রাজমা/Kidney beans
রাজমা
গরম ভাত আর রাজমা - ভারতীয় খাবারের অন্যতম জনপ্রিয় এক পদ। তবে, ভারতেই কিন্তু জন্ম নয় এই রাজমার। কথিত আছে, প্রাচীন কালে ব্যাবসা বাণিজ্যের সময়েই ভারতে রাজমার ব্যবহার চালু হয়। মেক্সিকো এবং মধ্য আমেরিকার কিছু অংশে রাজমা বা কিডনি বীনের ব্যাপক পরিমাণে চাষ হয়। অনেক ধরনেরই বীন পাওয়া যায় - সাদা, ক্রিম, কালো, লাল, বেগুনি, স্পটেড, স্ট্রাইপড এবং মোটলড। রাজমা উদ্ভিজ্জ প্রোটিনের একটি প্রধান উতস এবং এর স্বাস্থ্যগুণও অসীম।
রাজমার অসাধারণ স্বাস্থ্যগুণ
১. প্রোটিন সমৃদ্ধ: ইউএসডিএ অনুযায়ী, ১০০ গ্রাম কাঁচা কিডনি বীনে রয়েছে প্রায় ২৪ গ্রাম প্রোটিন। ভাতের সঙ্গে কিডনি বিনে সম্পূর্ণ প্রোটিন খাবার হিসাবেই জনপ্রিয়। সোয়া ও কুইনা ছাড়াই, উদ্ভিজ্জ প্রোটিন উত্স যেমন মটরশুটি, বাদাম ও গোটা শস্য আপনাকে প্রয়োজনীয় প্রোটিন যোগাতে অক্ষম। কিন্তু, অন্য খাবারের সঙ্গে মিশিয়ে খেলে তারা প্রোটিন পদার্থে ভরপুর হয়ে ওঠে। ম্যাক্রোবায়োটিক পুষ্টিবিজ্ঞানী ও স্বাস্থ্যবিজ্ঞানী শীলা অরোরা বলেছেন, "রাজমা প্রচুর পরিমাণ প্রোটিন এবং উচ্চ মানের ফাইবারসমৃদ্ধ। যদি আপনি একটাই খাবারের বিভিন্ন অ্যামিনো অ্যাসিড চান তবে শস্য ও বাদামের মিশ্রণ খাদ্য হিসেবে উপকারী।”
তবে কতখানি খাবেন তার নিয়ন্ত্রণ বজায় রাখা দরকার। কিডনি বিনে প্রচুর পরিমাণে প্রোটিন ফ্যাসিওলিন থাকে যাতে কারো কারো অ্যালার্জিও দেখা যায়।
২. হজমের সহায়ক: কিডনি বিন দ্রবণীয় এবং অদ্রবণীয় ফাইবার সমৃদ্ধ। ফাইবার পাচনতন্ত্র সুস্থ রাখতে সাহায্য করে, অন্ত্রের সমস্যা কমায়। কিন্তু অতিরিক্ত ব্যাবহারে আবার গ্যাস বা পেট ফাঁপার মতো সমস্যাও হতে পারে।
৩. ডায়াবেটিকদের জন্য উপকারী: কিডনি বিনের একটি বড় অংশই কার্বোহাইড্রেট। কিন্তু এই কার্বোহাইড্রেট ক্ষতিকারক নয় একেবারেই। এই কার্বোহাইড্রেট হজমে বিলম্ব ঘটায়, যার ফলে রক্তপ্রবাহে শর্করাও নির্গত হয় অল্প পরিমাণে। কিডনি বিন কম গ্লাইসেমিক ইনডেক্স সম্পন্ন হওয়ায় ডায়াবেটিসের জন্য আদর্শ খাদ্য।
কিডনি বিনস দ্রবণীয় এবং অদ্রবণীয় ফাইবারে সমৃদ্ধ
৪. অপরিহার্য খনিজ পদার্থ সমৃদ্ধ: ডি কে পাবলিশিং হাউস কর্তৃক প্রকাশিত 'হিলিং ফুডস' বই অনুযায়ী, রক্ত তৈরি করে এমন আয়রন, ফসফরাস রয়েছে কিডনি বিনে। যা হাড় ও দাঁত মজবুত রাখতে সাহায্য করে, এর মধ্যে থাকা ভিটামিন কে স্নায়ুতন্ত্রের রক্ষাও করে।
৫. কোলেস্টেরল কমানো: কিডনি মটরশুটি দ্রবণীয় ফাইবার সমৃদ্ধ। দ্রবণীয় ফাইবার জল আকর্ষণ করে এবং হজমের সময় জলকে জেলজাতীয় পদার্থে রূপান্তরিত করে। আমরা জানি যে দ্রবণীয় ফাইবার হজম করাতে সাহায্য করে কিন্তু অনেকেই জানি না যে বিন এলডিএল কোলেস্টেরল কমাতেও সাহায্য করে।
৬. ওজন হ্রাস: কিডনি বিন উচ্চমানের প্রোটিন এবং ফাইবারে ঠাসা। পেট ভরা এই খাবার আপনার বারে বারে খাওয়ার প্রবণতা কমায়, ফলে ওজন থাকে নিয়ন্ত্রণে। এছাড়াও এর মধ্যে রয়েছে প্রতিরোধী স্টার্চ। যা ওজন নিয়ন্ত্রণে কার্যকর ভূমিকা পালন করে।
Kidney Beans
Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits
Nutrients
Vitamins & minerals
Plant compounds
Weight loss
Other benefits
Kidney beans are a variety of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), a legume native to Central America and Mexico.
The common bean is an important food crop and major source of protein throughout the world.
Used in a variety of traditional dishes, kidney beans are usually eaten well cooked. Raw or improperly cooked kidney beans are toxic, but well-prepared beans can be a healthy component of a well-balanced diet.
They come in a variety of colors and patterns, including white, cream, black, red, purple, spotted, striped, and mottled.
This article tells you everything you need to know about kidney beans.
Nutrition facts
Kidney beans are mainly composed of carbs and fiber but also serve as a good source of protein.
The nutrition facts for 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of boiled kidney beans are:
Calories: 127
Water: 67%
Protein: 8.7 grams
Carbs: 22.8 grams
Sugar: 0.3 grams
Fiber: 6.4 grams
Fat: 0.5 grams
Protein
Kidney beans are rich in protein.
Only 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of boiled kidney beans boast almost 9 grams of protein, accounting for 27% of the total calorie content.
Although the nutritional quality of bean protein is generally lower than that of animal protein, beans are an affordable alternative for many people.
In fact, beans are one the richest plant-based sources of protein, sometimes referred to as “poor man’s meat”.
The most widely studied protein in kidney beans is phaseolin, which may cause allergic reactions in some people .
Kidney beans also contain other proteins like lectins and protease inhibitors.
Carbs
Kidney beans are mainly composed of starchy carbs, which account for approximately 72% of the total calorie content.
Starch is predominantly made up of long chains of glucose in the form of amylose and amylopectin.
Beans have a relatively high proportion of amylose (30–40%) compared to most other dietary sources of starch. Amylose is not as digestible as amylopectin.
For this reason, bean starch is a slow-release carb. Its digestion takes longer, and it causes a lower and more gradual rise in blood sugar than other starches, making kidney beans particularly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes.
Kidney beans rank very low on the glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of how foods affect your rise in blood sugar after a meal.
In fact, bean starch has a more beneficial effect on blood sugar balance than many other high-carb foods.
Fibers
Kidney beans are high in fiber.
They contain substantial amounts of resistant starch, which may play a role in weight management.
Kidney beans also provide insoluble fibers known as alpha-galactosides, which may cause diarrhea and flatulence in some people.
Both resistant starch and alpha-galactosides function as prebiotics. Prebiotics move through your digestive tract until they reach your colon, where they’re fermented by beneficial bacteria.
The fermentation of these healthy fibers results in the formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate, which may improve colon health and reduce your risk of colon cancer.
Vitamins and minerals
Kidney beans are rich in various vitamins and minerals, including:
Molybdenum. Beans are high in molybdenum, a trace element mainly found in seeds, grains, and legumes.
Folate. Also known as folic acid or vitamin B9, folate is considered particularly important during pregnancy.
Iron. This essential mineral has many important functions in your body. Iron may be poorly absorbed from beans due to their phytate content.
Copper. This antioxidant trace element is often low in the Western diet. Aside from beans, the best dietary sources of copper are organ meats, seafood, and nuts.
Manganese. This compound is present in most foods, especially in whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.
Potassium. This essential nutrient may have beneficial effects on heart health.
Vitamin K1. Also known as phylloquinone, vitamin K1 is important for blood coagulation.
Other plant compounds
Kidney beans contain many bioactive plant compounds, including:
Isoflavones. A class of antioxidants present in high amounts in soybeans, isoflavones are categorized as phytoestrogens due to their similarity to the female sex hormone, estrogen.
Anthocyanins. This family of colorful antioxidants occurs in the skin of kidney beans. The color of red kidney beans is mainly due to an anthocyanin known as pelargonidin.
Phytohaemagglutinin. This toxic protein exists in high amounts in raw kidney beans, especially red varieties. It can be eliminated through cooking.
Phytic acid. Found in all edible seeds, phytic acid (phytate) impairs your absorption of various minerals, such as iron and zinc. It can be reduced by soaking, sprouting, or fermenting the beans.
Starch blockers. A class of lectins, also known as alpha-amylase inhibitors, starch blockers impair or delay the absorption of carbs from your digestive tract but are inactivated by cooking.
Weight loss
Excess weight gain and obesity are major health problems, associated with an increased risk of various chronic diseases.
Several observational studies link bean consumption to a lower risk of excess weight gain and obesity.
A 2-month study in 30 obese adults on a weight loss diet showed that eating beans and other legumes 4 times per week led to greater weight loss than a bean-free diet.
A recent review of 11 studies also found some supporting evidence but was unable to draw a firm conclusion.
Various mechanisms may contribute to the beneficial effects of beans on weight loss. These include fibers, proteins, and antinutrients.
Among the most widely studied antinutrients in raw kidney beans are starch blockers, a class of proteins that impair or delay the digestion and absorption of carbs (starch) from your digestive tract.
Starch blockers, extracted from white kidney beans, demonstrate some potential as a weight loss supplement.
However, boiling for 10 minutes completely inactivates starch blockers, eliminating their effect in fully cooked beans.
Even so, cooked kidney beans offer a number of weight-loss-friendly compounds, making them an excellent addition to an effective weight loss diet.
Kidney beans are high in protein and fiber and contain proteins that can reduce the digestion of starches (carbs), all of which may aid weight loss.
Other health benefits of kidney beans
Aside from being weight loss friendly, kidney beans may have a number of benefits when properly cooked and prepared.
Improved blood sugar control
Over time, high blood sugar may increase your risk of many chronic illnesses, such as heart disease. Thus, moderating your rise in blood sugar after meals is considered beneficial for health.
Being rich in protein, fiber, and slow-release carbs, kidney beans are very effective at maintaining healthy levels of blood sugar.
They have a low GI score, which means that your rise in blood sugar after eating them is low and more gradual.
In fact, beans are better at controlling blood sugar than most dietary sources of carbs.
Several observational studies indicate that eating beans or other low-glycemic foods may reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Eating low-glycemic foods may also improve blood sugar control in people who already have type 2 diabetes.
Even if you don’t have this condition, adding beans to your diet may improve blood sugar balance, protect your overall health, and reduce your risk of many chronic diseases.
Colon cancer prevention
Colon cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide.
Observational studies link legume intake, including beans, with a reduced risk of colon cancer.
This is supported by test-tube and animal studies.
Beans contain a variety of nutrients and fibers with potential anticancer effects.
Fibers, such as resistant starch and alpha-galactosides, pass undigested down to your colon, where they’re fermented by friendly bacteria, resulting in the formation of SCFAs.
SCFAs like butyrate may improve colon health and lower your risk of colon cancer.
Potential downsides
Even though kidney beans may have a number of health benefits, raw or inadequately cooked kidney beans are toxic.
In addition, some people may wish to limit their consumption of beans due to bloating and flatulence.
Raw kidney bean toxicity
Raw kidney beans contain high amounts of a toxic protein called phytohaemagglutinin .
Phytohaemagglutinin is found in many beans but is particularly high in red kidney beans.
Kidney bean poisoning has been reported in both animals and humans. In humans, the main symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes requiring hospitalization.
Soaking and cooking the beans eliminates most of this toxin, making properly prepared kidney beans safe, harmless, and nutritious.
Before consumption, kidney beans should be soaked in water for at least 5 hours and boiled at 212°F (100°C) for at least 10 minutes.
Antinutrients in kidney beans
Raw and improperly cooked kidney beans harbor many antinutrients, which are substances that reduce nutritional value by impairing nutrient absorption from your digestive tract.
Although they may sometimes be beneficial, antinutrients are a serious concern in developing countries in which beans are a staple food.
The main antinutrients in kidney beans are :
Phytic acid. This compound, also known as phytate, impairs your absorption of minerals, such as iron and zinc.
Protease inhibitors. Also known as trypsin inhibitors, these proteins inhibit the function of various digestive enzymes, impairing protein digestion.
Starch blockers. These substances, sometimes called alpha-amylase inhibitors, impair the absorption of carbs from your digestive tract.
Phytic acid, protease inhibitors, and starch blockers are all completely or partially inactivated when beans are properly soaked and cooked.
Fermenting and sprouting the beans may reduce antinutrients, such as phytic acid, even further .
Flatulence and bloating
In some people, beans may cause unpleasant effects, such as bloating, flatulence, and diarrhea .
Insoluble fibers called alpha-galactosides are responsible for these effects. They belong to a group of fibers known as FODMAPs, which may exacerbate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Alpha-galactosides can be partially removed by soaking and sprouting the beans .
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