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This Food Secret to the Longest-Lived People is in our Fudge Cake!
At The Clean Addicts, we love incorporating beans into our desserts, especially our cakes as a dairy (butter, milk) & refined flour substitute.
However, what’s all the fuss about them? Are they just another source of protein and if they are beneficial, how much should we have?
According to National Geographic fellow and Blue Zones author Dan Buettner, he has the secrets to living a happy healthy life to the ripe age of 100!
One of them is to adopt a healthy diet that consists of beans and grains. Mr. Buettner claims that Americans can extend their lives by up to four years by adding "a cup of beans a day."
His research is based on the Blue Zones in the world, where he has observed that people live the longest in these zones are the healthiest. They include: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California.
One of the top foods that promotes longevity is beans.
Mr. Buettner asserts,
“The long-lived populations in these Blue Zones eat at least four times as many beans as we do, on average.”
Furthermore, one five-country study, financed by the World Health Organisation, states that eating 20 grams of beans daily reduced a person’s risk of dying in any given year by about 8%!
8% doesn’t doesn’t seem much, but it all adds up! So why not extend your life to spend more time with your loved ones?
It is definitely worth it.
The Reality
Beans constitute 21% protein, 77% complex carbohydrates (the kind that deliver a slow and steady energy, rather than the spike you get from refined carbohydrates like white flour), and almost zero fat.
They are also an excellent source of fibre and reduce the risks of prediabetes.
They come in a various forms (such as black beans, kidney beans and garbanzo beans) and are packed with more nutrients per gram than any other food on Earth!
They are hearty and satisfying and stops you from reaching out to unhealthy foods.
One cup (256 grams) of cooked kidney beans contains roughly:
- Calories: 215
- Protein: 13.4 grams
- Fiber: 13.6 grams
- Folate (vitamin B9): 23% of the RDI
- Manganese: 22% of the RDI
- Thiamine (vitamin B1): 20% of the RDI
- Copper: 17% of the RDI
- Iron: 17% of the RDI
Beans provide most of the vitamins and minerals you need per day, so be sure to include beans in your meals and it is recommended for us to consume at least half cup of cooked beans everyday.
If you do experience some flatulence, don't fret as it is totally normal and actually beneficial to your body and gut health!
One solution that may help you is to introduce beans little by little to your body each day, or divide your serving into half – half for lunch, and half for dinner.
According to the Health Promotion Board Singapore, the recommended fibre intake is 20g for women and 26g for men, but many do not hit this recommendation.
Furthermore, a low-fibre diet can put us at risk for colorectal cancer in Singapore. In fact, it is one of the "3 leading cancers diagnosed in Singapore, regardless of gender and ethnicity", states the Singapore Cancer Registry.
Wondering how to include Beans into your meals?
Our favourite vegan Bean recipes online include:
Kale, Black Bean and Avocado Burrito Bowl
These are just some ideas to get you cooking! And if you're craving for something sweet, our wholefood cakes are a huge bonus too.
To preorder a healthier cake made with wholefoods, please contact us or visit thecleanaddicts.com/collections
References
Buettner Dan (n.d.). Meaty New Study: Plant Protein Eaters Live Longer. Blue Zones. Retrieved from https://www.bluezones.com/2016/12/new-study-plant-protein-eaters-live-longer/
Buettner Dan (n.d.). Food Guidelines. Blue Zones. Retrieved from https://www.bluezones.com/recipes/food-guidelines/
Carroll L. & Whitman J. (2015). Wine, beans and family: Sardinia's Secrets To Living To 100. Retrieved from https://www.today.com/health/live-100-what-we-can-learn-people-sardinia-t13921
Greger, Michael (2013). Increased Lifespan from Beans. Nutrition Facts. Retrieved from https://nutritionfacts.org/video/increased-lifespan-from-beans/
I. Darmadi-Blackberry, M. Wahlqvist, A. Kouris-Blazos, et al. Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2004;13(2):217-20.
Winham, Donna M. & Hutchins, Andrea M. Perceptions of flatulence from bean consumption among adults in 3 feeding studies. Nutritional Journal; 2011; 10:128. [PubMed]