Diary of Lionel-Richie — The Food I Was Craving Had a Secret

I didn't work out this morning.

Not because I suddenly gave up on my routine, but because I woke up feeling like my body wanted a break.

After morning devotion, I went straight to take my bath. But there was something else I had already made up my mind to do.

Beans.

I had been craving beans since the day before yesterday, so I finally decided to make it happen.

I sat down and started picking through them, removing the little stones and unwanted ones. My aunt handled the actual cooking, and a few hours later, breakfast was ready.

But while I was waiting for the beans, I started thinking about something I had never really paid much attention to.

Beans are actually a pretty interesting food.

They are not just something we eat because they are filling. Legumes such as beans provide protein, complex carbohydrates and dietary fibre, along with nutrients such as folate, iron and potassium.

And here's the part I found interesting.

Beans contain resistant starch.

Unlike starches that are quickly broken down during digestion, resistant starch isn't fully digested in the small intestine. Some of it reaches the large intestine, where it can be used by beneficial gut bacteria. In that way, it behaves somewhat like dietary fibre.

So that bowl of beans I was patiently waiting for was doing more than simply satisfying a craving.

It was actually bringing along protein, fibre and other nutrients with it.

After taking my blood tonic, I finally sat down to enjoy my breakfast. I noticed the tonic had quite an effect on me afterwards, but I'll leave that story for another day.

I eventually got dressed and left with my cousins for church.

The atmosphere at church was calm. Everyone was seated as properly as possible and there was a general sense of decorum.

But somewhere during the service, the effect I had started feeling earlier became more obvious.

First came the headache. Then came the sleepiness. At that point, I was honestly hoping the service would end as early as possible.

Thankfully, there was no extra time added today, so once we were dismissed, I headed straight home.

I got to my room, went straight to my bed and slept. When I woke up, the pain had reduced to just a little, and for now, I feel pretty good.

So, I didn't get my workout done today.

I didn't have some extremely busy day either.

But I did learn something interesting about one of the foods I had been craving for two whole days. Sometimes the most ordinary things around us have a little science hiding inside them.

And today, mine happened to be sitting in a pot of beans.

September 20, 2026