Pinto beans have been called the best lacto-vegetarian protein one could ever hope to consume for a healthier diet. With a name derived from the Spanish word for painted, Pinto beans are pretty distinct, with a beige background and splashes of reddish brown.
Turning a solid brownish pink when cooked, the words Pinto Beans nutrition’ sound foreign to many people, especially those individuals who do not even know what pinto beans are (or the fact that they are actually called pinto beans), even though pinto beans are a potent source of protein, very versatile and a great addition to any diet.
Benefits
Why add Pinto Beans to a healthy diet? This is a question you might asking as someone looking to craft an appropriate diet for a healthier lifestyle.
Pinto beans are set apart because of their rich content of cholesterol-lowering fiber though this same benefit can be imputed to most types of beans. Because of its rich offering of fiber, pinto beans are best placed to prevent blood sugar spikes after a meal, this making them particularly beneficial for diabetes patients and any individual suffering with hypoglycemia.
Additionally, by combining them with brown rice (and any other whole grains), pinto beans becoming a surprisingly powerful fat-free, high-quality protein source.
Along with providing molybdenum (from which individuals can acquire folate), Pinto beans also inject essential minerals such as copper, iron and potassium into the average diet.
Preparing Pinto beans
Pinto beans are best prepared using a pressure cooker or a stovetop. With the stovetop method, three cups of water (or broth) are added for each cup of dried pinto beans. Ensure that the liquid is an inch or two above the top of the beans before bringing the beans to a boil.
At this point, you can reduce to a simmer, with the pot only partially covered; skim off any foam that develops during the simmering process. It shouldn’t take more than one and a half hours to bring the beans to a tender state.
The Pressure cooker method is simpler and shorter. Whatever your approach might be, avoid salty or acidic seasonings, at least until you finish cooking the beans.
Otherwise, the beans will become tougher and it will take longer to cook them.
Pinto beans are a very versatile food item. They can be used in all manner of imaginative recipes, sometimes added to vegetable soups, other times included in chili recipes. You need only apply some creativity to your cooking process.