Kidney
beans belong to the legumes family and one of the most popular
foods for vegans since they don't eat meat and thereby have recourse
to kidney beans for their protein intake. Kidney beans are high
in protein but many would consider these nutritious foods incomplete
proteins. The truth is kidney beans are complete proteins but
some of their amino acid profiles are so low that make it an incomplete
protein in a certain sense. What many people in the bodybuilding
world do is add other protein foods like chicken or beef to it
to enhance the amino acid profile or many will eat beans with
brown rice. Eating rice with beans make it a complete protein.
A
popular dish which uses kidney beans and beef is without doubt
chili con carne and this is a great meal for bodybuilders. Whatever
you do, you don't necessarily need to add any other protein to
your beans because don't forget you also have other meals during
the day, so checking on complete or incomplete protein is not
worth it. Just eat. Here are 7 reasons why kidney beans are good
for bodybuilding:
High
In Complex Carbohydrates
Kidney
beans are loaded with complex carbohydrates which means they are
slow-digesting, filling and provide sustained levels of energy.
If you're exercising regularly, complex carbohydrates should be
your carbs of choice and can be eaten 1.5 hours pre workout. In
400 grams of kidney beans, you get 90 grams of quality carbohydrates.
High
In Protein
Kidney
beans are also high in protein and is an excellent choice for
vegans who are exercising. Even non-vegans get a lot of benefits
from this nourishing food. If you eat a can of kidney beans drained
and rinsed, that's 36 grams of protein per 400 grams. To be truthful,
that's a hefty dose of protein in a single can.
High
In Dietary Fiber
Your
nutrition is not complete without fiber. Fiber is important to
regulate proper bowel activity, prevent constipation and keep
you healthy, so it's a must to have in bodybuilding where you
eat a lot of chicken and meat. In 400 grams of kidney beans, that's
a whopping 25 grams of dietary fiber.
Low
In Fat
One
of the great things about kidney beans is they are virtually fat-free
and this makes them a great addition to your bodybuilding meals.
Rich
In Iron
Kidney
beans are great sources of iron. Iron is a mineral which is vital
for creating healthy red blood cell proteins(hemoglobin) which
help transport oxygen to your muscles during exercising. Having
iron deficiency can trigger anemia which is a lack of red blood
cells. Some symptoms of anemia include dizziness, shortness of
breath, headache, pale skin, fatigue, energy loss and unusually
rapid heart beat during exercise. In 400 grams of kidney beans,
you get 7 mg of iron.
High
In Potassium
If
you're building muscle, you should know the importance of potassium.
Potassium is an electrolyte and after you exercise intensely,
your body loses electrolytes via sweat and when this occurs, you
are likely to suffer from muscle soreness, cramps and fatigue.
Kidney beans are loaded with potassium and can recharge your electrolyte
depletion. In 400 grams of kidney beans, you get 1,636 mg of potassium
which is already about 1/3 of your daily requirement.
Rich In Magnesium
Just like potassium, magnesium is an electrolyte which helps against
muscle cramps. In addition, magnesium aids sleep which is vital
for bodybuilding as well as having a strong relaxing effect on
muscle tissues and nerves. Kidney beans boast a great amount of
magnesium, per 400 grams serving, you get 181 mg of magnesium,
which is about half of your daily requirement. Apart beans, other
sources of magnesium include spinach, almonds, oats, quinoa, buckwheat,
brown rice, barley, bananas, lentils, kale, swiss chard, pistachios,
cashews, walnuts, squash and pumpkin seeds, mackerel, avocados
and dark chocolate.
As you can see, kidney beans pack a big nutritional punch with
a wealthy array of nutrients and minerals. If you prefer to eat
your beans fresh, don't forget to soak them overnight to fasten
the cooking time, otherwise if you're using them canned, be sure
to drain and rinse them to remove the water and salt or sugar
if any.
Here
is a simple and fast spicy kidney beans recipe to eat with rice.
Ingredients:
3
cloves of garlic
1 medium red onion
1 tomato
1 can of red kidney beans(drained and rinsed)
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of ground cumin
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
Directions:
(1)
Finely chop garlic and dice onion.
(2)
Dice the tomato.
(3)
Heat your soup pot and add the olive oil.
(4)
Add the onion and soften it a bit.
(5)
Next, add the finely chopped garlic and let it cook a little bit.
(6)
Now, add the diced tomatoes and mix well.
(7)
Add the kidney beans and mix well.
(8)
Add the remaining ingredients ie salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne
pepper and stir well.
(9)
Add one cup of water and bring to a boil.
(10)
Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes on low heat.
(11)
Your kidney beans meal is ready to be served with steamed rice.
For
more bodybuilding recipes, I highly recommend Anabolic
Cooking which is the ultimate guide for bodybuilding nutrition.