“Magic” Beans Can Fight Aging
Despite the advertisements you see on TV, aging is a natural part of living. Yet none of us wants to look or feel older than our years—in fact, if you’re like me, you wouldn’t mind appearing a few years younger than your chronological age!
This goal of feeling and looking younger is easier to obtain than you might imagine. You and I can effectively slow down, and even reverse, the aging process by learning to fight it on its own turf. Let me explain.
In the course of living life, things which stress our bodies—inadequate sleep, smoking, eating high fat foods, even getting sunburned—produce an abundance of destructive particles known as free radicals. A free radical, very simply put, is a chemically “needy” molecule which longs to be completed by a single oxygen molecule. So, it unashamedly grabs that oxygen molecule from one of your healthy cells leaving that formerly healthy cell damaged, or aged, in the process.
Foods containing high amounts of antioxidants have been specifically engineered by their Creator to fight back against these oxygen-stealing bandits—in the most generous of ways. Antioxidant rich food sources benefit your body by donating their “extra” oxygen molecules to those “needy” oxygen-seeking free radicals. This way your healthy cells remain intact and the premature aging process is thwarted!
Enter this Monday’s nutritional star—beans! That’s right; not only are beans a fantastic source of lean protein and complex carbohydrates, but they are chock full of near-magical antioxidants! Red, pinto, black, or kidney beans top the list of antioxidant rich foods. When added to your diet, beans offer an inexpensive and highly versatile way to fight back against those no-good, age-promoting free radicals.
DON’T MISS THIS “HACK”: if you tend to steer clear of beans because they do not play nice with your intestines, simply place beans in a colander and rinse them thoroughly with steaming hot water. This will wash away the gas-producing culprit that resides on their skins.