Antioxidant Tuesdays-Pinto Beans!

Every Tuesday I plan on highlighting a food or supplement that is a great natural source of antioxidants.

In this post, I listed the top 10 sources of antioxidants amongst 100 common foods.  We have already covered kidney beans and blueberries.  Today, we will focus on pinto beans.

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Health Benefits of Pinto Beans

Pinto beans, like other beans, are a great source of fiber.  We discussed in this post why fiber is so important to have in our diets.

However, eaten on their own, pinto beans do not have all the necessary amino acids to make a protein.  They must be combined with a complex carbohydrate like brown rice.  This ensures when we break down the food we eat in order to make our own proteins, we will have all the necessary building blocks.

Pinto beans are also an excellent source of folate, manganese, vitamin B1,  phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper.

What are each of these nutrients good for?

• Folate-necessary for DNA synthesis
• Manganese-helps our body’s enzymes work well
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)-necessary in many pathways in our bodies; deficiency common in alcoholics and can result in brain disease
• Phosphorous and Magnesium-necessary for DNA synthesis
• Potassium-essential for nerve transmission and normal heart function
• Copper-helps iron uptake which is necessary for healthy red blood cells

Ways to Eat Pinto Beans

Southwest Pinto Bean Burgers from My Recipes

Pinto Bean and Andouille Sausage Stew from Delish

Kale, Zucchini and Pinto Bean Enchiladas from Daily Unadventures in Cooking

Question?

Have you eaten pinto beans?  What is your favorite way to cook them?