Food creator Violet Witchel’s dense bean salad recipe has exploded in popularity on TikTok. The dish, which features white beans, chickpeas, and peppers, has racked up 12.5 million views on the social network so far and inspired a slew of spin-off recipes. I imagine all of the fanfare for this dish is due to the fact that it’s packed with tons of nutrients, is aesthetically pleasing, and is a nice change from your typical leafy green salad.
Even though beans are trending, a 2021 study published in Frontiers in Nutrition concluded that most Americans aren’t even getting close to the recommended amount. The latest proposed dietary guidelines, which are from an advisory committee to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), recommend that people eat at least 2.5 cups of beans and lentils per week. That’s a big increase from the current recommendation of 1.5 cups of legumes per week.
Beans, which are full of vitamins, aren’t just a good base for a salad—they may give you an athletic edge. They’re also easy to incorporate into your diet.
