RURALS Review of Undergraduate Research in Agricultural and Life Sciences
Dry beans are considered an excellent source of folate. A mail out survey was conducted to measure the dry bean intake of women between the ages of 19 and 45 years and to estimate the amount of folate from beans in the diet. One hundred and seventy six women reported on the frequency with which they consume foods made with dry beans and the types of dry beans they have previously consumed. The average number of servings of food made with beans per month was 18.5, and the most commonly eaten food made with dry beans was refried beans, averaging 2 times per month. It was estimated that women, 19 45, consume approximately 21.67 mcg of folate from foods made with beans each day, making up a small portion of the recommended daily intake of 400 mcg per day. Most respondents reported having eaten kidney beans, and approximately two thirds of the respondents said they had consumed pinto beans, lima beans, and small red beans. Taste and nutrition were the top reasons participants included dry beans in their diet, although taste was also cited by 22% of the participants as the reason they chose not to consume dry beans.