Black Bean Beef Chili Recipe For Health

By Jessica King


Chili is a great dish for busy people, since it takes little time to prepare and pretty much cooks itself on the stove while you do other things around the house. A black bean beef chili recipe is great for company, for family dinners, or for weekend cooking to make sure there are easy-to-fix, appetizing leftovers for quick meals during the week. It is also one of the healthiest meals you can make for many reasons.

Black beans are native to North and South America, but are now found all over the world. They are small, tasty legumes with many health benefits. They are packed with minerals, phytonutrients, bioflavanoids, and fiber. They are considered 'good carbs', being lower on the glycemic scale than many other legumes.

With seventy percent of its calories in the form of 'carbs', you'd think this would be a food to limit or to avoid. However, its carbs are what is called 'resistant', meaning 'hard to digest'. Rather than breaking down in the stomach, they pass on to the large intestine. There isn't a quick delivery of glucose to the bloodstream, so there's no insulin spike even though the meal is carbohydrate rich. The legumes nourish the large intestine, as well as enhancing total digestion by providing a lot of fiber.

The black bean is rich in phytonutrients, which are concentrated in the seedcoat. They rank with red onions, red cabbage, and blueberries in flavanoid content. They contain anthocyanins, another class of nutrient that gives color to vegetables. They are a good source of quercetin, an immune-system booster that helps prevent or reduce allergic reactions to pollen and also lowers cholesterol.

Beans in general are a good source of minerals and protein. This particular variety of legume is considered a valuable source of zinc, which is necessary for everyone and especially valuable for men. Black beans, like other kinds of seeds, do contain phytates, which can bind minerals and make them hard to absorb, but research shows that the zinc in these beans is boiavailable. Phytates are believed to have an antioxidant action in the body, as well.

You may already have a favorite chili recipe. Simply substitute these small, nutritious beans for the usual red kidneys, whites, or pintos. You can use canned (organic are readily available) or dried beans. Dried ones should be rinsed, culled, and pre-soaked. You can cover them with cold water and let them stand overnight or you can bring them to a boil and simmer until tender. Discarding the soaking water will reduce the gassy effect, although you can use this liquid if you want; some believe that nutrients are lost if the soaking water is discarded.

For great chili, saute onion and brown beef, adding several cloves of garlic. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, precooked or presoaked beans, and spices.(Add spices after beans are cooked to keep them tender and reduce cooking time.) Season with red chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. (Add black pepper after cooking to preserve the valuable antioxidants in the pepper.) Garnish with fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

You can also enjoy the healthy black bean in soups, dips, tacos, and salads. This is an easy way to boost nutrition in your daily diet.




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