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Blog author, Solai Buchanan is an experienced Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with an MS from Columbia Teachers College. She specializes in treating heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, polycystic ovarian syndrome,and other chronic diseases. She is a provider at a full-service cardiology practice accepting most insurance and staffed with a primary care MD, pediatrician, and cardiologist. Call: 718.894.7907. NYCC is lead by Interventional Cardiologist Sanjeev Palta, MD, FSCAI, FACC. He trained at Cornell-Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and the State University Hospital of Brooklyn. He currently is an Attending Cardiologist at New York Methodist Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Having performed over 2000 invasive cardiac procedures Dr. Palta’s patients know they are in trusted hands.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

A SERVING OF BEANS A DAY KEEPS HEART DISEASE AWAY

A new review finds that eating a daily serving of legumes can help reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol as well as your risk for heart disease.  Canadian researchers examined 26 U.S. and Canadian studies that included a total of more than 1,000 people. Their analysis showed that getting at least one daily serving (3/4 cup) of legumes -- foods such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and dry peas -- was linked to a reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by 5%.  A daily three-fourths of a cup is approximately double the intake of the average American.  

Why are beans so good for us?  They are high in protein, fiber, pre-biotics (substances that promote the healthy bacteria in the gut), natural plant sterols and stanols, healthy minerals such as magnesium and potassium, and antioxidant  polyphenols.  The high fiber and sterol/stanol content of beans acts like a sponge blocking the digestion of nutrients in other foods that raise cholesterol.  Their fiber and protein also make beans a slowly-digested, low glycemic food that does not cause spikes in blood sugar.  There is also some evidence that the potent antioxidant content of beans may help reduce risk of several cancers.

Some of the study participants reported stomach problems such as bloating, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea as a result of eating legumes.  Increasing intake gradually and soaking dry beans overnight helps to reduce the unwanted gastrointestinal effects of beans.  It has also recently been found that adding a supplement of probiotic lactobacillus bacteria to the soaking beans can further reduce the gas beans cause.

What to do:  Try to get a serving of beans each day.  Here are some ways to get more beans into your diet:
*Add cooked beans or chickpeas to green salads.
*Put them into soups, stews, and chili's.  Lentils cook quickly and make delicious hearty soups.
*Throw together a quick salad of beans and leftover rice, spring onions, bell pepper cubes, parsley topped with lemon olive-oil vinaigrette.
*Whip up a 3-bean salad.
*Make a bean and canned-fish salad (such as the classic Italian tonno e fagioli).
*Eat hummus or black bean dip as a snack with carrot sticks or celery or spread it on bread or pita.
*Mash warm beans, refried-bean style, with garlic, herbs and olive oil as a tasty side-dish.
*Saute cooked beans in olive oil with garlic and shredded greens (spinach, arugula, baby broccoli, kale, etc.) for a delicious, quick dinner.
*Have them in a breakfast burrito or soft tacos.
*Make them into a crunchy snack by roasting cooked chickpeas or edamame tossed  in olive oil and spices.

Adapted from articles available at:
http://www.integrativeoncology-essentials.com/2014/04/beans-beans-really-good-heart/
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_145542.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140407122749.htm
http://www.examiner.com/article/new-health-benefits-found-for-beans-chickpeas-and-lentils

Source:
Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, De Souza RJ et al.  Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ2014 DOI:10.1503/cmaj.131727


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