It’s the beans, not just the rice

After spending two weeks in the Dominican Republic last summer, the very thought of rice and beans made me sick to my stomach. Every night, after a long day lifting cinder blocks and hand-mixing cement on our construction project, my co-volunteers and I would make our way back to base, dragging our feet. 

“Hamburgers! Milkshakes!” we’d cry, hoping someone would respond to our desperate entreaties. But without fail, a large pot of rice and beans would be waiting in the kitchen upon our return. 

“It’s good for you,” our chef, Manuel, would insist with a smile. “Besides, it’s the only thing the natives eat.” 

The first few nights, we happily obliged, complimenting the delicious combination of salty rice and spicy beans. After countless nights of the same meal, though, the beans began to stick to the backs of our throats and the rice sat dry in our mouths. I found myself asking, how do Dominicans eat this every day of their lives? And how can it possibly be healthy? 

The answer to the first question is simple: in the Dominican Republic, and in many other cultures around the world, people eat rice and beans simply because they’re affordable and easy. However, the answer to the health question is much more complex.   

People have argued over the health of rice and beans for years. The debate centers on whether or not rice and beans supply the nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce, making the dish a “complete protein.” Animal proteins such as red meat, seafood, eggs and dairy are complete proteins, which means vegetarians and vegans (who don’t eat those foods) must find their amino acids elsewhere.

According to www.livestrong.com, rice and beans complement each other perfectly. Rice contains all nine essential amino acids except for lysine, and beans contain all nine except for methionine. Together, they make up for each other’s shortfalls, and create a complete protein. 

Rice and beans do not need to be eaten at the same time to reap the health benefits. At www.Eatingwell.com, there is an article that emphasizes that as long as you eat a combination of the nine essential amino acids throughout the day, meal pairings do not matter. They all “go into the same basket,” so to speak. 

So are the Dominicans doing it right after all? Stubbornly refusing to believe that my aversion to the rice and beans was unfounded, I did some more research. It turns out the combination is only healthy in the right proportions. 

According to a story on NPR, due to rising food prices, beans have become more expensive than rice. Thus, there is a tendency (especially in poorer countries) to increase the amount of rice in the ratio — when beans are the more important component of the meal. 

Beans are rich in fiber, potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron and folate. They are also cholesterol and fat-free: They are the perfect power food. 

Although you might be saving money by adding more rice to the mixture, in the end it could raise your blood pressure and will only fill you up temporarily. 

If your ratio is correct, though, eat away. Maybe, we should change the name “rice and beans” to “beans and rice.” Let’s get our priorities straight, people.