Beans are the seeds from flowering plants in the Fabaceae family and are classified as legumes.

Several beans grow in pods or capsules that develop from flowers. Other legumes include peas, peanuts, and lentils. These beans are available to dry, canned, or frozen.

They differ nutritionally from green beans or wax beans where a person eats the entire pod.

Beans contain amino acids, which are the protein building blocks that the body uses to heal and to make new tissues, such as bone, muscle, hair, skin, and blood. Protein is an essential nutrient.

There are many types of beans. Dried beans need cooking to make them tender enough to eat. Canned and frozen beans are typically ready to eat after warming on the stove or in the microwave. Some of the most popular bean varieties include:

Lima beans
Black beans
Black-eyed peas
Soybeans
Kidney beans
Garbanzo beans
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Red beans

Health benefits of beans
Beans offer several health benefits.

Protein
Protein is a vital nutrient that plays a key role in maintaining and repairing the body. Beans are high in amino acids, the building blocks of protein.

There are 20 amino acidsTrusted Source, and nine of these are essential. There are also two types of protein sources: complete and incomplete.

Animal products, soy, and quinoa are all complete proteins, which means they contain all nine essential amino acids.

However, of all the types of beans, only soybeans contain all nine amino acids.

People can combine incomplete proteins with nuts, seeds, dairy products, or grains at a single meal or throughout the day to make complete proteins.

For example, a person can:

Eat beans with rice or couscous for lunch
Have black beans at lunch with almonds or cheese
Beans make an excellent source of protein for vegetarians and vegans.

They are also lower in calories and saturated fat than some other protein sources, such as meat and full fat or low-fat dairy products.

Examples of the protein content of beans are:
A 1-cup or 40 grams Trusted Source (g), serving of canned black beans provides 14.5 g of protein, 16.6 g of fiber, and 4.56 milligrams (mg) of iron.
A 1-cup or 155 g Trusted Source, serving of shelled edamame beans provides 18.5 g protein, 8.06 g fiber, and 3.52 mg iron.

Folate
Beans contain several vital nutrients, including folate. Folate is essential for overall health, to make healthy red blood cells, and help prevent neural tube defects in a fetus during pregnancy.
A 1-cup, or 155gTrusted Source, serving of shelled edamame beans provides 482 micrograms (mcg) of folate.

Antioxidants
According to research Trusted Source, beans are rich in polyphenols, which are a type of antioxidant.
Antioxidants fight the effects Trusted Source of free radicals, which are damaging chemicals that the body produces during metabolism and other processes.

Free radicals can cause cell damage that can result in various diseases. Antioxidants help the body remove free radicals. In this way, antioxidant-rich foods, such as beans, can help protect the body from disease.

Heart health
People who consume beans regularly may be less likely to die of a heart attack or other cardiovascular problems. The authors of a 2017 meta-analysis Trusted Source suggested that one reason for the decrease in cardiovascular risk was that people had replaced higher fat animal meat proteins with beans.

A 2013 review and meta-analysis found a clear correlation between eating beans and a lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Other research suggests that nutrients in beans may help lower cholesterol. High cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks.

There is evidence Trusted Source that a high-fiber diet may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A half-cup or 88 g Trusted Source, serving of black beans provides about 14 g of fiber, which is over half an adult’s daily requirement for fiber.

Reduced risk of cancer
Some studies have shown that beans act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. These effects could reduce the risk of cancer.

Research published in 2015 analyzed whether beans might have antioxidant properties that fight intestinal cancer. The results suggested that black beans had the highest antioxidant activity.

A 2016 study also found that chemicals in Northeast China black beans could slow the growth of colorectal cancer by preventing cancer cells from multiplying.

Diabetes and glucose metabolism
Beans may help stabilize Trusted Source blood glucose levels or even prevent diabetes. Beans are high in fiber, which can help lower blood glucose.

The author of a 2018 review Trusted Source concluded that consuming a high fiber diet could reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. There was also evidence that it may help lower blood sugar in people who already have the condition.
Another study Trusted Source looked specifically at the effect of adding a cup of legumes to the daily diet of people with type 2 diabetes. This study showed a reduction in blood sugar levels and lower blood pressures in the group who ate beans over the control group who included more whole wheat fiber.

Preventing fatty liver
Fatty liver happens when fats accumulate in the liver. It can develop alongside obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other aspects of metabolic syndrome.https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease.

Doctors base the treatment of fatty liver disease on weight loss and controlling blood sugars, as well as reducing blood levels of fats, such as triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol. Replacing higher fat animal proteins with beans is a good step towards better liver health.

Controlling appetite
When a person eats beans, the fiber and healthful starches they contain can help create a feeling of fullness and satisfaction.
As a long-term dietary strategy, this could help prevent overeating and may lead to weight loss, according to a 2013 review Trusted Source.

Improving gut health
Research Trusted Source has shown a variety of beans, especially black beans, enhance gut health by improving intestinal barrier function and increasing the number of beneficial bacteria. This may help prevent gut-associated diseases.

Healthful gut bacteria also support immune system function and may promote weight loss. Beans feed the healthful gut bacteria colonies.

Everyone experiences an upset stomach and indigestion, or dyspepsia, from time to time after eating or drinking. The condition is usually no cause for concern, and it is often possible to treat the symptoms using home remedies.

Common symptoms of an upset stomach and indigestion include:
Heartburn, or acid reflux
Nausea
Bloating
Gas
Belching, sometimes bringing up bitter or foul-tasting fluid or food
Farting
Bad-smelling or sour breath
Hiccupping or coughing

Some of the most popular home remedies for an upset stomach and indigestion include:

Drinking water
Dehydration can increase the likelihood of an upset stomach.
The body needs water to digest and absorb nutrients from foods and beverages efficiently. Being dehydrated makes digestion more difficult and less effective, which increases the likelihood of an upset stomach.

In general, the Health and Medicine Division (HMD) recommends that:
Women should have around 2.7 liters (l), or 91 ounces (oz), of water a day
Men should have about 3.7 l, or 125 oz, of water a day
Around 20 percent of this will come from food, with the rest coming from beverages. For most people, a good figure to aim for is approximately 8 or more cups of water a day. Younger children require slightly less water than adults.

For those with digestive issues, it is imperative to stay hydrated. Vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration very quickly so people with these symptoms should keep drinking water.

Avoiding lying down
When the body is horizontal, the acid in the stomach is more likely to travel backward and move upward, which can cause heartburn.

People with an upset stomach should avoid lying down or going to bed for at least a few hours until it passes. Someone who needs to lie down should prop up their head, neck, and upper chest with pillows, ideally at a 30-degree angle.

Ginger
Ginger is a common natural remedy for an upset stomach and indigestion. Ginger contains chemicals called gingerols and shogaols that can help speed up stomach contractions. This may move foods that are causing indigestion through the stomach more quickly.

The chemicals in ginger may also help to reduce nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. People with an upset stomach could try adding ginger to their food or drinking it as tea. Some all-natural ginger ales may also contain enough ginger to settle an upset stomach.
Ginger tea is widely available to buy in supermarkets and online.

Mint
In addition to sweetening the breath, the menthol in mint may help with the following:

Preventing vomiting and diarrhea
Reducing muscle spasms in the intestines
Relieving pain
Researchers Trusted Source have found that mint is a traditional treatment for indigestion, gas, and diarrhea in Iran, Pakistan, and India.

Raw and cooked mint leaves are both suitable for consumption. Traditionally, people often boil mint leaves with cardamom to make tea. It is also possible to powder or juice mint leaves and mix them with other teas, beverages, or foods. Mint leaves are widely available in health stores and online.
Sucking on mint candies might be another way to help reduce the pain and discomfort of heartburn.

Taking a warm bath or using a heating bag
Heat may relax tense muscles and ease indigestion, so taking a warm bath may help to ease the symptoms of an upset stomach. It could also be beneficial to apply a heated bag or pad to the stomach for 20 minutes or until it goes cool.

BRAT diet
Doctors may recommend the BRAT diet to people with diarrhea. BRAT stands for Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. These foods are all starchy, so they can help bind foods together to make stools firmer. This may decrease the number of stools a person passes and help ease their diarrhea.

As these foods are bland, they do not contain substances that irritate the stomach, throat, or intestines. Therefore, this diet can soothe the tissue irritation resulting from the acids in vomit.
Many of the foods in the BRAT diet are also high in nutrients such as potassium and magnesium and can replace those lost through diarrhea and vomiting.

Avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol
Smoking can irritate the throat, increasing the likelihood of an upset stomach. If the person has vomited, smoking can further irritate the tender tissue already sore from stomach acids.

As a toxin, alcohol is difficult to digest and can cause damage to the liver and stomach lining.
People with an upset stomach should avoid smoking and drinking alcohol until they are feeling better.

Avoiding difficult-to-digest foods
Some foods are harder to digest than others, which increases the risk of an upset stomach. Anyone with an upset stomach should avoid foods that are:
Fried or fatty
Rich or creamy
Salty or heavily preserved

Lime or lemon juice, baking soda, and water
Some studies suggest that mixing lime or lemon juice in water with a pinch of baking soda can help to relieve a variety of digestive complaints.

This mixture produces carbonic acid, which may help to reduce gas and indigestion. It may also improve liver secretion and intestinal mobility. The acidity and other nutrients in lime or lemon juice can help to digest and absorb fats and alcohol while neutralizing bile acids and reducing acidity in the stomach.
Most traditional recipes recommend mixing the following quantities:

1 tablespoon (tbsp) of fresh lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon (tsp) of baking soda
8 oz of clean water

Rice
Plain rice is useful for people with many types of stomach complaints. It can help by:
Adding bulk to stool
Absorbing fluids that may contain toxins
Easing pain and cramps, because of its high levels of magnesium and potassium

Someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea could try slowly eating half a cup of plain, well-cooked rice. It is best to wait until at least a few hours after the last episode of vomiting. The person may continue to do this for 24–48 hours until diarrhea stops.
Rice is also part of the BRAT diet that doctors often recommend.

Coconut water
Coconut water contains high levels of potassium and magnesium. These nutrients help to reduce pain, muscle spasms, and cramps.

Coconut water is also useful for rehydrating and is a better option than most sports drinks as it is also low in calories, sugar, and acidity.
Slowly sipping on up to 2 glasses of coconut water every 4–6 hours could ease upset stomach symptoms.

Bananas
Bananas contain vitamin B6, potassium, and folate. These nutrients can help to ease cramps, pains, and muscle spasms. Bananas can also help by adding bulk to loose stools, which can alleviate diarrhea.

Bitter Kola also is known as Garcinia kola, is a multipurpose tree found mostly in the tropical rain forest region of Central and West Africa.

This highly sourced species is called “wonder plant” because every part of it such as the seeds, stem, and leaves has been used for medicinal purposes over decades.

One study found that Garcinia kola acts as anti-bacteria, anti-virus, and provides protection against cancer among other diseases.

The most valued product of the tree is the seeds, which are commonly chewed by rural and urban populations of the African region to avoid and treat gastric problems.

Garcinia kola has several health benefits including curing a good number of sicknesses.

What sickness does bitter kola cure?
There is vast evidence that bioactive components of the seeds can serve as an alternative medicine to treat and cure severe diseases or ailments such as…

Diabetes
The effect of garcinia kola on diabetes is quite astounding. Findings have it that bitter kola can regulate blood sugar levels in the blood by reducing and normalizing it.
Consuming Bitter Kola seed significantly ameliorates hyperglycemia-mediated damage by decreasing the blood glucose level, enhancing the antioxidant system, inhibiting lipid peroxidation, and improving complications of diabetes mellitus.
This therapy is likely to be most effective in the early stage of diabetes as a severe state might require the services of health experts.

Malaria
Over the years, traditional healers have been recommending bitter kola to their patients as a treatment for some ailments of which malaria is inclusive.
Experimental studies backed up this fact in their finding that the chemical constituents in bitter kola have anti-malaria properties and can do wonders if two or three (with some water) of the seeds are chewed when signs arise.
In addition, the stem, bark, and seeds of garcinia kola are used to treat acute fever, inflammation of the respiratory tract, and throat infections.

Weak immune system
Bitter kola has a high amount of antioxidants. This high amount of antioxidants found in bitter kola does not only help fight bacteria and other illnesses but also helps the body to increase its immunity levels.

Also, when the immunity level of the body is increased, it becomes strong enough to fight against any foreign contaminant.

Glaucoma
Glaucoma is a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball, causing a gradual loss of sight. Glaucoma could result in permanent blindness if left untreated.
However, garcinia kola has been found to be an amazing remedy for this ailment.
Researchers at Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria tested the effectiveness of eye drops that contained 0.5 percent extract of Bitter Kola.
The results of their study showed that the ophthalmic solution that contained the Garcinia kola significantly reduced eye pressure when used twice a day.
The study then recommended eating Bitter kola at least twice a day to ease eye pressure

Osteoarthritis
It has been observed that many arthritis sufferers prefer natural herbal medicines to other pain relievers and medications.
Studies were made and the researchers at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria found that there is a positive effect of Garcinia kola against arthritis symptoms.
The results of the study concluded that Garcinia kola significantly reduce inflammation and pain and increased joint movement in subjects that had osteoarthritis symptoms.

Neutralizes Snake Poison
Snakes can commonly be found in rural areas or homes that are close to the bush part. People who live in rural areas are more likely to have an encounter with snakes or experience snake bites.
However, it is important to fumigate your environment regularly so as to keep snakes away.
In the case, the compound or surrounding welcomed a snake and you got bitten in the process, you could use bitter kola to neutralize the effect of the snake venom.
Chew 5-10 pieces of bitter kola immediately and within a few seconds, you will feel the need to urinate the poison out of the body. In addition, this method can also be effective for scorpion bites.

Helps to keep snakes away
Snakes could pose a serious health concern especially when they are creeping around the house and compound and you have got children around.
There are simple local methods you could use to totally eradicate snakes from coming around your homes.

One effective method is using grinded Bitter kola and maize to eradicate snakes from around the neighborhood. It doesn’t matter the species, kind, or size of the snake, just grind the bitter kola and mix it up with grinded maize.
Spread it around the areas you observed snakes frequently pass through or around the compound or around your house; snakes will keep their distance totally. Repeat this process at intervals of three days.

Food Poison
Bitter kola is anti-poisonous in nature, being that it helps in the prevention of bacterial infection caused as a result of food poisoning. The bark and seed of Garcinia kola when eaten together helps in the detoxification of the human system especially in cases of food poisoning.
It is recommendable to chew bitter kola immediately after eating contaminated food or suspected contaminated food.
Certain parts of the African countries have the belief that chewing and holding bitter Kola helps to drive away evil people and spirits.

Sore Throat
Bitter kola seeds can be chewed to clear a sore throat and throat hoarseness. Bitter kola clears the throat by boosting mucus production along the vocal tube lining, which helps to soften the dry throat.

Cough
Among other health ailments Garcinia kola can cure, cough is the most common one (NCBI). Allowing cough to persist for too long is not healthy and thus should be treated immediately signs are noticed.
To use the Bitter kola method in curing cough, blend 8-10 bitter kola nuts and scoop the paste in a clean container with a cover.

Get a half bottle of honey and add a considerable amount to the paste about a ratio of 5:1 and stir very well.
Allow staying for at least an hour to ferment. Then administer to your child or an adult three times daily, until symptoms of cough disappear.
This home remedy is very potent. Stay away from drinking cold or iced water during treatment.

Respiratory problem
The considerate amount of consumption of Bitter kola helps in strengthening and stabilizing lung tissue and maintain the respiratory tract.
Traditional healers use Bitter Kola to treat chest colds. It also has a favorably high antioxidant content for a healthy body.

Chewing at least one bitter kola seed at an interval of two to three days can help keep your respiratory health at bay.

As per the USDA, lettuce contains a high water content, as well as small amounts of energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and sugars. The minerals and vitamins found in it include calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc along with B-vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin B6, and vitamins C, A, E, and K.

Carbs and Calories in Lettuce
As per Food Data Central, 100 grams of green leaf lettuce contains about 2.9 g of carbohydrates and 15 calories.

Health Benefits of Lettuce
For thousands of years, this leaf has been cultivated as more than a vegetable. It possesses several amazing health benefits, they include the following.

Anti-inflammatory Agent
Lettuce possesses anti-inflammatory properties that help in controlling inflammation. In experimental models, lettuce extracts have shown significant controlling power over inflammation induced by biocatalysts like lipoxygenase and carrageenan. More research is needed in this arena to bolster these results.

Close-up of fresh green lettuce leaves on a wooden table
Fresh lettuce adds a crisp crunch to salads and sandwiches. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Lowers Cholesterol Levels
Lettuce can be beneficial in lowering high cholesterol levels that often lead to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and other dangerous conditions. High LDL cholesterol levels are harmful and can cause heart attack and stroke. A study was conducted on rodents to test the impact of lettuce consumption on fat and cholesterol.

The results indicated a significant reduction of cholesterol levels as compared to mice that weren’t fed lettuce. Lipid peroxidation was observed in most cases, which was concluded to be responsible for this form of cholesterol control. These results suggest that lettuce could be contributory as a method to reduce the risk factors of CVD.

Induces Sleep
One of the major traditional uses of lettuce in Unani medicine was as a sleep inducer. Research into the extracts of lettuce resulted in the isolation of a depressant chemical. This chemical, when administered in experimental animals, showed significant sedative effects.

A 2013 research report, suggests that the main component(s) responsible for this effect in lettuce is most likely to be the non-polar agent(s), which are found in the n-butanol fraction (NBF) of this plant. Decreased heart rate and ventricular contractions were also observed. This particular chemical acts by blocking the excitatory signal processes of muscular and neural tissues. The effects of lettuce on sleep are compared to those of diazepam.

Antioxidant Agent
Published in the journal Ancient Science of Life Journal, one study stated that lettuce possesses antioxidants with significant free radical-scavenging capabilities. Antioxidants are a wide range of biochemicals mostly found in our diet. They are also very necessary for human health and disease prevention.

Antioxidants act as barriers to free radicals, which are produced during cellular metabolism. These free radicals can attack healthy tissues, cells, and DNA inside them. Antioxidants, on the other hand, counteract these free radicals and neutralize them before the free radical attacks take place.

Health benefits of lettuce infographic
Lettuce is a healthy salad staple.

Antimicrobial Agent
The latex of lettuce possesses antimicrobial properties. When coming into contact with latex from lettuce, research has shown that Candida albicans and many other yeasts were completely deformed. Biochemicals that are considered to possess these antimicrobial properties are the terpenes and cardenolides, as well as enzymes like glucanases. Studies such as these have positive implications for the antimicrobial abilities of this vegetable.

Helps Relieve Anxiety
The neurological properties of lettuce, as mentioned earlier, have long been suggested during ancient times and the Middle Ages in medical treaties, such as the Unani system. A 2012 research paper published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease has led to the conclusion that lettuce possesses anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties. When lab animals were given lettuce extracts, their locomotive activity was reduced, suggesting implications in human populations. As per NIH, leafy greens such as lettuce are also positively associated with our cognitive health.

Simple Recipes
A few recipes are given below that can be easily tried at home.

Vegetable salad: Cut a tomato, cucumber, radish, carrot, red pepper, yellow pepper, and lettuce leaves. Add the cut vegetables to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, a dash of olive oil, and lime juice. You can also try our Avocado Shrimp Salad With Zesty Lettuce Dressing here. You can also try our amazing fattoush salad recipe here – Fresh & Zingy Fattoush Salad Recipe.

Corn lettuce salad: Boil one cup of corn and let it cool. Cut some lettuce, onion, and tomato, and put it in a bowl. Add the boiled corn to this mixture. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lime juice. You can add other vegetables like boiled baby potatoes, mushrooms, or peas, or even throw in some boiled chicken or fish.

Word of Caution: A study report published in the Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, has shown that even lettuce can produce allergies, and the allergen proteins have been identified. Food allergies are the abnormal response of the immune system to certain types of food that the body recognizes as harmful. Food allergies that result in anaphylaxis are the worst kind and according to the Center for Disease Control, they are on the rise. People who already suffer from food allergies are generally at risk when trying new foods. So, a word of caution is advised while eating lettuce for the first time.