Beans, beans the magical fruit...

You know the rhyme – "Beans, beans they’re good for your heart. The more you eat, the more..."

You know the rest. It seems both parts of that rhyme are true. Steven G. Pratt, author of “Super Foods Rx,” says beans are a great source of protein, vitamin B, folic acid, iron and fiber. That’s a healthy combination that can actually help reduce levels of bad cholesterol in our blood, which protects us from heart disease.

As for the side effects of beans – there’s not much we can do about that. Because of all that good fiber – those beans don’t get broken down until they reach the large intestine, which lets off a little steam after all that work.