Kidneys and Lima Beans
Although kidney and lima beans can be eaten if cooked thoroughly, it is best to avoid eating them raw. Research has shown that raw kidney beans can cause intestinal disruption and hinder your body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients. This can lead to serious health problems such as malnutrition and nitrogen loss. Although raw kidney beans can cause rats to die, just four to five can make you very sick.
The dangers of raw lima beans are even more severe because they contain linamarin. This can lead to toxic hydrogen cyanide, which can cause death. The Journal of Applied Animal Research published a study on rats that found they could increase the size of their pancreas. They were anti-nutritive – which means they reduce the body’s intake of essential amino acids.
Although you may be fine if you eat raw kidney beans or lima beans, you can get very sick and even die if you consume large quantities of lima beans. To get rid of any toxins, you should always drain and boil kidney beans or lima beans for at least 10 minutes before eating them. This will ensure that you receive all the nutritional benefits of the beans (e.g., iron, folate, protein, and folate) without the danger of becoming sick or poisoned.
