6 Nutritional Facts Of Navy Beans (Boston Pea Beans) & Its 8 Health Benefits

Navy beans, also known as Boston Pea Beans come under the Fabaceae family. They come under the category of legumes. These beans are quite popular due to their nutritional properties. Navy beans are small, oval, plump, and slightly flattened shaped beans which are covered with a thin skin. These navy beans have several health benefits for human beings. Let us know about some of them.

Navy beans (Boston pea beans) contains dietary fiber which is a an excellent laxative, protects the colonic mucosa by not allowing the colon to be exposed to harmful toxins for prolonged period of time, and also by attaching themselves to chemicals that can cause cancer. Moreover, dietary fiber also reduces blood cholesterol by lowering reabsorption of bile acids, which are cholesterol binding, within the colon.

Navy beans are also extremely good source of various vitamin B complex elements including folate, thiamin (Vitamin B1), pyridoxine, panthothenic acid, niacin, and riboflavin. It is loaded with Vitamin B1 which is a key factor in allowing the brain to function normally.

100 g of this legume contains 350 calories, and 22 g or 41% of the recommended daily intake of protein.

There is also a rich amount of protein stored in navy beans. Proteins suppress the appetite and also stubs carbohydrates cravings and build muscles.

Navy beans are loaded with several beneficial minerals including copper, folate, manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. 100 grams of dried Navy Beans contain 15% of calcium, 69% of iron, 62% of manganese, 58% of phosphorus, 33% of zinc and 25% of potassium. These nutrients are natural antioxidants and clean the body from free radicals. Moreover, they are also known for boosting energy, making bones strong, and improving nerve function.

Navy beans (Boston pea beans) has minimal amount of Isoflavones antioxidant. The total value of isoflavones is around 0.25mg per 100 g of navy beans; daidzein is 0.01 mg and genistein is 0.2 mg.

This white bean is known to be greatly beneficial for the mental health. Folate present in the Navy Beans prevent neural tube defects, anemia and allows smooth functioning of the nervous system. It is well known that an individual with folate deficiency will have high homocysteine levels. This often results in development of various neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease

Moreover, thiamin present in Navy beans is known to increase certain neurotransmitters which are extremely vital for memory and cognition. Thus navy beans are extremely vital for good memory even at an old age.

Navy Beans are also extremely beneficial for the heart. Magnesium and folate present in navy beans make the heart strong and protect it from any damage. A high homocysteine level may be dangerous for the heart. Folate decreases the homocysteine levels thus helping the heart stay healthy. Magnesium similar to potassium reduces tension in the blood vessels and dilates them which lowers the blood pressure and decreases the strain put on the heart preventing it from myocardial infarctions and strokes.

Navy beans are rich in fiber making it extremely beneficial for a smooth functioning gastrointestinal system. Fiber increase the stool bulk prevents diarrhea and constipation. Moreover, the rich fiber content in Navy Beans normalizes bowel movements by stimulating peristaltic motion. A diet rich in fiber makes the intestines clean and prevents onset of serious gastrointestinal conditions like colon cancer or gastric ulcers.

Navy beans (Boston pea beans) also have their benefits in preventing diabetes. The high fiber content in these beans has a great impact on diabetes, because of its ability to stabilize blood sugar levels and to improve the absorption of nutrients from the gut. With insulin and glucose levels maintained at healthy levels, you are far less likely to develop diabetes, and in case you are already suffering from diabetes, then navy beans can help you manage your symptoms.

Manganese present in navy beans is an important factor in many antioxidant enzymes which prevent spread of free radicals and limit the damage caused by them. This helps in decreasing the risk of cancer and several chronic illnesses. Apart from manganese, copper also has a crucial role to play as an enzyme cofactor. It helps in stimulating blood flow, improve joint mobility, and make the body more flexible by reducing oxidative stress.

Navy beans also help in better blood circulation in our body. Iron and copper content present in navy beans are essential for proper circulation of the blood. So, taking navy beans could be helpful as it contains high levels of iron and copper.

Navy beans (Boston pea beans) are also rich in minerals like magnesium. Magnesium helps in controlling the muscle function and also supports cell metabolism.
In addition to this, the copper content found in these navy beans helps in improving joint mobility and overall flexibility.

Perhaps the most important health benefit of navy beans is that they help in growth and repair. Their high protein content is essential for normal development and also in functioning of repairing damaged areas of the body and speeding up the recovery process. Proteins essential for the body and is required for growth of new cells, muscles, tissues, bones, and blood vessels.

Though it is well known that navy beans (Boston pea beans) have a lot of health benefits; it must be strictly noted that ingesting uncooked navy beans often causes phytohemagglutinin toxin poisoning, which is a condition that causes crowding of RBCs in humans. Some other symptoms of this condition include vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. So, it is essential for you to cook the navy beans in a cooker for safe consumption.

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