Combining beans and rice in a meal is not just a culinary tradition in many cultures but also a nutritional powerhouse. This simple yet balanced combination provides numerous health benefits. A nutritious black beans and brown rice plate is a staple in many Latin American cuisines. Rice and beans, a classic comfort food combo in Latino and Caribbean communities and some parts of the American South, is one of the healthiest dishes you can eat.
Accessibility and Affordability
Rice and beans are healthy and some of the numerous cheap and affordable food items. They are inexpensive and widely available in most grocery stores around the world. This makes them an excellent dietary option for individuals and families on a tight budget. Despite their low cost, they offer a high nutritional value, ensuring that even those with limited resources can enjoy a healthy and balanced diet. The average cost to make a one-cup serving of rice and beans at home is just 49 cents. Dried beans are priced at $1.99 per pound and yield 16 half-cup servings. Canned beans, which are a bit more pricey, cost around $1.19 for 15 ounces and yield four cooked half-cup servings. White, long grain rice, common in rice and bean dishes, averages about $3.30 per pound, yielding six cups of cooked rice, or 12 servings.
The Magic of Complete Protein
One of the most significant benefits of eating beans and rice is that they form a complete protein. This reassures you that your protein needs are being met, as proteins comprise most plant-based foods. Beans (which have high amounts of lysine but low amounts of methionine) with rice (which have high amounts of lysine but low amounts of methionine) create a complete protein. Forming a complete protein and supplying all nine essential amino acids, rice and beans have been a staple food for millennia Rice and beans, when served together, contain all nine essential amino acids to form a complete source of protein. Combining rice and beans allows you to get enough of each, as well as the remaining seven essential amino acids, forming a complete protein.
For the protein in rice and beans, it's true that combined they make complete protein, supplying all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) found in dairy, meat, poultry, and fish. But you don’t have to eat them together for the protein to count.
Heart Health Benefits
Eating beans and rice together can significantly promote heart health. Beans are rich in soluble fibre, which can help lower LDL (harmful) cholesterol levels. Furthermore, beans and rice are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, making them heart-friendly food options. This knowledge can give you confidence in your food choices and a sense of security about your heart health.
Read also: Keto Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe
Fiber Richness and Digestive Health
Beans are high in dietary fibre and are essential for a healthy digestive system when combined with rice (predominantly brown rice). With fibre, bowel movements can be regulated, and constipation can be prevented. Diverticulitis has significantly reduced the likelihood of overeating. One cup of white rice and beans has 10 grams of fiber, mostly supplied by the beans. A diet that’s high in fiber helps regulate blood sugar and prevent certain types of cancer. Recommendations for daily fiber are 25 grams for women and 31 grams for men. But most people get far less than that, even those who are from cultures where rice and beans are a staple. Fiber is essential for your digestive health. This nutrient helps you break down food smoothly and promotes regular bowel movements. Fiber also regulates your blood sugar and supports good gut health. One of the benefits of rice and beans is their fiber content. This is great news if you struggle with constipation, blood sugar issues, or poor gut health.
Blood Sugar Regulation
The combination of beans and rice has a low glycemic index (GI), meaning it does not cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. This makes the beans and rice combo ensure sustained energy levels without the peaks and crashes associated with high-GI foods.
One study contained an experimental group of individuals who were given a combination of either black beans and rice or chickpeas and rice compared to the control group of healthy women who were just given white rice. Researchers found that the experimental group experienced a significantly reduced glycemic response when compared to the control group. This correlates to less insulin release, and therefore better long-term glucose control and reduction in blood lipids. Moreover, many scientists hypothesize that a lower glycemic response may contribute to a decrease in disease.
Additional research looked at the ability of beans to mitigate the negative effects of the high glycemic index of rice. The glycemic index numerically represents how quickly the body converts carbohydrates, specifically glucose, into energy. White rice, for example, has a high glycemic index. This means that after digestion, the body rapidly releases sugar into the bloodstream, which then causes glucose and insulin levels to spike. Legumes, on the other hand, have a low glycemic index, meaning that the body slowly releases energy after consumption. Foods with low glycemic indices generally increase satiety and reduce rates of gastric emptying. Specifically, legumes increase the release of two satiety hormones, GLP-1 and CCK, which may have contributed to the 31% increase in satiety self-reported by individuals in the experimental group compared to the control. Another study examined 17 participants with type II diabetes who were asked to consume either a combination of pinto beans and rice, red kidney beans and rice, or black beans and rice, and compared these findings to a control group that solely consumed rice. Researchers found that post-prandial (after meal) glucose levels were lower for the experimental group compared to the control group.
Essential Nutrients
Beans and rice contain essential vitamins and minerals. Folate, while rice (predominantly brown rice) is manganese.
Read also: Chicken and Brown Rice: A Healthy Choice
Weight Management
The high satiety factors of rice and beans can help you lose weight or stay at a healthy weight over time. Satiety measures how satisfying a food is to eat and how long it keeps you full. Satiety is vital in maintaining a healthy weight. Eating foods that will keep you fuller for more extended periods makes you less likely to snack. Combined with the high fiber content, the satiety of these favorite sides makes them great weight-loss foods.
Antioxidant Power
Colorful beans-such as black, red kidney, pinto, or black-eyed peas (the types most commonly cooked with rice)-are also packed with antioxidants. These compounds protect against the kind of cell damage that may lead to heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases. In just one serving, black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans contain many health-boosting antioxidants. Antioxidants are important for protecting your health and fighting the effects of aging. In addition, your body needs antioxidants to fight against cell damage caused by free radicals.
A Global Staple with Endless Variations
With 13,000 varieties of beans to try, the options are endless. Originating in South America, black beans are common in Latin American and Caribbean cuisines, while chickpeas’ origins in Europe make them a common choice in Middle Eastern and Indian dishes. Black beans, chickpeas, red beans, pinto beans, lentils and many more legumes are most commonly consumed with a grain such as rice, tortillas, or potatoes.
The blending of ingredients reflects the blending of cultures. Beans have been cultivated in what is now Mexico and western South America for thousands of years. Annatto, the spice used to make achiote oil, comes from the Amazon.
Whether you’re considering short, medium or long grain rice, or the commonly used pinto, black or kidney beans, the flavorings you choose can elevate rice and bean cookery to a gastronomic experience.
Read also: Everything You Need to Know About the Rice Diet
"Rice and beans" sounds like the very definition of simplicity. In Puerto Rico, you'll find arroz con gandules - rice with pigeon peas and flavored with peppery achiote oil. "It's more about the black beans with the rice in Cuba," said Dr. Sylvia Klinger, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Chicago. Cubans eat "moros y cristianos," or "Moors and Christians," a reference to battles from Medieval Spanish history. In Costa Rica, black beans are the basis for gallo pinto - what Klinger describes as "a very colorful" dish full of vegetables. Many variations are referred to as the national dish of their home country. "It's really fascinating" to see how it varies from country to country, Klinger said.
Optimizing Your Rice and Beans Dish for Maximum Health
Despite the healthfulness of the combo, there are ways you can make rice and beans even better.
Tweak Traditional Recipes
The beans are often cooked with ham hocks, bacon, or lard, which add flavor but also a lot of fat and sodium. But rice and beans can be tasty without the pork. Seasoning the beans well is the key. Increase the flavor by sautéing garlic, onion, and green peppers in olive oil until golden before adding cooked beans. Add in spices; paprika, oregano, coriander, and cumin are spices that pair well with beans. Any good-quality blend without MSG-Italian, Caribbean, Taco-also goes well. If you like spicy food, add chili powder to your beans. Traditional rice and bean recipes often go overboard on oil and salt. She recommends using oil sparingly and selecting those healthier, plant-based options. Klinger also goes easy on salt in her recipes, but that doesn't mean she's giving up flavor. Add more seasonings - such as cilantro, onions or garlic," all of which provide nutrition without adding sodium or saturated fat, which can be damaging to heart health.
Bump Up the Beans
The usual ratio is about half beans, half white rice. Dry beans are typically about one-third the price of canned beans, but some people find cooking with them intimidating. But they can actually be very easy to use, says Schelske-Santos. If you use canned beans, rinse them in a colander before cooking them.
Choose the Right Rice
Rice can be a source of arsenic, and regular exposure to small amounts of this heavy metal can increase the risk of some cancers and heart disease. Consumer Reports’ tests have found that white rices from California, India, and Pakistan have about half the amount of arsenic that most other types do. Brown rice will give you about five times the fiber but also has more arsenic than white rice from the same area.
White rice is the most popular in Latin America, and some see that as problematic. Brown rice is higher in some nutrients, including fiber, than white rice. is fortified with vitamins, brown rice is also a whole grain, unlike white rice. Klinger is pragmatic. People are particular about the rice they prefer, she said. So those who can't bear the thought of switching need to make sure they get whole grains elsewhere in their day, Klinger said, perhaps by eating a whole-grain cereal at breakfast.
Swap in Other Whole Grains
At least half of the grains you eat in a day should be whole grains. But a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey report found that whole grains contribute just 16 percent of the grains American adults eat daily. For Hispanic and African American adults, the percentage is even less-11 and 14 percent, respectively. In place of white or brown rice, try other whole grains. “Barley, wheat berries, and farro combine very well with beans,” says Jason Ziobrowski, corporate chef at InHarvest, a provider of rice, grains, and legumes to restaurants, caterers, and culinary institutions. “They are toothy and bring texture to the mix.” Quinoa also works well, especially in combination with rice. Mix it half and half with rice to boost the protein and fiber content.
Add Vegetables
You can also make rice and beans healthier by including other vegetables in the dish. And to boost fiber, she recommends adding extra vegetables to their rice and beans. "Mexicans like to make it with tomatoes," for example, she said.
Prepare in Advance
To save time, prepare the whole grains and beans on weekends, and store them separately in serving-sized containers in your refrigerator. Most cooked grains and beans also freeze well. Slow cookers and multi-cookers can make cooking beans from scratch easy.
Canned vs. Dried Beans
Nutritionally, both dried and canned beans are equally packed with vitamins and nutrients. However, there are a few differences to consider, including prep time and salt content. Although canned beans cost more, their convenience is attractive, because dried beans often require long soak times.
Canned beans, however, have their own issues, including high salt content and the possible presence of can liners containing BPA, a chemical that some studies show can interfere with thyroid and reproductive function in both men and women, Kubala said. Some canned beans contain up to 500 mg of sodium per half-cup serving (the USDA recommends limiting your sodium consumption to 2,300 mg daily). An easy fix? “Look for no-salt and BPA-free varieties; rinsing your beans will further reduce the sodium content by about one third,” Kubala suggested.
If you’re short on time but only have dried beans, try the quick soak method I learned while training at the Natural Gourmet Center; the soaking liquid further enhances the flavor of the beans. Place beans in a pot with water according to recipe. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 3 minutes; skim any foam that forms on the surface of the water while boiling. Turn off heat, cover with lid and let sit for one hour. Using the same soaking liquid, proceed with recipe for cooking the beans.
Cooking Tips
When cooking rice, Kelvin Fernandez, a chef and culinary instructor at the Institute for Culinary Education, told HuffPost he recommends adding aromatics to infuse flavor in the rice, which can be bland on its own. Fernandez adds fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage) or dried herbs (bay or lime leaves, lemongrass, cilantro) to the cooking water and brings it to a boil before adding the rice. “I use large pieces of aromatics to infuse flavor, that way, they can be removed easily after the cooking is complete,” he said.
For more information, check out the Old Ways Nutritional Exchange chart to find out how long to soak and cook every type of dried bean.