Beans! They're high in protein, folate and fiber and low in fat. Whether you eat them fresh, canned, frozen or soak the dried version you'll discover they can fill you up while they fill your body with phytoestrogens and other nutrients important to good health.

The downside to eating beans is that they are oligosaccharides--VERY complex sugars that take a LONG time to digest--so long, in fact, that as they sit in your intestine they get eaten by the bacteria that naturally reside there. This interaction between the bean sugar and bacteria produces gas!! Beano, an oligosaccharidase, can break the bean sugar apart quickly, alleviating the gas issue. Meantime, since 'life is a gas," I say, "throw caution to the wind!" Use beans more often in soups and salads or mixed with rice or pasta. If you're using canned beans, drain them well then rinse them with water to remove excess salt. Favorite beans I've used in recipes include.

• Black beans
• Chick peas
• Garbanzo beans
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Lima beans
• Navy beans
• Snap beans

For more on beans and some terrific bean recipes, see SMART EATING by Ronda Gates and Covert Bailey.