The Many Benefits of Eating Organic Beans

Author: Spiral Foods

We’re constantly being told that it is important to make informed choices that improve our health and wellbeing. Fortunately, one of the easiest decisions you can make is to switch to organic produce. While conventional food sources — including fruit, veggies, beans, and meat — are treated with all sorts of chemicals to increase yield and longevity, organic food is produced with your health in mind.

Beans are a staple of many households due to their great taste and high nutritional benefits. Continue reading to discover how opting for organic beans can significantly improve your health and wellbeing.

What are organic beans?

The term ‘organic’ is used a lot, but what does it actually mean? Well, organic food is any type of food product that is grown without the use of man-made fertilisers, pesticides, and in the case of meat, livestock feed additives. The production of organic food is designed to be as environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable as possible.

Organic beans — be they kidney beans, black beans, soybeans, or any other type of bean variety — are grown to strict standards. If you are wanting to purchase organic bean produce, look for the term ‘organic’ as well as any label descriptors that suggest the food is BPA free and GMO free.

Health benefits of eating organic food

Many people choose to eat organic food for both the health and environmental benefits. Generally speaking, organic food is believed to contain increased levels of essential nutrients as it is grown in natural soil conditions that are free of foreign chemicals.

Other health benefits to eating organic food include:
  1. It is fresher: Many of the non-organic produce sold in large supermarkets has travelled from thousands of kilometres away and is therefore sprayed with preservatives to keep it fresher for longer. Organic food, on the other hand, is usually locally grown, which is better for your health and the environment.
  2. Reduced level of pesticide consumption: No one wants to be eating nasty chemicals with their fruit and veggies. Organic food is free from artificial pesticides that have potential to do harm to our bodies.
  3. Free from GMOs: A GMO is a genetically modified organism. With reference to food, a GMO is a type of crop that has been genetically altered, usually with the aim of increasing both yield and level of resistance to disease. GMO food sources come with a host of associated health concerns, including antibiotic resistance, toxicity, and increased risk of allergies.
  4. It tastes better: Simply put, organic food tastes better. Using organic produce will breathe a whole new life into your cooking.
Types of organic beans

The growth in popularity of organic foods means that there are many different types of organic beans available on the market today.

Whether you are cooking up a kidney bean curry or putting together a delicious chickpea salad, ensure that the beans you are using are organic and free of any unpleasant chemicals.

Popular types of beans that are readily available in organic form include:

  • Red kidney beans
  • Chickpeas
  • White cannellini beans
  • Black beans
  • Borlotti beans.

When cooking with organic beans, be sure to wash them carefully and store them as per the packaging instructions — usually in a cool, dry, dark place.

The next time you are at the supermarket, add a tin of organic beans to your basket. Your body will thank you for it!