Adzuki beans are the small, red brown beans that are exceptionally delicious and sweet. They are often used in the preparation of Japanese desserts. Like other legumes, they too are rich in proteins, fiber and folic acid (vitamin B9), making them very healthy for humans.
Adzuki beans can play an active role in various diets aimed at weight loss, since half a bowl of them, weighing 2/5 cup (115 g), contains just 147 kcal. Most of them come from the carbohydrates, which is good considering that it's recommended for 45-65% of calories to come from that food nutrient, according to many researchers.
The fiber, in turn, decreases the risk of the development of type II diabetes, also protects against obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Nutritionists advise men to eat 25 g of fiber daily and women - 38 g, with half a bowl of adzuki beans providing the body 8 g.
As mentioned, adzuki beans are rich in proteins, while containing very little fat - less than 1 g in half a serving. But what should be known is that adzuki beans do not contain many of the essential amino acids we require, meaning that we need to include various other grains, vegetables and so on in our diet.
Of course, there is no lack of healthy vitamins and minerals in them as well. Half a serving of these beans provide us with 12% of the required daily iron, 13% of the calcium and 35% of the daily recommended values of vitamin B9. We know that iron is important for our body's health since it carries the oxygen throughout it and also plays a role in the production of some digestive enzymes.
The potassium improves blood flow, while the folic acid is exceptionally key during early pregnancy because it helps in the production of new cells. A deficit of it can lead to embryo malformations and cause defects to the neural tube (spina bifida and others).
