVEDIC DIET?

Eating Ayurvedically makes you feel nourished and energized. An Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body type and the specific imbalances you are working with at any given time. Ayurveda shows you your specific body type’s needs and what should be favored in your Ayurvedic menu. Watch as you eat less but feel more satisfied because what you are eating truly nourishes you. Since Ayurveda believes all disease begins in the digestive tract, food is your first medicine. By eating a healthy diet that’s ideal for your body, you experience optimal health.

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Are Black Beans Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether Black Beans is a good fit for you. Time to complete: approximately 1 minute.

AYURVEDIC MEDICINAL BIOCHARACTERISTICS

What is the biocharacteristic theory of medicine?

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	DRY ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis. LEARN MORE ABOUT DRY HEAVY ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY DIFFICULT ABOUT DIFFICULT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Difficult refers to anything that is difficult to digest, or takes a long time to digest. LEARN MORE ABOUT DIFFICULT
TASTES The 6 Tastes Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below? Learn More	ASTRINGENT ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying. LEARN MORE ABOUT ASTRINGENT
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. Catabolic people tend to be easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic people tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic people are heavy, stable and grounded, but if they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	EFFECT: Ojas OJAS Ojas is the essence of healthy tissue, immunity, stable energy and happiness. Substances that improve ojas are recommended after long-term illness, debility, emotional and physical trauma, and even sadness. LEARN MORE ABOUT OJAS TYPE: Beans Legumes ELEMENT: Earth EARTH Resembles earth (prithvi) in quality - heavy, dense, solid, stable, hard. LEARN MORE ABOUT EARTH NUTRIENT: Folate, Insoluble Fiber, Magnesium, Soluble Fiber, Protein

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Experiences are Personal

Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Here are the herbal actions of Black Beans:

Digestion:

Appetite suppressant

APPETITE-SUPPRESSANT

Suppresses hunger without causing weight gain

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Energy Vitality Strength:

Satisfies stomach

SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

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Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

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Heart & Circulation:

Styptic

STYPTIC

A herb that contracts tissue or blood vessels. Generally styptics are astringent. They are often used to stop bleeding.

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Kidney & Urinary:

Kidney Tonic

KIDNEY-TONIC

An herb that strengthens the kidneys.

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Bowel-Poop-Elimination:

Constipative

CONSTIPATIVE

An herb that binds stools / stops diarrhea. When used in excess, these herbs and foods can cause constipation.

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General Laxative

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives...

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High Fiber Laxative

HIGH-FIBER-LAXATIVE

A class of laxative that adds bulk and water to stools. The size of a stool stimulates peristalsis and the stool passes more easily through the colon. It is important to drink plenty of water when using high fiber laxatives, as they can be dehydrating.

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