Adzuki Beans

Grown all throughout the Himalayas and parts of East Asia, the adzuki beans are native to China and are also known as Vigna angularis. If you are wondering what are adzuki beans, they are small regular looking beans which are reddish brown in color and have a white ridge on one edge. They are usually sweet, but also have a slightly nutty flavor which gives them their uniqueness. Among the various types of beans, these contain one of the highest sources of proteins and consist of very low fat content. They are also considered to be a very healthy beans and is used in all types of food preparations from salads to curries! In the coming up paragraphs, you will read more about the adzuki beans and its benefits, so scroll down.

Adzuki Beans Nutrition

The nutrition facts of adzuki beans are quite similar to other beans, as there are many important nutrients which find their sources in these beans. Other than being rich in proteins, adzuki beans are also rich in potassium, fiber, B vitamins (thiamin, niacin, and riboflavin) and minerals (iron, zinc, and manganese). A number of studies have proven that these beans also have many health benefits which are very important for our body metabolism and functioning. In the table below, there is a brief description about what are the adzuki beans nutrition facts for a serving size of about 230 g, so take a look.

• Calories - 294
• Carbohydrates - 57 g
• Fats - 0.23 g
• Protein - 17.3 g
• Dietary Fiber - 16.8 g
• Magnesium - 119.6 mg
• Iron - 4.6 mg
• Zinc - 4.0 mg
• Potassium - 1223 mg
• Folate - 278 mcg

There are many healthy benefits of these adzuki beans, as they are a rich source of all the important nutrients mentioned in the table above. They can be readily used in weight loss diets and in healthy eating programs, as they provide essential proteins. Adzuki beans also consist of protease inhibitors, which help in inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells so to keep the body away from any type of cancer. Regular bowel movements and speeding up the process of elimination of wastes from the body, is another benefit which can be drawn from these beans. They lower the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood as they consist of soluble fibers.

Adzuki Beans Recipes

Adzuki Beans Salad
Ingredients

• 4 slices organic bacon
• 4 cups dried adzuki beans
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder

Directions
To start with adzuki beans cooking, you need to wash them and soak them overnight in water. You can use many dried beans recipes, for these beans as well. After they are soaked, drain them and then rinse them with water once. In a large pot, add water, add the soaked beans and place it on the heat, bring it to boil so that the beans are cooked well. Then, add the sea salt so that the flavor is seeped through the beans. Remove them from the heat, and drain them in a large salad bowl, add the organic bacon, fresh cut tomatoes, onions, chopped lettuce leaves, coriander and other ingredients used in salads, then sprinkle the pepper, garlic powder and the chili powder for taste. Toss the salad and serve it with tortilla or nacho chips!

Adzuki Beans Soup
Ingredients

• 3 cups adzuki beans
• 5 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 diced carrots
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger

Directions
For this bean soup recipe soak the beans, as mentioned in the recipe above, and then while preparing the soup, add 3 cups of water to a pot and place it on medium heat. Then add the beans to the water and bring it to boil, make sure that the beans are cooked. Add salt to taste, simmer for about 20 minutes, and then add cumin and white pepper. In another pan, saute the carrots and ginger in olive oil till they are tender and then, add these to the soup pot with the beans. Let it thicken to the desired consistency and then serve it hot.

With this useful information about adzuki beans, and its health benefits, you must have found another important bean that can be a great addition to your diet. Well, make sure you include this one, because beans are very important for growing children.