Beans can be a good subtitute for meat, even with less protein

I’m getting your questions, so today’s column is devoted to your questions and comments.

Have a question of general interest? E-mail Chris Rosenbloom Fit to Eat columns Get out of rut: Try new fruits and vegetables  Three questions: Organic produce, iron and iodine, and tryptophan  Setting the record straight on some food myths         More Fit to Eat • Chris Rosenbloom, Ph.D., R.D., is a member of the nutrition faculty in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Georgia State University Related: • Carolyn O'Neil: Think of add-ons as accessories  Good links: • Evening Edge • AJC Food & Drink • AJC Health Channel • Diet and Nutrition headlines, resources • Atlanta Restaurant reviews and search • Low fat/ heart healthy recipes • Search recipes

Q: What is the protein content of meat vs. beans?

A: Three ounces of meat, fish or poultry (considered one serving) contains 21 grams of protein compared to 14 grams in 1 cup of beans (black beans, kidney beans, etc). Most cooked vegetables have only 4 grams of protein per cup (broccoli, green beans, etc.), so dried beans are a good source of protein. Meat has a slight edge over beans when it comes to quality protein — meat contains all nine of the amino acids considered essential. (In the nutrition world, “essential” means that the nutrients have to come from food and cannot be made in the body). But, that doesn’t mean that beans are not a good source of protein — when combined with other vegetables or grains eaten throughout the day the proteins complement each other and your body gets all of the essential amino acid it needs. Beans have some other health benefits that meat doesn’t — beans are high in fiber, folate and magnesium, and very low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. I suggest using beans in place of meat in many dishes — choose a bean burrito instead of a beef burrito, and load up chili with beans and skip the meat.

Q: How concerned should we be about preservatives in our foods? Should we be more concerned about preservatives or the amount of fat, sodium and sugar?

A: I don’t think this is an either-or question, rather there are some additives that warrant concern, yet sodium, sugar and fat are also nutrients we should cut down. Most food additives are safe and without them we would have to grocery shop every couple of days and food spoilage would be a big concern. Salt is one of the earliest food additives; without it our not-so-distant ancestors (pre-refrigeration days) would not have been able to preserve the summer’s catch of fish or the meat from a deer. The Food and Drug Administration regulates food additives, and most common additives make the “GRAS” list, or Generally Recognized as Safe. However, some of the additives may not be safe for all people. Monosodium glutamate, MSG, is one example. Some people have an almost allergic-like reaction to this flavor enhancer and for that reason food containing MSG must be labeled.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published a list of the food additives that it believes have not been adequately tested. A complete list can be found at www.cspinet.org. For example, it lists alginate and propylene glycol alginate (a stabilizer and thickening agent), alpha-tocopherol (the chemical name for vitamin E), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), citric acid (tart flavoring agent) and sucralose (sugar substitute) as safe. Yet BHA (an antioxidant used in snack foods), partially hydrogenated oil (found in snack foods and shortening) and potassium bromate (used in white bread) are listed as unsafe. Of course, the bottom line is to eat as many fresh foods as you can while minimizing the foods that contain a lot of additives, like snack foods and highly processed foods. That would also help reduce sodium, fat and sugar.

Update on Sweet Fiber

Thanks for sharing your success at finding this sugar substitute in the Atlanta market. Marcia reports that she found it in a Life Grocery in Marietta; Jerry found it at Health Unlimited near Toco Hill; and Sharon bought it at Natural Foods Warehouse (locations in Alpharetta and Duluth).

This week’s healthy recipe:

Greek Pasta with Tomatoes and White Beans

4 servings

Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes

8 ounces penne pasta

2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

10 ounces fresh spinach, washed and chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, combine tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add spinach to the sauce, cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly. Serve sauce over pasta and sprinkle with feta cheese.

From: www.vegetableswithmore.com .

Per serving: 463 calories (percent calories from fat, 11), 23 grams protein, 80 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fiber, 6 grams fat (3 grams saturated fat), 17 milligrams cholesterol, 590 milligrams of sodium

Nutritional Bonus Points: This dish is rich in vitamin A, calcium, and fiber — nutrients that are low in the diets of most adults.