I gave up pasta pretty early on in my diagnosis. I would say pasta and pizza were the two things I just figured weren’t worth the hassle. I find them both to be fattening, heavy, and not good for my weight or my blood sugars, so I stay away. Up to now, I have found only one low-carb pasta substitute that I like… until I tried The Only Bean!
Who Are They?
Brian and his wife, Kristine, started the company in 2017 with a family friend who is a food scientist. He had been working with plant-based food products for over 25 years, and the main source of nutrition in most of the products he developed was beans. When Brian and his wife realized how nutritional and powerful beans were, they wondered why it wasn’t being used more in our everyday meals. That’s when they decided to create “The Only Bean,” which focuses on using beans to create innovative food products that are healthy, sustainable, and easily implemented in everyday meals. They started with pasta since this could easily replace traditional pasta, noodles, and rice.
What Is It Made Out of?
The Only Bean is gluten-free and organic. It is made with only non-GMO beans and is packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidants. It contains only one ingredient, which means you never have to worry about any wheat, grains, or binding agents that would raise your blood sugar.
A serving has a whopping 44 grams of protein, 19 grams of fiber, and contains only 16 g net carbs.
How Does It Taste?
I am always a little uneasy about giving new products a try. I usually find one product I like and stick to it, often for years! Well, The Only Bean has officially replaced the one I have been using for two years now!
Considering I don’t like beans, I would say there is minimal bean flavor. The texture is very similar to pasta as is the bite. It was very flavorful and left no bad aftertaste. My favorite was the soybean spaghetti, and my least favorite was the black bean fettucini.
Soybean Spaghetti | Photo credit: The Only Bean
How Did It Affect My Blood Sugar?
I took two units of insulin to account for the net carbs and protein content. I also added chicken meatballs and sauce to it, so accounted for that as well. It barely raised my blood sugar, and there was no significant spike that I sometimes find with these low-carb, high-protein alternatives.
Where Can I Purchase It?
They are available in a select number of stores in Michigan and Illinois. They are also sold on amazon.com, walmart.com, and theonlybean.com. They will also be available in Costco stores in a few select states in just a few months.
My Review
After being a creature of habit, using their biggest competitor for the past three years, I am making the switch to The Only Bean. Not only did the consistency and flavor taste like real pasta, but it also gave me extra protein that I am always trying to get in, and it kept my blood sugar stable. This is a keeper for me and I highly recommend trying!
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