Many years ago Country Living Magazine ran an article on three ideas for using canned pinto beans that I have been using ever since. If you don't have time to soak beans overnight or mess with hours of simmering, then these canned, ready-to-eat miracle-wolrkers are your answer.

When cooked, their colored splotches disappear, and they become a beautiful pink color with a delightfully creamy texture. And they are LOADED with health benefits:

They lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar: In addition to lowering cholesterol, pinto beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, pinto beans provide virtually fat-free, high quality protein.

They're full of vitamins and minerals: Pinto beans are also an excellent source of molybdenum, a very good source of folate and manganese, and a good source of protein and vitamin B1 as well as the minerals phosphorus, iron, magnesium, potassium, and copper.

They're a fiber powerhouse: A cup of cooked pinto beans provides 58.8% of the recommended daily intake for fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel-like substance in the digestive tract that combines with bile (which contains cholesterol) and ferries it out of the body. Insoluble fiber helps to increase stool bulk, prevents constipation, and helps prevent digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis.

They lower heart attack risk: Fiber and significant amounts of folate, magnesium, and potassium is why. Just one cup of cooked pinto beans provides 73.5% of the recommended daily intake for folate.

And when enough magnesium is present, veins and arteries breathe a sigh of relief and relax, which improves the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. One cup provides almost 23.5% of your daily magnesium need.

Potassium improves nerve transmission and the contraction of all muscles including the heart, and is essential for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. One cup provides 800.3 mg of potassium and only 3.4 mg of sodium, making these beans an especially good choice to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.

They boost energy while stabilizing blood sugar: If you have insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes, pinto beans help balance blood sugar levels while providing steady, slow-burning energy.

They help with sulfite sensitivity: This bean possesses an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, which is an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which detoxifies sulfites. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars.

Sensitivity to sulfites produces rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation. If you have ever reacted to sulfites, it may be because your molybdenum stores are insufficient to detoxify them. A cup of pinto beans supplies 128.3 mg of molybdenum--that's 171.0% of the daily value for this trace mineral.

They contain iron: Menstruation, pregnancy, and lactation, put women at risk for iron deficiency. So boosting iron stores with pinto beans is a good idea-because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, pinto beans are low in calories and virtually fat-free. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. A one cup serving of pinto beans provides 24.8% of the daily recommended intake for iron.

They possess copper and manganese (energy-boosters and helpers with antioxidant defense): These trace minerals are essential cofactors of a key oxidative enzyme called superoxide dismutase. Superoxide dismutase disarms free radicals produced within the mitochondria (the energy production factories within our cells).

They boost memory thanks to their Thiamin (Vitamin B1): Thiamin is needed for the synthesis of acetylcholine, the important neurotransmitter essential for memory. Lack of it is a significant contributing factor to senility and Alzheimer's disease. One cup provides 21.3% of the daily value for thiamin.

They're a SIGNIGICANT source of protein: Because they're a good source of protein they can replace red meat when combined with a whole grain. You get all the protein without the high calories or saturated fat found in dairy and meat. A cup provides 14 grams of protein--that's 28.1% of the daily value for protein.

You know beans make terrific veggie burgers, and who doesn't love a good baked bean recipe? But here's another idea: a bean dip that uses two health-packed fresh herbs-parsley and rosemary! I'll close with this scrumptious recipe.

Pinto Bean Dip

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Serving size: 1
Calories per serving: 964

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups cooked pinto beans or 2 cans, well drained
1 clove garlic chopped
1 1/4 cups fresh parsley chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper


Directions:

Bring olive oil and rosemary to a simmer in small pot over low heat for 10 min. discard herb and set rosemary-flavored oil aside. Puree beans, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper in food processor while slowly adding rosemary-flavored oil in a steady stream. Transfer dip to a bowl and chill. Excellent with assorted vegetables and whole-grain crackers.