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Legumes Help Prevent Heart DiseaseOver 1 million Americans develop a form of coronary heart disease (CHD) every year, which is thought to be attributable to high serum cholesterol. Soybean protein and dietary fiber have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels. Although legumes are high in similar bean protein and water-soluble fiber, their influence on cholesterol, CHD, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unknown.The data obtained in the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) were reviewed in a follow-up study of 9,632 subjects. Participants had answered questions indicating how often they consumed beans and peas in a three-month food frequency questionnaire; in the follow-up averaging 19 years, cases of CHD, CVD, and resulting deaths were recorded. The authors state, "Our study found a strong inverse relationship between legume intake and risk of CHD." Subjects who consumed an average of four or more servings of legumes per week were 22% less likely to develop CHD and 11% less likely to develop CVD than subjects who consumed legumes less than once per week. Those with higher legume intake also averaged lower blood pressure and serum cholesterol, and decreased incidence of diabetes and hypertension. Other studies have focused on the effects on disease of specific components in legumes, such as protein and fiber. The authors suggest that linking health to foods instead of components in them may be more useful because of the more direct implications on public health. Bazzano LA, He J, Ogden LG, et al. Legume consumption and risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. men and women. Archives of Internal Medicine 2001:161(21), pp. 2573-2578. |
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