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Green beans: benefits, nutrition and recipes

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Easy and tasty snack of string beans has become very popular among supporters of proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle. Young beans are a treasure trove of useful substances and have almost no contraindications, thanks to which they are included even in children’s and dietary diets. What are the valuable properties of this product and how to use it, let’s tell in detail.

Chemical composition of string beans

The high dietary value of string beans lies in the valuable natural components with which they are rich.

The benefits and harms of string beans
  • It has healthy plant proteins that are essential for the healthy functioning of the body.
  • The high content of dietary fiber provides colon cleansing and normalization of peristalsis.
  • Complex carbohydrates provide all-day energy.

The rich vitamin composition keeps the body and immune system in shape. Beans contain:

  • B vitamins, essential for nervous regulation and good metabolism.
  • Vitamin K, which ensures normal blood clotting.
  • Vitamin A and beta-carotene, which promote cell regeneration, maintain excellent vision, and prevent inflammation.
  • The strongest antioxidant is vitamin C, which strengthens and cleanses cells.
  • Vitamin E, which affects reproductive ability and keeps skin beautiful and supple.

The mineral composition of young beans is represented by:

  • Magnesium, which supports the health of the nervous system.
  • Calcium, essential for proper heart function and maintaining the strength of bones and horny tissues.
  • Potassium, which stimulates the kidneys and normal heart rhythm.
  • Iron and copper, which are involved in hematopoiesis and support normal digestion.
  • Zinc, needed for healthy skin and hormonal balance.
  • Sulfur, which protects the body from poisoning.
  • Phosphorus, which takes part in nervous regulation, as well as manganese and other beneficial components.

It is important to know that string beans are rich in antioxidants as well as arginine, an enzyme that helps lower blood sugar, making them safe to eat for diabetes.

Nutritional value and calories

Green beans, that is, young, not yet ripe pods, have a very low caloric value – only 25-30 kcal per 100 grams. They have almost no fat but plenty of protein and complex carbohydrates. As the beans mature and are cooked, they gain calories, which should be taken into account when formulating a dietary intake.

If you cook asparagus beans with oil, their energy value will increase significantly: in fried form up to 170 kcal, and in stewed form – up to 130 kcal. The right combination of products will benefit: due to oils will be better absorbed fat-soluble vitamins, so the beans can safely be cooked in a butter sauce or under vegetable oil.

It is also important to know that beans contain specific poisonous compounds: like all plants, the bean crop protects its fruit. These poisons disintegrate with heat treatment, so beans should not be eaten raw, but should be boiled or steamed for at least 15-20 minutes.

Useful properties of string beans

General benefits

Green beans are useful for general health and cleansing of the body. Its constant consumption will allow you to feel light, less distracted by the feeling of hunger, replenish the minerals in the body.

Useful properties of string beans
  • It has anti-inflammatory properties and helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea, intestinal upset and poisoning.
  • Helps fight colds and increases the body’s resistance.
  • Strengthens organ health, stimulates tissue rejuvenation, removes toxins from the body, supporting kidney function.
  • Strengthens the nerves, helps the body recover from stress, hard work, and emotional turmoil.
  • Supports the heart and vascular system.
  • Boosts metabolism and helps burn off excess deposits.
  • Increases skin and muscle elasticity and accelerates regeneration processes.
  • Maintains healthy blood composition.

The components of asparagus beans are natural to the body, so they are easily digested. However, overeating this product can slow down the absorption of some useful substances.

Note. Thanks to fiber, green beans establish a healthy digestion, so they are useful in the diet at any age.

For women

Women strive for slimness, so they are more often interested in weight loss diets. String beans are a great way to lose a few pounds while staying energetic and alert. Women who live in an active rhythm will appreciate the ability of asparagus pods to satiate the body, suppressing the feeling of hunger and allowing you to go about your business, forgetting about eating stress.

Also relevant to women is the property of beans to balance the emotional state and maintain hormonal balance. With regular consumption of legumes, girls experience fewer mood swings during menstruation and menopause, as well as during pregnancy.

For men

Men need zinc, which green beans are rich in, to prevent impotence and maintain prostate health. Regular inclusion of the product in the diet strengthens the heart and blood vessels, which is also very important for men who are more likely to suffer from heart disease. Beans can help maintain a healthy metabolism and feel more energetic when exercising.

For pregnant and lactating women

For women in pregnancy and nursing mothers, string beans are just a godsend in nutrition. It is very easy to digest without burdening the body, contains a lot of nutrients necessary for fetal development and improving milk quality, as well as reducing harmful cholesterol, which should not enter the body of the child.

Beans can help with mood swings, nausea in pregnancy, reduce the risk of constipation and hemorrhoids, help avoid the formation of pigmented spots on the skin. But you need to be careful: sometimes bean proteins cause allergic reactions, so you will have to give up the product.

At what age can I give green beans to children

It is green string beans, which actually does not cause allergies and indigestion, can be given to babies in the form of mashed potatoes from 8-10 months of life. The main thing is to boil the pods well and grind them into mush. A child will only need 1 teaspoon of mashed beans in combination with other vegetables. You can give the beans twice a week.

Be sure to monitor the reaction of the child’s body. If allergies appear, postpone acquaintance with the vegetable.

String beans in medicine

Official medicine suggests introducing green beans into the diet for wellness and warns in which diseases they should not be eaten. For example, beans are recommended for cardiovascular diseases, as well as for inflammatory processes.

  • In cholecystitis.
  • In hemorrhoids
  • For colitis
  • For gout
  • for constipation
  • For gastritis
  • In pancreatitis
  • In diabetes mellitus

In diabetes mellitus

Young fiber beans help burn excess fat deposits and also reduce blood sugar by up to 40%, so they are recommended to diabetic patients as a good staple. Not only do they help relieve the major symptoms of the disease, but they also improve skin health by increasing its elasticity, maintaining normal vision and blood pressure.

Important: The glycemic index of green string beans is 30 units.

For pancreatitis

In inflammation of the pancreas and other digestive organs, it is not recommended to use beans. However, there is a useful recipe for an infusion of beanstalks: 50 grams of dried material pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and insist 10-12 hours in a thermos. The dose is calculated individually, for this you need to consult a doctor.

For gastritis

Those who suffer from acute gastrointestinal diseases are not recommended to get carried away with dishes with green beans. In small quantities, the product will not harm, but can irritate sensitive mucous membranes, so before introducing it into the diet, it is necessary to discuss the diet with the doctor.

Folk medicine recipes based on green beans

Mature bean pods are recognized by alternative medicine as effective remedies in the treatment of many diseases. It can help with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis with reduced acidity, inflammatory diseases of the gallbladder and liver.

Beans help with high blood pressure, weakness of the heart muscle, rheumatism. Not only the fruiting bodies of beans are used, but also the husks, which accumulated a lot of useful substances.

Folk medicine recipes based on string beans

Pancreatitis
When problems with the pancreas, decoction of bean stems is effective, from which the inflammatory process is reduced, improving the well-being of the patient. Particular benefit decoction can bring people who simultaneously suffer from pancreatitis and diabetes.

Prescription:

  • Take 50 grams of dry husks (from mature beans), pour them into a thermos.
  • Boil 0.5 liters of water, pour it into the thermos.
  • Infuse the mixture for 10 hours.
  • Strain, shake before use.

The dose should be discussed with the treating physician who prescribes the main treatment.

Diabetes mellitus.
Not only unconventional, but also official medicine recognizes string beans as effective for diabetes mellitus. It is used as an additional method of treatment to the main one – medication. It is proved that already 10 hours after using the tincture or juice, the blood sugar content is reduced by up to 40%. Under the influence of useful substances of beans, the body produces insulin, and sugar is converted into glycogen.

A solution with a high concentration of active ingredients is used for healing:

  • Take 3 cups of dried sashes, grind them.
  • Pour the resulting dry base with 3 cups of water.
  • Bring to a boil, simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.
  • Decoction strain, take 100 g four times a day for half an hour before a meal.

To use this remedy, it is necessary to consult a physician.

For ailments of the cardiovascular system

Infusion of the stems is recommended to take to restore the normal functioning of the circulatory system. To do this, take 1 large spoonful of dried stems and add to it a glass of hot water. It is necessary to let the remedy to stand for half an hour and consume one third of a glass before a meal.

Bean juice for bursitis or mastitis

String beans are excellent against these diseases, especially in the early stages. It eliminates redness and inflammation. It is necessary to take bean juice 2 times a day, 100 ml for 2 weeks. The healing effect of this remedy will not make you wait long.

String beans for weight loss: benefits and uses

Due to the fact that the beans in pods are rich in valuable vegetable proteins and fiber, the product is actively used in dietary diets. It promotes colon cleansing and restores a healthy metabolism. In addition, it helps to get full faster during meals and feel invigorated throughout the day.

Legumes are easy to digest and allow you to get rid of the feeling of heaviness or heartburn that many people get when eating meat products. Beans are highly recommended on wellness diets:

  • Diabetics and obese people to normalize blood composition and metabolism, and as a nutritious substitute for caloric foods.
  • For people who have had heart attacks and for cardiovascular disease, to replace cholesterol-laden foods and reduce the burden on the body.
  • For gastrointestinal diseases to normalize peristalsis and maintain normal acidity.
  • Vegetarians who voluntarily give up meat, egg and dairy products.
  • Children for the growth and development of the body.
  • When losing weight, especially on low-carbohydrate diets, to keep energetic.
  • In sports nutrition for drying out and gaining healthy muscle mass – many trainers recommend using this product.

Consumption of green beans helps to cleanse the body, has an antioxidant effect, and thus a rejuvenating effect. Beans are actively used in diets to unload the body, in the transition to a healthy lifestyle and for weight loss.

This product is usually used to replace fatty meats and some of the egg components, since beans are just as full of vitamins and minerals to keep the body healthy as they are, and beans have far fewer calories at the same time.

Thanks to beans normalize appetite, disappear traces of body fatigue, improve skin condition, general health and mood, and strengthen the nervous system. That’s why string beans are indispensable after the winter depression of the body.

It is recommended to consume vegetable protein food in the first half of the day, during the first meal or in lunch, otherwise the useful proteins will be worse absorbed. Bean breakfasts allow you to stay satiated for a long time and increase your productivity during the work day, and they increase your endurance during workouts.

What you can make with string beans

As a dietary product, green beans are cooked on steam: in this way it preserves all the useful components and comes to the optimal condition for digestion. When boiled, the product loses some of its valuable substances, so green beans are usually only tacked in boiling water.

Steamed beans contain a minimum of calories, but they are usually served with the addition of oil and spices.

What you can make with string beans

To make delicious dishes with beans, they can be stewed with other vegetables in a sauce. Beans go well with broccoli, peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, celery, corn and other components. In addition, tasty pieces are added to first dishes: vegetable soups with smoked meats and hodgepodge.

Indian-style bean recipe

The pods are sliced and stewed with pieces of homemade paneer and carrots. Turmeric, garlic, and a little ginger are added to the dish.

Green bean omelet

The pods are chopped very finely diagonally, the same is done with leeks, shredded dill greens. Vegetables are fried in oil and poured with beaten eggs. The dish is sprinkled with herbs and garnished with tomatoes, if desired.

Hearty Beans and Mushrooms

Chunks of asparagus beans are stewed with onions, mushrooms are fried separately and mixed with the vegetables. The dish is seasoned with rosemary and lemon juice.

How to prepare string beans for the winter

One of the additional valuable qualities of green asparagus beans is considered to be the convenience of their preparation. The product can be stored for a long time to enjoy the healthy beans all year round. To save a maximum of useful properties and vitamins, the crop is frozen, but you can also preserve the beans at home without much hassle.

Freezing

To keep the product fresh for a long time, you can store the pods in the freezer. To do this, the beans are sorted out and washed of plaque. It is best to freeze the pods in one piece: then they will not wilt, will not discolor, and will remain useful. If you like to prepare vegetables for stews, you can cut the pods into 2-3 cm pieces.

The raw material is put in a container or spread out on foil in the open and placed in the freezer for a few hours. Once completely frozen, the beans can be bagged or covered in a container and stored at about -18 ºC degrees. After defrosting, the beans will be as fresh.

Canning

Asparagus beans can be preserved for the winter to store at room temperature. To do this, they can be salted or cooked in a sauce. In the first case, you get a semi-finished product. You need to sort and wash the beans, cut into slices of 2-3 cm and prepare a brine, as for peas: only salt and water.

Some housewives add a pinch of sugar for full flavor. Neither spices nor acid in this case is necessary. The beans are boiled in brine and rolled in sterile jars.

Another option – Korean-style pickling. For this, the chopped beans are generously poured with spices and vinegar, and then closed in jars. Beans can be combined with carrots, wheat sprouts and soy products.

The third method is a stew. Beans are stewed in a sweet tomato sauce with the addition of garlic, onions, and spices. The result is a flavorful snack in the vein of lecho, lobio, or sauté. Such a delicious snack is closed for the winter: it perfectly complements the festive table and is suitable for every day.

Hazards and contraindications

Although green beans carry a lot of health benefits, sometimes they cause individual discomfort. If you are prone to allergies to bean protein, you should try the product with caution. Also in a clogged intestine beans often cause bloating and gas.

Stringy varieties are notable for their higher content of fairly coarse fiber, which can cause a feeling of heaviness. In addition, legumes are not recommended to be combined with other starchy foods: flour and potato dishes – as well as meat, then the digestion process will go much easier.

Direct contraindications apply to people with kidney failure, nephritis, cystitis and GI diseases – in such cases, it is necessary to consult a doctor. But in general, the product is considered safe and dietary, which is why it is so popular in healthy eating programs around the planet.

How to choose and store string beans

To prevent a product grown with heavy fertilizers from coming to your table, buy asparagus beans only during the summer – the natural harvest season. If possible, of course, it is better to plant your own green beds of healthy beans.

How to choose and store string beans

When choosing, be sure to pay attention to the condition of the pods:

  • The beans should be free of dark spots and damage, and the characteristic spider-like fungal growth.
  • The pods must be fresh and juicy, uniformly green (or yellow, depending on the variety).
  • Green beans are sold young, so their skin is quite fleshy, but there are varieties that are sold dried out. The dried out boat peels will have to be discarded, freeing up the grains.
  • The pods should definitely have stalks on them, no cracks or breaks.

Fresh pods are stored in the refrigerator, in a vegetable container in a bag, separately from other vegetables. It is acceptable to store beans with tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, but not earthy root vegetables. Green product can lie 5-7 days, after that the beans will dry out and become tough, so if you are not going to cook the vegetable in the near future, it is better to freeze it.

Dry varieties can be stored in cloth bags or in a jar to dry. But dishes made from beans do not spoil for quite a long time, so they can be cooked at the rate of several servings.

Interesting facts about string beans

In the ancient world, the bean was cultivated on several continents: Egypt, China, and America. They came to Europe as an ornamental garden plant, and only in the 18th century did they begin to use beans as food. Green beans in pods were first cooked by the Italians, who were always famous for their balanced cuisine.

The younger the pods, the fleshier and juicier the walls of their crusts, and as the beans swell in this nutrient medium over time, the rinds dry out and become thinner. Grain beans are rich in starch and more caloric, while fresh young “tails” contain pure proteins, healthy compounds, and water.

The easy meal can be used in mono diets, as green pods contain a basic complex of vitamins and minerals, while not being boring in the diet and easily digested.

If you haven’t yet introduced asparagus bean dishes into your diet, be sure to try them for a change, and they may become your favorite treat.

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Black beans: useful properties and recipes

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There are about 90 varieties of beans today. One of these species is the black bean, which is considered a unique and sparsely distributed plant. In terms of nutritional and medicinal properties, this product differs in many ways from the usual varieties.

So, this plant is characterized by black pods and fruits. Outwardly, they look like dirty or spoiled. The taste of such beans is slightly sweet, a slightly smoky flavor is a peculiarity. Black beans are widely used in cooking and are a great addition to meat, vegetable, fish dishes and soups.

How Black Beans Differ from Regular Beans

Black beans, unlike white beans, have a softer texture and a sweeter flavor. They are a source of protein. For example, white beans have about 7 g of protein per 100 g of product, while black beans have almost 9 g per the same amount of fruit.

The benefits and harms of black beans

According to nutritionists, the composition of black beans is the closest to the food of animal origin, so it is a great substitute for people who for certain reasons do not use meat products.

Also, black beans have more carbohydrates than the white variety. This means that such a product satiates the body better. Such complex carbohydrates are slower to be broken down and enter the bloodstream gradually, which does not lead to the secretion of insulin, as with confectionery.

This suggests that even with the daily use of black beans in the diet there is no gain of excess weight. This variety is enriched with coarse vegetable fiber, which contributes to normal intestinal function.

Black beans contain components that stop the development of atherosclerosis, a major cause of strokes and heart attacks. For example, just 200 grams of black beans can provide the body with a daily allowance of potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium and zinc.

White beans are characterized by large amounts of fiber. This product is the least caloric and is quickly absorbed by the body. One cup of these beans is enough to satisfy a person’s need for fiber.

Composition and Calories

Most studies have proven that black beans are among the most useful plant-based foods. It contains a large number of trace elements, the list of which exceeds twenty substances. The main elements are zinc, potassium, phosphorus, iron and magnesium.

Potassium protects against the development of edema, helps to strengthen the vascular walls, reduces the load on the cardiovascular system. Black beans cleanse the body of toxins, remove cholesterol, and take part in the dissolution of kidney stones. Regular consumption of this product improves brain function and protects against premature aging.

The shell of the beans contains flavonoids, omega-3 fatty acids, and B, E, PP, and K vitamins.

Some of the elements in black beans are members of the heavy metal group, which can be harmful to the body. Therefore, it is important to heat treat it before consuming it. This will help to remove harmful substances.

However, heat treatment reduces the caloric value of the product, as well as reducing the number of useful elements.

This plant is high in calories compared to other varieties. There are 315 kcal in 100 g of black beans.

Useful properties of black beans

General benefits

Black beans are high in protein. For example, a cup of this product has 35% of the protein needed to consume in a 24-hour period. Due to its calcium content, the product supports the health of hair, nails, bones, and muscle fibers. Due to the presence of amino acids, the product is recommended for the elderly, women while carrying a baby, and athletes.

Useful properties of black beans

Black beans are widely used in the field of dietetics. This crop is excellent for people who want to get rid of excess weight. It promotes metabolic processes, has a relatively low glycemic index. Therefore, it can be used by people who suffer from obesity or such a disease as diabetes.

The composition of this plant controls the balance of carbohydrates, due to this sugars are converted into energy, not into fat, which is deposited on the waist and hips.

In addition, black beans are excellent in the fight against edema, helping to remove excess fluid from the body. Iron helps with heart disorders, cleanses blood vessels, and reduces the risk of blood clots.

For women

As already mentioned, black beans are very useful for women’s health, primarily because they help to get rid of excess weight.

The B vitamins in the composition of this product are of great benefit to the female body, they are a source of youth and beauty. In combination with certain vitamins and minerals, this product can improve skin tone, remove toxins, make skin and nails healthy, normalize the nervous system.

For Men

The benefits of eating black beans in men are also undeniable. Legumes of this variety help to improve male sexual function, increase potency, as well as the quality of sperm. This product is an important element for the prevention of prostatitis. In addition, black beans are considered an excellent product for gaining muscle mass.

In pregnancy

While carrying a fetus, it is important for a woman to eat a proper diet to ensure good health, normal growth and development of the baby. Beans can help replenish iron levels in a pregnant woman’s blood and maintain normal hemoglobin levels.

Since beans of this variety contain fiber, the body is better able to eliminate toxins, which reduces the occurrence of symptoms of morning sickness. Regular consumption of black beans in pregnant women normalizes the work of the intestines, so the body will be protected from such an unpleasant problem as constipation.

B vitamins will protect the nervous system of the future mother from unnecessary stress, and also help to alleviate the manifestations of cramps, which often occur in the third trimester.

Another important feature of black beans during pregnancy is the mild diuretic effect of the product. And this suggests that the body of a pregnant woman will be protected from the development of edema, which is especially common in the last months of pregnancy.

When breastfeeding.

Often legumes are not on the list of allowed foods during breastfeeding for the reason that the baby can get colic and bloating. If you stick to the correct introduction to the diet of dishes based on legumes, you can greatly diversify the menu of a nursing woman and at the same time enrich the body with many useful components.

Black beans help to strengthen the body in the postpartum period. In addition, this legume increases the production of breast milk, enriching it with a complex of vitamins and minerals. Beans in the diet of a breastfeeding woman should be introduced gradually, making sure that the baby does not have allergic reactions and problems with the digestive system.

The first tasting of this product is recommended 4 months after the birth of the baby, and to begin with the consumption of string beans.

For children.

Black bean proteins are very similar in composition to animal proteins, which is very important for children who do not eat meat and dairy. This product is the most caloric of all varieties, so its inclusion in a child’s diet will help the baby to recover faster after suffering illnesses. Black beans contain a lot of folic acid, which is required for hematopoiesis.

You can start introducing beans into your child’s menu from eight months of age. However, it is important to take into account the doctor’s recommendations and monitor your baby’s reaction. Young children do not have enough enzymes to digest the oligosaccharides contained in beans, so colic may occur when eating mature seeds. Older children may also experience such discomfort if they eat a large portion of the dish. You should not give such beans to children with a chronic course of gastritis with high levels of acidity, digestive ulcers, pancreatitis, as well as in the case of chronic cholecystitis.

For weight loss.

Most women, wishing to get an ideal figure, resort to various diets. Using beans for weight loss will help to achieve the goal without torturing the body with hunger.

This product has in its composition many useful substances. This crop will not only help to get rid of excess weight, but also bring great health benefits. Beans contain components that are very important for weight loss and recovery. First of all, we are talking about a large amount of lean protein. In addition, it contains vitamins such as A, C, E, group B, amino acids and organic acids. Beans also have a rich mineral composition. Its components reduce glucose and cholesterol levels, which allows you to control weight.

One of the important benefits of this plant is the insoluble fiber. A cup of beans has a daily allowance of this ingredient. Fiber helps to improve digestion, helps get rid of constipation by clearing the intestines of toxins and toxic substances. In addition, black beans are characterized by a high content of folic acid, which fills the daily requirement of a person in this vitamin. This component is especially important for weight loss to protect the skin.

Black beans in medicine

Black beans in medicine
  • This variety of legume crop is a prophylactic for atherosclerosis.
  • Its plant fibers contribute to the removal of cholesterol, have a beneficial effect on the work of the liver due to choleretic action.
  • Black beans are included in some therapeutic diets. It is also useful for people with thin capillaries. The product makes the walls of blood vessels more dense and increases blood circulation. This quality is important for people who often have freezing extremities.
  • Folic acid and B vitamins in beans play an important role in the normal functioning of the nervous system and are a prevention of insomnia and apathy.
  • Black beans are used in lowering blood pressure. If you add fresh vegetables to such a dish, you can strengthen your immune system.
  • Certain components contained in beans are used in the manufacture of medicines used in the fight against tumors of the large intestine. The principle of action of such substances is based on the fact that with their help blood circulation is blocked and the destruction of cancer cells begins.

Nutrition for diseases what you can and can’t eat:

  • In cholecystitis.
  • In hemorrhoids
  • For colitis
  • For gout
  • for constipation
  • For gastritis
  • In pancreatitis
  • In diabetes mellitus

In diabetes mellitus
When blood sugar levels are high, it is especially important to include nutrients in the diet that are gradually broken down into glucose. Beans in this case are considered a source of vegetable protein and carbohydrates that are slowly broken down. Such properties of black beans are very necessary for people suffering from diabetes and having problems with excessive weight. For diabetes, beans can be eaten no more than three times a week. They can be included in the menu as a separate dish, or they can be eaten as a side dish or as a meat substitute.

To make bean dishes less time-consuming, it is advisable to soak them in cold water all day or leave them overnight. This procedure removes the oligosaccharides from the crop, which are unnecessary to the body and can cause gastrointestinal upset.

Important: The glycemic index of black beans is 30 units.

Cosmetic applications

Black beans are widely used in the field of cosmetology as well. A mask with the addition of this product provides the skin with important enzymes that moisturize it and give a rejuvenating effect.

To prepare an effective remedy, it is necessary to grind a small amount of beans in boiled form using a blender. In the resulting mass should be added a little olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice. Ready mask should be applied to the skin and leave for 15-20 minutes. At the end of this time you need to wash off the remains with warm water. Before applying such a composition, the skin of the face should be cleansed in advance.

Such a mask is recommended to use several times a week. After a while you can notice a pronounced result. Wrinkles are smoothed, while the skin becomes even and beautiful tone. In addition, a mask based on black beans helps to get rid of various skin diseases.

Harm and contraindications

Despite the large list of useful properties, black beans still have some contraindications and can harm the human body.

  • You should not consume this bean crop for the elderly people who have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Also, black beans should not be included in the menu of people who have gout, cholecystitis, and colitis.
  • Legumes are not recommended to introduce to children’s diet before the age of two years, otherwise their immature body will not be able to cope with the complex enzymes contained in beans. The daily rate should not exceed 100 grams.

Often beans cause gas and the development of flatulence. Therefore, you should not abuse this type of product. To protect the body from such unpleasant sensations, it is recommended to eat black beans with greens and soak them before cooking in a solution with added salt.

Black beans are very useful. It is a must in the diet of adults and children. However, it is important to first make sure that there are no contraindications to the use. It is also not worth abusing this product, otherwise there will be problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

How to choose and store black beans

How to choose and store black beans
  • When choosing beans on store shelves, it is important to make sure that the product is not damaged by insects.
  • Black beans should not have cracks.
  • Packaging must be airtight, protected from moisture.
  • High quality beans are easy to over-compound and do not stick together.
  • Particular attention should be paid to the shelf life of the packaged product. It is not necessary to buy over-dried fruits, as there is no use in them.

If you need to buy black beans in canned form, it is important to study the composition of the product. It is necessary to find out what additional substances, in addition to the beans themselves, are contained here. It is necessary to remember that from additives, except water and salt and sugar, nothing should be present in the jar.

It is necessary to look at the date of manufacture and duration of storage. It is important to assess the quality of the brine to identify low quality products. The brine should not be cloudy, and the beans should be intact.

If we are talking about store-bought beans, such products are stored in an airtight package that is protected from humidity, temperature jumps, and exposure to direct sunlight. In this form, the beans can be stored for about a year.

If black beans are purchased at different times, leftover fruits should be stored separately from each other. It is recommended to use tightly closed containers or cloth bags for storage.

Cooked bean dishes should be stored in special dishes at low temperatures. The dish can be kept in the refrigerator for about three days. Black beans can be boiled and placed in the freezer for storage. In this form it can be stored for up to 6 months.

What you can make with black beans: Recipes

Stew

You can make a hearty, appetizing stew using black beans. It is prepared quite quickly if the beans are boiled in advance, as all the ingredients are fried for a few minutes.

So, you need to prepare green peas 100 g, one onion, 1-2 tomatoes, 200 g of black beans and the same amount of zucchini, sweet peppers about 80 g, 50 ml of sunflower oil and spices to taste (ground pepper, salt, paprika sweet), as well as several cloves of garlic.

It is important to boil the beans in advance until they are ready. Next, in a pan, fry the onion sliced in half rings, then add the zucchini and bell peppers, chopped in julienne. Fry each vegetable for about 4-5 minutes. After that, you need to add the peas. Now add boiled beans and tomatoes to the vegetables, and season the dish with spices. After 3-5 minutes of frying, the stew is ready.

Beans and Smoked Ribs

To prepare the beans with smoked ribs you must first soak 200 g of black beans for four hours. The same amount of smoked pork ribs will be needed. They should be cut into pieces. After that, you need to drain the water from the beans, add the ribs there, pour a liter of water and cook for an hour.

Meanwhile, wrap one onion and one bell pepper in foil and send it to the oven to bake for half an hour. In the meantime, fry the onion in the oil, add here the chopped garlic clove, red hot pepper, some parsley and paprika. After that, add the tomatoes and stew for five minutes.

Dice the vegetables from the oven. Drain the water from the beans, add the dressing and diced vegetables, salt and mix everything thoroughly. Put all these ingredients into the baking dish, pour the liquid in which the black beans cooked, and bake in the oven for another half hour.

Soup

To make black bean soup, you need 300 grams of beans, a liter and a half of beef broth, two tomatoes, one onion and one carrot, herbs, spices to taste.

The beans should be washed several times and soaked for several hours. Then it should be cooked in broth for at least an hour and a half. Then you need to add diced vegetables and cook the dish for about 20 minutes more.

After that, grind the ready mass with a blender until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. Add the greens 5 minutes before cooking. To make croutons cut the bread into cubes, salt, add spices to taste, drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven until dry. Serve the ready dish with croutons.

Salad

For a fresh, colorful black bean salad, you will need to prepare the following ingredients: two cans each of beans and sweet corn, a few bell peppers, a couple of tablespoons of chopped onions. We also need salt, a pinch of ground pepper, 2 teaspoons of sugar, half a cup of olive oil, 5 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, chopped herbs and avocado.

The beans and corn should be rinsed thoroughly and the water drained. Then add chopped bell peppers and onions. Mix the lime juice with olive oil. Avocado also cut into small pieces. After this, mix all the ingredients, parsley, spices, and then pour the oil and lime juice. Stir the salad thoroughly and leave in the fridge for half an hour.

How to cook.

Before boiling the beans, it is necessary to soak them either in the evening with cold water, or for an hour or an hour and a half with boiling water. With the second method, the beans will take a little longer to boil, but this will not affect the taste of the dish. Of the ingredients, you will need only 2.5 cups of water, a glass of black beans and salt to taste. Soaked fruits should be placed in a pot and pour water so that the beans are covered with liquid. Cook the dish for about 1.5 hours with the lid open. If necessary, you can add more water. A couple of minutes before they are ready add salt.

Interesting facts about beans

Interesting facts about beans
  • According to some historians, Cleopatra used so-called face whitewash, for the manufacture of which dry white beans were crushed into a powder. A little warm water was added to the powder and a thin layer was applied to the face so as to fill in all the wrinkles. In fact, such a procedure was a nourishing face mask. The only disadvantage was that when the skin dried up, the mask began to crack.
  • As you know, beans are a nutritious product with a good shelf life, so they are often included in the diet of the military. This dish was especially prized by Napoleon. He claimed that beans made muscles stronger and increased brain activity.
  • There is a holiday in Bulgaria dedicated to bean day. On this day it is customary in the country to shoot a bean cannon and to prepare treats from different varieties of this crop.

Photo of black beans

Photo of black beans
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Sources:
  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central. Beans, black turtle, canned.
  2. The University of Sydney. Glycemic Index Database. Black bean (Phaseolus vulgaris Linn), soaked overnight, cooked 45 min.
  3. The University of Sydney. Glycemic Index Database. Black beans.
  4. Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008Diabetes Care. 2008;31(12):2281-2283. doi:10.2337/dc08-1239
  5. Crider KS, Devine O, Hao L, et al. Population red blood cell folate concentrations for prevention of neural tube defects: Bayesian modelBMJ. 2014;349:g4554. doi:10.1136/bmj.g4554
  6. Winham DM, Hutchins AM, Thompson SV. Glycemic response to black beans and chickpeas as part of a rice meal: a randomized cross-over trialNutrients. 2017;9(10):1095. doi:10.3390/nu9101095
  7. WÅ‚odarczyk M, Åšliżewska K. Efficiency of resistant starch and dextrins as prebiotics: A review of the existing evidence and clinical trials. Nutrients. 2021;13(11):3808. doi:10.3390/nu13113808
  8. Reverri EJ, Randolph JM, Steinberg FM, Kappagoda CT, Edirisinghe I, Burton-Freeman BM. Black beans, fiber, and antioxidant capacity pilot study: examination of whole foods vs. Functional components on postprandial metabolic, oxidative stress, and inflammation in adults with metabolic syndromeNutrients. 2015;7(8):6139-6154. doi:10.3390/nu7085273

The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended by thefirstdoc.com are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Canned peas: useful properties and contraindications

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The method of canning is recognized as one of the most convenient and reliable for preserving food. It is very convenient to store legumes in the degree of milky ripeness in this way. Canned green peas are always in demand, they are added to soups, salads and other dishes, used in European and other cuisines of the world.

A bit of history.

The benefits and harms of canned green peas

Cultivation of peas on an industrial scale began around the fifteenth century, and the use of canning in the nineteenth century. This opened up a wide range of possibilities for its use in cooking all year round, not just at harvest time. The first attempts to preserve the product were made in Holland.

In modern conditions, tin and glass jars are used as containers, and both options have both advantages and disadvantages.  Of course, in glass jars there are more opportunities to see the quality of the goods, but peas are exposed to sunlight and can spoil before the expiration date. It is easy to store in a tin, but you can’t assess the quality until you open it. There is only one way out – find a bona fide producer by experience and buy only his products.

Composition

The whole range of legumes is very healthy for the body and rich in composition. At milky and full ripeness, peas do not vary greatly in the amount of useful substances and contain:

  • vitamins A, C, E, K, PP, group B;
  • starch;
  • dietary fiber;
  • calcium;
  • phosphorus;
  • Zinc;
  • Selenium;
  • Potassium;
  • iron;
  • carotene;
  • Copper;
  • Manganese;
  • lutein;
  • coumestrol.

The caloric value of the product does not exceed 55 kcal. per 100 grams, it is considered dietary, but rather heavy to digest.

Useful properties of canned peas

Canned peas are not only tasty, but also very useful, and their use has a positive effect on almost all internal systems. Small portions of the product:

  • Get the gastrointestinal system working;
  • support the cardiovascular system;
  • eliminate constipation;
  • Remove toxins and heavy metal salts;
  • reduce the likelihood of cancer;
  • get rid of edema;
  • reduce sugar and cholesterol levels;
  • Strengthen the nervous system.

The large amount of fiber and protein in this crop helps normalize metabolic processes, improves intestinal peristalsis, and stimulates the breakdown of fats. Vitamin A in combination with lutein protects against retinal degeneration, maintains visual acuity, reduces the risk of cataracts.

Canned green peas are considered a dietary product. Quickly satiating, they eliminate the feeling of hunger for a long time. They are also useful for people after 40 years of age, as at this time an active calcium washout from the body begins, and beans help to keep this necessary element in the body.

Interesting: canned green peas retain powerful antioxidant properties and relieve emotional stress and the effects of stress.

Due to its special composition, the product is considered anti-aging and slows down the aging process. It has the interesting property of eliminating toxins from the liver, taking some of the burden off of it. It also improves skin condition, maintains its elasticity, protects it from the harmful effects of environmental factors.

Probable harm

The harm of canned green peas

The main danger that awaits fans of canned green peas – poor quality packaging or expired shelf life. At the slightest doubt in the quality of the product it is ruthlessly disposed of, otherwise you can get severe food poisoning. But this is a general rule that applies to any kind of canned food.

Considering the state of health, it is not worth introducing legumes into the diet for flatulence, exacerbations of GI diseases, allergies, individual intolerance. With gout, the purines contained in peas are dangerous. Too much slows down the production of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of fats, and also causes heaviness in the stomach. It is not recommended to eat peas in any form if you have kidney problems.

Otherwise, the product is very healthy, extremely rare to cause allergies and perfectly digestible by the body.

Buying or cooking at home

The purchased version has one indisputable advantage – you can simply open the jar and start tasting. But there is no assurance of quality, because only the peas that are canned during the harvest period can be considered fresh. The rest of the time they are soaked dry or use frozen product for canning, which many times reduces its useful properties.

Preservatives and stabilizers may be added, and if they are written about it on the package, then in very small print and in an inconvenient place for reading.

In home cooking, the caloric value of peas is even less, only 40 kcal, the exact composition is known and the requirements for the quality of raw materials are observed. Prepare canned green peas is very simple. For 1 kg. washed raw material takes 1 tbsp. salt, everything is put into a pot, pour water and boil on medium heat for 7 minutes from the boil.

Then the peas are quickly placed in small dry sterilized jars and pour hot brine. To prepare it you will need 1 tablespoon of salt and sugar per 1 liter of water. Jars should be tightly sealed, stand for 24 hours under insulation. Stock stored in a dark cool place.

Canned peas are added to salads of classic and author’s recipes, soups are prepared with them, used as an additive to garnishes and simply eaten with a spoon, enjoying the mild taste.

“Important: All information on this site is provided solely for introductory
purposes.
Please consult with a health care professional before using any of the recommendations.
specialist before applying any of the recommendations.
Neither the editors nor the authors are responsible for any possible harm caused by
materials.”

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Photo of canned green peas
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The articles on this site are for information purposes only. The site administrators are not responsible for attempting to apply any recipe, advice or diet, nor do they guarantee that the information provided will help or harm you personally. Be cautious and always consult a doctor or nutritionist!

*All products recommended by thefirstdoc.com are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Pea sprouts: useful properties and contraindications

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The legume family is considered one of the earliest species that man began to cultivate. The benefits of beans, lentils and peas are undeniable and are treated with love and honor in many cuisines of the world.

They are also eaten sprouted. And these peas have quite different properties. And the fact that they are not cooked means that all the vitamins and nutrients are there in their natural state, which is especially important for the body.

Peas are easy to sprout at home, you can eat them raw, add them to salads, grind them into flour and bake bread and cakes. And all this will be delicious, healthy and nutritious.

Useful properties of sprouted peas

Sprouted peas are the grains or beans with a sprout of no more than 2 to 3 millimeters. At this stage, truly amazing metamorphoses occur with peas. Most of the substances are converted into an easily digestible form as the enzyme inhibitors are destroyed.

The benefits and harms of sprouted peas

Sprouted peas are high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and low in fat. Also:

  • virtually the entire B-group line;
  • iron;
  • calcium;
  • Zinc;
  • Manganese;
  • Potassium;
  • magnesium;
  • phosphorus;
  • Selenium;
  • fiber;
  • antioxidants;
  • essential amino acids.

The product has high nutritional value with low calories, so it is recommended for weight control programs. The benefits of sprouts not only in the rich composition, but also in the complex effect on the body.

Interesting: peas as a remedy for anemia, obesity and cardiovascular diseases were used as early as ancient Greece.

When sprouted peas are regularly consumed in small quantities:

  • Resistance to infection and inflammation is increased;
  • immunity is increased;
  • The metabolic process is accelerated;
  • toxins and impurities are removed;
  • The liver is cleared of heavy metal salts;
  • The likelihood of developing prostate disease is reduced;
  • increases sex drive;
  • decreases the risk of kidney and gallbladder stones;
  • Excess fluid goes away and edema is relieved.

The caloric value of 100 grams of sprouts does not exceed 130 kcal, in a day it is recommended no more than 5 tablespoons. However, it is problematic to eat so much at once and the body’s reaction will be unpredictable. It is better to start with 1 teaspoon, gradually increasing the volume. In principle, then you can simply be guided by your desire and well-being, but remember that any product is useful if you eat it without fanaticism.

Restrictions and contraindications

Despite the enormous benefits, in some cases, sprouted peas are not recommended to include in the menu. Such contraindications are: pregnancy, children under 2 years of age, individual intolerance, allergies, gout, exacerbation of digestive tract diseases, in some cases – the elderly.

Worth considering: too much sprouts cause increased gas and heaviness in the stomach.

Recipes with Sprouted Peas

If you follow the basic recommendations, then you can greatly diversify the menu, while giving the body a real vitamin and mineral complex without any pharmacy products. The main thing is to try not to subject the product to heat treatment, to observe the principle of compatibility of components and not to overdo with the portion size.

Recipes with Sprouted Peas

Vitamin Salad

For an easy and delicious dish, you’ll need:

  • Radish – 6 pcs;
  • Cucumbers – 1 pc;
  • Feta cheese – 50 gr;
  • Sprouted peas – 60 g;
  • Freshly squeezed orange juice and olive oil – 50 ml for dressing.

All ingredients are diced, mixed, and drizzled with juice and oil. The dish needs to stand for 3-5 minutes at room temperature to reveal flavor.

Hummus

A great option for a snack at work or in between main meals. It will take:

  • Sprouts – 1 cup;
  • Zucchini – 1 small fruit;
  • Garlic – 3 cloves;
  • Olive oil and lemon juice – 30 ml each;
  • Sesame and finely chopped herbs – 1 tbsp each.

All the ingredients are put in a blender and whipped into a smooth mass. Salt is added to taste.

Sprouting peas at home

There is nothing complicated in this procedure. The main thing is to choose high-quality raw materials. Peas must be whole, without chips, spots and musty smell. It is better to choose the harvest of the current year. Then the product is washed 2-3 times, transferred to a glass or ceramic bowl and poured with water at the rate of 1:2. Plastic, even food plastic, is better not to use.

After 12 hours, you need to rinse the peas again and transfer them to a damp cloth, covering the top with a cotton napkin. The cloth is re-wetted as needed. Sprouts will appear on the 2nd or 3rd day. They are transferred to a jar and stored in the refrigerator no longer than 4-5 days, preparing a new portion as needed.

In ancient times, peas were used in ritual practice and in the daily diet. In the modern dietary diet, sprouted product is very valuable, maintaining vitamin balance and vigor, helping to find a slender figure and get rid of many ailments.

*All products recommended by thefirstdoc.com are selected by our editorial team. Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you help us earn a small commission from the seller and thus support the writing of useful and quality articles.

Chickpea sprouts: useful properties and contraindications

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Sprouted legume crops have an important place in a healthy diet. Sprouted grain has completely different characteristics than the dried product. At the same time, its benefits increase several times, and the sphere of application is no less than that of traditional types. Sprouted chickpeas are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. In different countries it is called chickpeas or mutton chickpeas.

Composition and Calories

Legumes have a rich composition, but are considered quite heavy to digest. Enzyme inhibitors are to blame. They prevent the seeds from sprouting early, and in the human body they cause flatulence and bloating if consumed in large quantities. But at the moment of germination, when the sprout does not exceed 2-3 mm, protective mechanisms are already turned off, and the useful properties are increased. At the same time, the digestibility also becomes much higher, and the side effects almost disappear. In the composition:

  • potassium;
  • calcium;
  • phosphorus;
  • bromine;
  • magnesium;
  • chlorine;
  • sodium;
  • selenium;
  • Zinc;
  • copper;
  • iron;
  • cobalt;
  • Vitamins C, PP, K, B group;
  • retinol;
  • choline;
  • amino acids.

The high protein content makes it possible to partially replace mutton peas with meat. At the same time, the feeling of satiety is maintained for a long time, so the product is often included in programs for weight correction.

The benefits of sprouted chickpeas

The benefits and harms of sprouted chickpeas

Regular inclusion of chickpeas in sprouted form in the menu, has a positive effect on health. Chickpeas help to normalize metabolism, strengthen the cardiovascular system, prevent the development of osteoporosis, improving the absorption of calcium and preventing its leaching from the body. Given the low glycemic index and features of the product itself, which is assimilated to the maximum level, it can and should be included in the diet for diabetes to make up for the deficiency of useful substances.

Mutton pea sprouts bind and eliminate free radicals, the abundance of fiber acts like a sponge, cleansing and stimulating intestinal peristalsis.

Increases the elasticity of blood vessels, cleanses the walls, increases the lumen, which serves as an excellent prevention of strokes and heart attacks. Increases the stability of the heart muscle, removes excess bile, eliminates fluid stagnation.

The product is recommended for inclusion on menus in weight control and correction programs. Quickly quenching the appetite with a small amount, sprouts give a powerful burst of energy, increase tone, speed up metabolism and stabilize the emotional state.

Sprouted chickpeas are especially useful for men who are physically demanding. It also works as an aphrodisiac and stimulates libido, and helps athletes maintain muscle growth due to its high protein content. For women, sprouted legumes are desirable to introduce into the diet at any age, including the menopausal period.

Sprouts are also used externally. Ointment based on chickpea flour is effective against burns, irritations, various skin diseases. In cosmetology, adding chickpea sprouts to masks increases their nutritional value, making the skin well-groomed and velvety.

Harms and restrictions on use

It is true of any product that everything must be in moderation. So, the daily recommended rate for legume sprouts is from 50 to 100 grams. The truest guide is how you feel. For each person, the amount is likely to be different. For those who like the taste, you can eat more, but keep in mind that beans, even sprouted, are quite heavy food and can provoke increased gas.

An absolute contraindication to use is an individual intolerance to the product. Limit the amount or temporarily give up chickpeas will have to, if there is a history of:

  • thrombophlebitis;
  • Bladder disease;
  • Risk of developing cholelithiasis;
  • Gout;
  • exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases;
  • Problems with the circulatory system.

How to sprout chickpeas at home

Buying such a product is not worth it. First, it is sold only in specialized stores, secondly, it is much more expensive than dry beans, and thirdly, the quality is not guaranteed, especially when you consider that the sprouted chickpeas are stored for only 2-3 days.

How to sprout chickpeas

There is nothing complicated about the process of sprouting your own chickpeas:

  • Pick, remove spoiled and splintered seeds.
  • Rinse thoroughly 2 to 3 times.
  • Place in a glass container at the rate that the chickpeas take up 1/4 of the jar.
  • Pour water at room temperature, cover the neck with foil, film, parchment paper, making a few holes in it for the beans to breathe.
  • After 4 hours, drain the resulting liquid and pour fresh water, covering the container from above with gauze or cotton cloth.

After 12-18 hours, sprouts will appear. Once they reach a size of 2-3 mm, this is optimal. The water is drained, the sprouted beans are slightly dried on a napkin and put in the refrigerator. Store in a closed container, the shelf life of the product is 5 days. It is better to calculate portions so that eat them in 2-3 days, by this time having prepared a new series.

Sprouts are used in many different ways. They are eaten with a little honey as breakfast, ground into flour and baked cakes, added to soups, main courses and salads. The healthiest product is without heat treatment.

“Important: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only.
for informational purposes only.
Please consult with a health care professional before using any of the recommendations.
specialist before applying any of the recommendations.
Neither the editors nor the authors are responsible for any possible harm caused by
materials.”

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Benefits of martial arts for children

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Martial arts can be used as a means to facilitate social interaction and values ​​such as respect, solidarity and responsibility, as well as to fortify self-esteem and confidence.

Far from belonging to the categories of violent sports, as they once could be, the martial arts have become synonymous with a fulfilling lifestyle.

The benefits of martial arts for the correct functioning of body and mind are incalculable. When parents wonder if their children should enter this world, the answer of specialists is unanimous: without a doubt.

Today, these disciplines are now part of many educational programs. Also, they also serve as instruments. These instruments help the little ones to develop and stimulate all their physical and motor abilities.

Benefits of martial arts for children

The benefits in detail

Any sport practiced on a regular basis, brings as first result an excellent physical form. The muscle tissues mature, and gradually advance in their strengthening.

In addition, martial arts respect the growth processes of children. We will thus manage to establish a delicate balance between the capacities specific to each age, but this sport will challenge them to always go further.

Respect as the main weapon of defense

This is not a silly hit-and-be-hit routine. Indeed, the main “weapons” of martial arts are indeed respect, the esteem of others and a lot of self-esteem. Thus, children learn to value the meaning of sport as a form of life.

Although it is a discipline that is practiced individually, teamwork is vital. Between martial art classmates, a spirit of solidarity will develop which is not necessarily found in all sports where teamwork is essential.

Oriental culture at your fingertips

The development of means of communication has brought with it an almost global massification of knowledge. Through the internet, you can travel to any corner of the planet, without having to get on a plane.

People who practice Asian martial arts in the West have direct access to the cultural traditions of this region of the planet through the Internet. Moreover, the benefits are not only physical but also mental.

Benefits of martial arts for children

Discipline for life

Basic learning begins with wearing the correct uniform. You have to follow all the basic rules to the letter, such as greeting in the correct form or respecting the chronogram of daily training.

Discipline, which is understood as a set of rules or standards whose constant respect leads to the consecration of a result or an objective, goes further than sports practice in itself.

With the martial arts, order and method gain space in all areas of children’s development, from their relationship with their parents, to their way of studying. We promote the setting of short, medium and long-term objectives, as well as the definition of the best strategies to achieve them.

Work on self-esteem

Some children, from an early age, begin to show signs of low self-esteem and insecurity in their own abilities. Martial arts make it possible to confront these obstacles until they are beaten and overcome. Thus, the children begin to feel good about themselves and have achieved good results.

Martial arts and bullying

Unfortunately, there are many cases of children and adolescents who come home depressed and hurt, physically and psychologically. These are one of the symptoms of school bullying, which is a habit that has spread to schools.

Some specialists suggest enrolling victims of harassment in karate, kickboxing or taekwondo classes. In addition, the rules for this type of activity indicate that you should not beat outside the gym. However, teaching them to manage effective techniques that allow them to defend themselves in extreme cases is not too much.

The first thing instructors teach is to avoid trouble. They also teach how to protect themselves by neutralizing their opponents, without causing damage. Thus, the victims of bullying will feel more secure and will have better self-esteem.

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How to strengthen a child’s immune system in the spring. Tips from the family doctor

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Everyone knows the phrase “snotty childhood” brings a genuine smile to our faces and plunges us into a world of warm memories. And at the same time, it awakens in us the excitement and fear for the fragile body of children of school and preschool age.

This is the period of active acquaintance with new pathogenic microflora in kindergartens, schools and the gradual formation of immunity (full synthesis of immunoglobulins begins with 6-7 years, and the final formation of the immune system is approaching puberty). And the main task of parents is to help cope with the new immune load by providing all the necessary conditions to maintain health.

Seasonal exacerbation of colds in children is the end of winter and early spring, when sun activity is weak and little vitamin D is synthesized, and all the reserves of vitamins and nutrients in the body are exhausted. That is why it is very important during this period to protect your child from disease and strengthen immunity.

It is impossible to give any specific recommendations, following which the frequency of illnesses in children will decrease. General strengthening procedures (hardening, sports), a balanced diet, a healthy lifestyle of the family, refusal of parents from bad habits (smoking) are more important here.

The role of vitamins in children’s immunity

And if we talk about a “magic pill” – take it and you’re healthy, unfortunately, there is no such thing! Not a single complex “vitamin” or dietary supplement has yet had any effect on the duration of illness and reduction in the frequency of acute respiratory infections in children. Their effectiveness has not been proven.

Complex vitamins can be prescribed for children with certain gastrointestinal problems, but even in this case you need to look for a specific vitamin deficiency and make up for it. Everything else works as a “placebo”.

There are individual vitamins and supplements that can help boost immunity:

Vitamin D – The main source is synthesis in the skin by UV exposure and to a lesser extent absorption with food. The recommendation for a prophylactic vitamin D intake for children from 1 year of age is 600 IU daily without interruption in the summertime, on a continuous basis.

Omega-3 – The only sources are foods (sea fish, mussels, caviar, flax seeds, eggs, dairy products, walnuts, soybeans, etc.).

If seafood and other sources of Omega-3 are not in the child’s diet, a course of supplementation may be recommended.

Important: The need and duration of a course of taking vitamin D and Omega-3 is prescribed by a doctor, focusing on the child’s health and diet.

Effects on immunity of antiviral drugs

Prophylactic administration of antiviral drugs, immunomodulators, and immunostimulants also will not have the desired effect. There is no evidence that they are effective. More than 200 species of acute respiratory viruses have been detected and it is impossible to know exactly which one we are treating with an antiviral medication.

With immunomodulators and immunostimulants, which are designed to modify and stimulate the immune system, there is the same ambiguity. It cannot be said with complete certainty that taking these drugs will promote the production of antibodies to a particular virus.

The work of the immune system is very complex in its structure and has not yet been fully studied. Therefore, uncontrolled taking of these drugs is fraught with serious consequences and can cause a violent reaction of the immune system in the form of allergies and autoimmune diseases.

In most cases (over 90%) of ARIs are caused by a virus, not a bacterium, so taking antibiotics will not be effective. There is a global problem with antibiotic resistance, which occurs with frequent and improper use of antibiotics when bacteria become resistant to antimicrobials.

How else can you support your child’s immune system in the spring?

Negative factors affecting children’s immunity:

  • Stress;
  • Improper nutrition;
  • unsanitation;
  • physical overwork;
  • hypodynamia;
  • chronic illnesses.

Let’s break down each one in more detail.

Stress

Strong and prolonged stress depresses the functions of the immune system by blocking the production of antibodies in response to the pathogen in the body. Therefore, it is very important during the recovery period not to burden the child with studies, not to have conflicts with him or her and not to subject it to strong emotional outbursts (both negative and positive). Quiet, cooperative games, book reading, and walks in the fresh air are recommended.

Improper nutrition: fatty, heavy, poor and monotonous food (fast food, pastries, products with preservatives and flavor enhancers, etc.) lead to a lack of vitamins and nutrients in the child’s body, which negatively affects the synthesis of immune system cells, 80% of which are in the intestines.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition for children

Fractional and balanced meals 5-6 times a day (the child’s enzymatic system is not yet fully formed and is not able to digest a large amount of food in one sitting) and the presence of fruits and vegetables in the daily diet will have a positive effect on health. In the spring period, vitamin compotes from dried fruits, frozen berries and fruits are useful for strengthening children’s immunity.

Antisanitary

Washing hands with soap and water after a walk, before eating and after toileting significantly reduces the risk of acquiring a cold. Another factor that reduces immunity in children is worm infestation. Do not allow children to pick up objects in the street, touch stray animals, or play in the toilet. Damp-clean regularly and keep the humidity level (40-60%) in the child’s room. If the indoor air is too dry, it dries out the mucous membranes that protect the body from infectious agents.

Physical overexertion.

It is very important that a child is not overworked during the day and has adequate sleep during the day and at night. And at night children should sleep 9-11 hours for proper development of the body. After all, while sleeping, children are developing physically. Frequent lack of sleep and overtime have a negative impact on mental and physical health of the child, and therefore on the immune system. This is where a properly built daily routine will help.

Hypodynamia

A sedentary lifestyle seriously affects the frequency of acute respiratory infections in children. Sitting at home, the baby becomes “hothouse” and prone to frequent colds outside the home. And exercise in the morning as a ritual, a walk in the fresh air twice a day saturates the body’s cells with oxygen, which increases resistance to infection. Daily walks even in rainy spring weather develop resistance to cold and damp air, drafts. Such children are less likely to get sick, unlike those who spend most of their time indoors.

Clothing for the season.

Don’t dress in “100 coats.” A running, active child in very warm clothes can easily sweat, get too cold and catch a virus. Listen to the rule of 3 layers: the first layer is thermal underwear that wicks away moisture, the second layer is a fleece warming jacket, and the third layer is a breathable, breathable jacket or windbreaker.

It is also helpful to gradually harden your child (you can start in the spring and continue until late fall). Take turns pouring cold (+-20) and then hot water (+-35) from palm to elbow, from foot to knee, daily for 5-7 minutes. And do not forget to ask your child if he is cold or hot. After all, adults and children have different sensitivities, and we feel cold or hot in different ways.

Chronic illnesses

If a child is often ill with acute respiratory infections, it is necessary to determine whether he has nidus of chronic diseases (tonsillitis, maxillary sinusitis, dental caries, adenoiditis, etc.), which weaken the immune system. Frequently and prolongedly ill children must undergo a medical examination in order to select the correct tactics for the treatment of chronic diseases.

If a child has an acute respiratory infection without complications (bronchitis, pneumonia, otitis, cystitis, arthritis, meningitis, etc.) and passes in 7-10 days, then there is nothing to worry about.

The kid goes to kindergarten or school and gets sick once a month – it is normal (SARS from 7-10 times a year is considered acceptable). If a child gets sick more than 10 times a year for a long time and has complications after an acute respiratory infection – this is a serious cause for concern.

The most common causes of acute respiratory infections are influenza virus, adenovirus, enterovirus, and parainfluenza. There are also bacterial pathogens that join after a viral infection: pneumococcus, streptococcus, staphylococcus, Haemophilus influenzae. Vaccination against influenza, pneumococcal, hemophilus, meningococcal infections, etc. is recommended for children who are often and long term ill.)

Vaccination does not give an absolute guarantee that a child will not get sick, but vaccinated children get sick easier, without complications, and recover quickly.

Most of the above recommendations are quite easy to follow. As for taking various medications, special diet, of course it is better to consult a doctor, because you need to take into account the age of the child, the individual body and other factors.

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