White Bean Dip with Crudités

I love dipping my crudités (assorted raw vegetables) in hummus or salsa, but wanted to try something new, so I made this dip with the silken tofu and white beans left over from my Jicama White Bean Salad.  Dipping veggies in a healthy bean dip is a great way to get some extra fiber and protein in your diet.  Celery is an excellent vehicle for dipping due to its sturdy structure and natural swoop.

Nutrition Highlight: White Beans  

• Fiber

If you're trying to increase the amount of fiber in your diet, just eat more beans!  One half cup of Great Northern white beans has 6 g of fiber, 25% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA)  Most adults need 28 g of fiber, since the USDA recommends 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed.  Beans are primarily made of insoluble fiber which keeps you regular and satiated. 

• Potassium

White beans are high in potassium, with a half cup providing 357 mg of the 4700 mg we should aim to get per day. (FYI: potatoes are higher in potassium than bananas. One medium baked potato with skin has 900 mg while a medium banana has 422 mg.)

In my Anatomy and Physiology class, we learned about the crucial role potassium plays in the body.  Potassium resides in our cells, while sodium floats around on the outside.  A potassium-sodium pump works to keep the cell's voltage in balance, which is essential for nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and heart function. 

The balance of potassium and sodium is what regulates blood pressure, or the force fluid exerts on cell walls.  Sodium attracts water, so if it is consumed in excess, as is usually the case in the American diet, blood volume increases and makes the heart pump harder and can lead to stroke.  This is why having a high blood pressure is bad news. Dietitians recommend having 5x more dietary potassium than sodium, but unfortunately people usually eat 2x more sodium than potassium due to a high consumption of processed foods.

 Another benefit of potassium is that it activates nitric oxide which relaxes the arteries.  High sodium levels, on the other hand, lead to stiffened arteries because nitric oxide is blocked.

Cooking Tip

Use silken not soft tofu.

Silken tofu (Japanese style) is very different from soft tofu (Chinese style) because the soy bean curds have not been separated from the whey.  Trader Joes does not carry silken tofu, but Whole Foods and New Frontiers do.  Soft tofu will produce a grainier end product.

Creamy White Bean Dip

This dip is wonderful with crudités (assorted raw vegetables) as well as steamed broccoli. It would also make a good substitute for mayo if you're having artichokes.

1 1/4 c cooked Great Northern white beans

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 oz (1/2 a block) silken tofu 

2 1/2 T fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp ground cumin

pinch of cayenne

1/4 tsp salt

some baby carrots, celery, and jicama for dipping

In a blender or food processor, add all the ingredients and process until smooth, about 4 minutes.  Makes 1 1/2 c and keeps up to 2 weeks.