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Article: OH, THOSE GLORIOUS BEANS
- Article from:
- The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)
- Article date:
- April 8, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2001 The Boston Globe. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Beans, beans, they're good for your heart. Etcetera.
But is the adolescent ditty true? Absolutely. Beans are low in
fat, high in starch and fiber. They have B-complex vitamins,
magnesium, iron, and copper. They are low in sodium. Green beans have
loads of carbohydrates and also offer protein, vitamin C, and beta
carotene. And don't forget the folic acid, calcium, and potassium.
Beans also contain oligosaccharides, sugar molecules too large to
be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine, whose enzymes
can take apart other molecules but not these. So these nutrient-rich
molecules go on to the large intestine, where bacteria happily chomp
them into pieces. The bacteria are happy, and ...