Adzuki
Small red beans deliver big nutrition
Photograph by fotografiabasica/istockphoto
If you’re a fan of dim sum, you may already be eating something that’s gaining popularity as a health food. Those red bean buns on the dim sum cart and in Asian markets are filled with mashed adzuki beans—small, humble red beans that some claim can help with weight loss and aid bladder and kidney problems, among other benefits.
Adzuki beans, also spelled “azuki” or “aduki,” have been enjoyed in Asian cooking for centuries. Many people eat them daily, usually sweetened, in foods such as moon cakes, soups, shaved-ice desserts, and mochi. In Japan, the little beans are so popular that an adzuki-flavored Pepsi was introduced there in 2009.
But drinking Pepsi won’t impart the health benefits that nutritionists credit to adzuki beans. The beans are considered a useful food for those trying to lose weight, as they are low in fat and calories, but packed with protein and fiber. In 1 cup of cooked, unsalted adzuki beans there are approximately 294 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 17 grams of fiber, and 17 grams of protein.
In addition, the beans are rich in iron, potassium, zinc, and manganese. Research has shown the beans have antioxidant properties and may help to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. Nutrition educator and author Michio Kushi, who helped introduce macrobiotics to the United States in the 1950s, writes that adzuki beans help keep the bladder and kidneys functioning properly.
And, of course, some people eat the sweet, nutty beans simply because they like the taste. The beans can be mashed into veggie burger patties, mixed in to casseroles, tossed in salads, and made into taco filling. Many people add some cooked beans to uncooked rice and simmer the two together, which lends the rice some texture and a pinkish hue. Dozens of adzuki recipes can be found online.
Adzuki beans can be found in dried or powdered form at Asian markets, in a popular chip at Trader Joe’s (“Rice & Bean Chips with Adzuki Beans”), and are available in cans at many health food markets. And then there are always the red bean buns at your favorite dim sum restaurant.
