The reasons for eating beans are as varied as the species of beans grown. Beans are nutritious, cheap, versatile, and store well. What more could you ask from a food? Ease in cooking is probably one of them but I'll get back to that later. First, how nutritious are beans? Technically, the bean is a vegetable, but the Food Guide Pyramid classifies them in the "meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nut group". Two to three servings are recommended from this group daily to provide protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, iron, phosphorous and zinc. The only nutrient beans fall short on is B12. Another point to remember, if you are getting all your protein from beans is that the iron in vegetable products is not as easily absorbed as from animal products. The recommendation for vegetarians is to double their requirement for iron and it helps if you eat the food with a vitamin C source like citrus fruits or broccoli. Beans are also a rich source of fiber, something most of us don't get enough of. Okay so I have convinced you beans are the perfect food, and cheap. So, what do you do with them, after all they are not fast food.
For information on buying, storing, soaking and cooking visit the Ontario White Bean Producers . For approximate pressure cooking times for beans and legumes About.com has a great list For more information on beans visit American Dry Bean Board and The Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.
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