Diabetes Diet: An Easy, Satisfying, Nutritious 5 Ingredient Soup
Collecting many appealing, easy to prepare recipes makes home-cooking doable, even after a busy workday.
Home-cooking gives us control over what goes into our food, helping us avoid or reduce the intake of added sugars, and unhealthy fats. That’s good for our blood glucose level, waistline, and our family’s overall health.
A 5-Ingredient Black Bean Soup recipe, found at the website Making Thyme For Health, might make an excellent addition to your appealing-and-easy recipe collection. Prep time is generally 15 to 20 minutes, but even if you’re the slowest cook on the planet it should take no more than 30 minutes.
Black Beans and Diabetes
The recipe’s main ingredient contains a considerable amount of starch. However, most of the starch in black beans is “resistant starch,” which is similar to fiber. Resistant starch passes through the small intestine without being broken down into the simple sugars that quickly elevate glucose levels.
Once resistant starch reaches the large intestine, it’s processed by our gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids. The fatty acids are either absorbed into the body for fuel or become an energy source for our beneficial digestive bacteria.
Researchers have also associated bean and legume consumption with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, better glucose tolerance, and increased insulin sensitivity. Studies involving black beans showed improvements in metabolic syndrome factors, including blood fat profiles, and blood sugar levels.
5-Ingredient Black Bean Soup
The recipe makes four servings of satisfying soup that provides a vitamin A and C, iron, and calcium boost, plus 9 grams of digestion-friendly fiber.
You will need:
- 2 cans black beans (15 oz each), rinsed and drained
- 1 jar salsa (16 oz), preferably without added sugars or preservatives; choose mild, medium, or hot salsa - whichever you prefer.
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Preparation:
- Combine one can of beans, salsa, vegetable broth, cumin, and chili powder in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring intermittently.
- Using an immersion (stick) blender, or a regular blender, blend the soup until thickened.
- Add the remaining can of beans, and cook 5 more minutes. If desired, add salt (or garlic salt) to taste. Those who enjoy a smokey tang can stir in a teaspoon of chipotle powder.
For added flair and flavor, top each serving with cilantro, a sprinkle of grated cheese, or diced avocado.
There’s approximately 36 total carb grams per serving (9g fiber, 4g sugars), 11 grams protein, 2 grams total fat, and 210 calories. Using organic ingredients is recommended for optimal nutritional value.
Source: Making Thyme for Health/Recipe; World’s Healthiest Foods; Precision Nutrition
Photo credit: Making Thyme for Health