In an effort to promote health, various research highlights the nutritional value of legumes and grains, cataloging them as those foods that promote longevity in human beings, according to Dan Buettner, author and founder of the Blue Zones organization.
Buettner is the one who has determined the so-called “blue zones”, that is, areas around the world where people live a long and healthy life of up to 100 years and at the same time maintain an extremely healthy lifestyle.
Through an analysis of the practices carried out by the people living in these areas, the importance of certain foods that contribute to their longevity stands out. Distinguishing among them are beans, lentils, chickpeas, among others. “In every blue zone I have visited, grains and other legumes were, and continue to be, an important component of the daily diet,” the author said.
In the case of Costa Rica, Nicoya belongs to one of the blue zones, where Buettner highlights the habit that its inhabitants have of having breakfast with the typical dish Gallo Pinto. This dish precisely contains some of the foods mentioned above, but its preparation and conservation also make this meal even more beneficial.
The perfect combination
“It is a combination of beans cooked in a sauce, seasoned with onion, green pepper and some aromatics such as basil or thyme and perhaps garlic. Then they mix it with yesterday’s white rice. That’s interesting because when the rice cools overnight, it undergoes a metamorphosis. The starch in rice becomes resistant, meaning the body absorbs it more slowly, so blood sugar doesn’t rise as much,” Buettner explained.
This food group has a high density of nutrients and micronutrients that allows you to receive more energy and regulate blood pressure. In addition, the fiber that can be found in legumes, such as preventing heart conditions at premature ages.
Strengthening the immune system
“They are proteins of plant origin that help us maintain our body mass. They also serve as foods that strengthen the immune system, help with digestion and inflammation,” said Daniela Guevara, nutritionist at Don Pedro.
