The new USDA food pyramid recommends 3 cups of vegetable and 2 cups of fruit a day, which seems to be alot. I can manage that, maybe. But then it goes on to say what the vegetables should be and 3 cups of vegetables a week should be dried beans or peas. Does anyone other then vegetarians eat that many legumes and can you have a healthy diet without dried beans or peas, especially THAT many. They are very filling and I find it hard to fit them into my diet. Thanks.

Hi, Pandora!
I guess it might be time for you to consider going vegetarian! I am one, and I definitely manage to eat 3 cups of dried beans a week... It would work wonders with your digestion, too!
Cheers
Achi

i don't think i can handle 3 cups of dried beans!!!! i don't even know how to cook with beans - so much work! anyway, i'm a little confused - beans used to be in the meat group - how come it is suddenly in the veg group? also i went to the 5 a day website - it says one serving = 1/2 cup of beans and said to substitute meat 1 - 2 times a week. therefore should it be only 1/2 cup to 1 cup of beans a week (not 3 cups)? if it's 1/2 cup i can handle it - i can just buy from the deli

If you go to the USDA website and go to food pyramid enter your age and activity level and then find the recommendations and click on vegetables it gives you the recommendations for the different kinds of vegies you should have (for me, a 42 year old not very active woman, 21 cups, including 3 cups of beans) That seems like alot.

That's at http://www.mypyramid.gov/ enter your age and activity level and look under vary your vegies.

achi - i didn't know you are a vegetarian - good for u!!!! my grandma was a vegetarian - she was so creative in cooking beans and aways added a variety of sauce in her cooking.

ahyan, you are not the only one - i'm confused too. although beans don't provide complete protein, they are STILL in the protein group (not veg group). i guess since they are plant-based and they are an excellent source of fiber - that's why the 5 a day website mentioned about it.

pandora - welcome to the board!! we've got wonderful people here!! 3 cups of beans does sound a lot - i must say - they are not the most popular items around. anyway, i'm glad you tried the mypyramid website. indeed i recommend another free tool called EATracker. this tool is designed by dietitians of canada. instead of telling you what to eat, it actually keeps track and analyses your food intake and activity. it asks you more questions (not just age/gender/activity level) so it 's more comprehensive. you'll have a password so you can always go back and check your progess. pls try it and let us know your feedback.

to go to EATracker, go to our page http://www.healthcastle.com/cfg.shtml and click EATracker.

They still are in the protien group but have made there way into the vegetable group also. If you are a vegetarian I guess they are saying you should have 3 cups a week as vegetables plus 1/2 cup for every serving of protien that you need. Again, ALOT OF BEANS.

I am just curious to know what I might be lacking in if I can't manage this. Soluble fiber, potassium or what. (I am a little obsessive about my families diet right now)

thanks gloria for clarifying it!!! what about soy products? i love tofu!!! if soy products are counted towards - then i'm way over already!!

soy is a good meat or protein substitute. it's low in fiber, therefore make sure you eat enough fruits/veggies. if you are a vegetarian, soy alone unforunately cannot provide the complete protein profile. it's best to have a variety of everything.

i love this resource a lot - http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/5aday/mont...ied%20beans.pdf

hope that helps

Hello,
I am new to the forum, and have been reading with interest the comments on dried beans. I like them, and have them fairly often. They do well in the crock pot, and different seasonings can be added. My question is rather embarrassing. Wh at can be done about...ummm...flatulence?? I have tried Beano, Gas-X, etc, and unless I am not using them correctly, they don't seem to be doing much good. So my bean eating is pretty well limited to when I will be home alone for the rest of the day! Any helpful suggestions? Thanks. Judy

hi judy, i found this online - it gives 3 different methods to de-gas beans. i'm going to try it tonite

http://www.healthcentral.com/peoplespharmacy/408/60241.html

Wow, good find! Lots of good tips there. Thank you!

Hi all: I'm new on this forum and have a question regarding legumes. My wife does not particularly care for beans but does fine with lentils and yellow peas. Problem is we have been eating a lot of them and are looking for something else to add as our high protein, high fiber, bulk in meals. She does not like the texture mostly of beans. Other than lentils and yellow peas, are there any lugumes that you have tried that compare with them regarding fiber, protein, and bulk. We need the bulk to help give us the full feeling after eating. We are on weight watchers and are nearing our goal weights so we are looking for foods that will make us feel full without overdoing it on the calories.

Hi fiskj. Like you, I am new to this forum. I stumbled on this website while researching info on cholesterol and how to keep the numbers down. Don't know much about the Weight Watcher's diet, or a Vegetarian diet, but if you don't already know about this product, Psyllium Husk, (COLON CARE + (Purified/Powdered Psyllium Husk). I add the recommended amount to a glass of water before meals (or fruit juice) and it does make me feel full. It's also great for colon cleansing and helps keep my weight down because I don't snack as much. Of course, everyone might have different results as with any product, but it works for me and it's practically tasteless (of course, if in doubt about a product, check with doctor first). I am also a fan of legumes having been born in the Caribbean where they were a regular part of our diet, but we basically had 1 to 4 types of legumes available on my little island. However, here in the U.S, I get a kick out of scanning the Goya aisles and giving a new bean a try every now and then(such a variety!). I find them all yummy and filling in their own ways. I toss a few straight from the can (drained) onto my salads. I like Red Kidney beans, Chic Peas and Black Eyed peas! And how about a Green or Yellow Split Pea soup with a dash of cumin?

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