Most of your plate should be covered with vegetables and grains, preferably whole grains, while the rest of the plate is divided between fruit and the protein group. Legumes received a special treatment, which spread over the protein and plant groups. They are packed with protein, iron and zinc, as expected from other protein sources such as meat, but legumes also contain nutrients concentrated in the plant kingdom, including fiber, folic acid and potassium. You get the best of both worlds with beans, while enjoying foods that are naturally low in saturated fat and sodium and cholesterol-free. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States (CDC n.d.). Legume consumption is related to a lower risk of colorectal cancer (Zhu et al. 2015) and prostate cancer (Diallo et al. 2016).
Dried beans can contribute to some of the health benefits associated with vegetable diets. Beans are rich in a number of important micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, folic acid, iron and zinc, and are important protein sources in vegetarian diets. In particular, they are among the only plant-based foods that provide significant amounts of the indispensable amino acid lysine. Commonly used dried beans are also rich in total and soluble fiber, as well as resistant starch, all of which contribute to the low glycemic index of these foods. They also offer large amounts of polyphenols, many of which are powerful antioxidants.
Diabetes has become a real problem in the United States, according to the CDC. About 30 million Americans have diabetes, 90 to 95 percent of which has type 2 diabetes, which is often developed through poor eating habits. Diabetes can also endanger a number of health risks, such as loss of vision, heart disease, kidney disease and more. That is why it is very important to ensure that you eat a healthy diet that contains little processed sugars.
Choosing legumes twice or three times a week instead of meat promotes healthy cholesterol and also helps protect against heart disease. According to the CDC, 75 million Americans have high blood pressure, one in three people, quite stunning statistics. So if you’re part of that population, consider eating beans every day to control your blood pressure, says Sandra Gultry, a registered Mischkultur dietitian. “Your blood pressure will drop because beans are high in fiber, magnesium and potassium, all of which help maintain healthy blood pressure,” he told The List. “Potassium helps counteract the effects of elevated sodium levels, which increases blood pressure.He added that the magnesium in beans supports normal blood flow, which is good for your entire cardiovascular system.
Add some smoked turkey, kale, onion and carrots for a firm soup. According to a study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, only five percent of Americans eat enough fiber, which means that as many as 95 percent of Americans don’t get enough. So if you’re looking for the recommended daily amount of fiber in your diet, choosing to eat beans every day can help, says Kylie Ivanir, a registered dietician. “Boon soluble fiber adds volume to the stool,” he shared with The List.
USA It recognizes the health benefits that beans offer to children and now requires 12th grade nursery students to receive at least ½ cup of beans per week as part of the new school meal guidelines . Beans and legumes have a number of health benefits, including lowering cholesterol, lowering blood sugar and increasing healthy gut bacteria. Learn about nine health benefits from beans in this article, including gaining more protein and reducing the risk of heart disease. Dry beans are on the list of foods to fight cancer at the American Institute for Cancer Research . According to the organization, dried beans have firm starch, which can help produce healthy bacteria that protect the colon, which can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
A study found that rats receiving black or navy blue beans saw a reduced risk of 75% in the development of colon cancer. Of course, rats and humans work very differently, but research suggests that beans can help reduce the risk of certain cancers. Studies have shown that legumes, the food group with beans, lentils and peas, improve your body’s ability to burn calories and fat, which can be the missing link to help you lose weight. Read on for the incredible health benefits of beans and my top five reasons beans are magical after all.
They also contain antioxidants that fight free radicals to prevent cell damage . Foods rich in antioxidants help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and other diseases. The following vegetarian or vegan diets depend on plant foods to provide important nutrients that are common in animal products, such as proteins, iron and zinc. Although vegetarians can consume dairy or eggs, those on a vegan diet do not consume animal products. Those on a vegan diet can eat less saturated fat, cholesterol and more dietary fiber; however, those on a vegan diet may miss vitamin B-12, vitamin D, calcium or omega-3 fats unless they consume suitable supplements . Beans can be a valuable part of any plant-based diet because they are rich in different nutrients and serve as an alternative to meat and contain the full complement of amino acids in combination with grains.
These are just some of the ways beans are a great addition to your diet. Soy protein and soybean cystrogens can also help reduce a number of risk factors for heart disease, including blood pressure and cholesterol in the blood . Another study specifically analyzed the effect of adding a cup of legumes to the daily diet of people with type 2 diabetes. This study showed a decrease in blood sugar and lower blood pressure in the group that ate beans above the control group, including more whole grain fibers.
Beans provide proteins, fiber, folic acid, iron, potassium and magnesium, while they contain little or no total fat, trans fat, sodium and cholesterol . Nutrients recommend consuming 1.5 cups of beans per week to take advantage of these potential health benefits . Although beans are not often promoted as food for weight loss, regular consumption of nutrient-rich legumes can affect weight loss or management, although more research is needed .