Lowering Cholesterol with
Legumes
Legumes are plants
with seed pods that split into two halves. Beans, peas, lentils, soybeans and
peanuts are some of the edible seeds from plants in the legume family. Legumes
have very little fat. And, like all foods from plant sources, legumes do not
contain cholesterol. They are also a good source of soluble fiber, which can
lower blood cholesterol levels.
Legumes are
inexpensive, nutrient-dense sources (having many vitamins and minerals) of
plant protein that can be substituted for dietary animal protein. While meat is
often rich in saturated fats, the small quantities of fats in legumes are
mostly the heart-friendly, unsaturated fats.
Not only are legumes
excellent sources of essential minerals, they are rich in dietary fiber and
other phytochemicals that may affect health. Clinical trials have found that
increasing the consumption of dry beans resulted in modest (6-7%) decreases in
total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Dry beans are rich in soluble fiber,
which is known to lower cholesterol.
A study conducted to
examine the effect of legume consumption on cardiovascular disease risk found
after 19 years of follow-up that men and women who ate dry beans, peas, or
peanuts at least four times weekly had a risk of coronary heart disease (CHD)
that was 21% lower than those who ate them less than once weekly.
Eating 3 cups (6
servings) of legumes weekly is recommended for people who consume about 2000
calories per day. A serving of legumes is equal to ½ cup of cooked beans, peas,
lentils or tofu.
Dry beans are also
good sources of potassium, and magnesium which may decrease cardiovascular
disease risk by lowering blood pressure.
Dry beans have a low
glycemic index. This means that they are less likely to raise blood glucose and
insulin levels, which may also decrease cardiovascular disease risk. The
glycemic index is a measure of the potential for carbohydrates in different
foods to raise blood glucose levels. In general, consuming foods with high
glycemic index values causes blood glucose levels to rise more rapidly, causing
a greater insulin secretion by the pancreas than consuming foods with a low
glycemic index.
High homocysteine
blood levels are associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, and dry
beans contain folate, which helps to lower homocysteine levels.
Dried beans and other
large, legumes, such as chickpeas and black-eyed peas, require soaking in water
at room temperature, a step that rehydrates them for more even cooking. Soak
the legumes for about six to eight hours.
Another way to
rehydrate beans is to place them in water and boil for two minutes. Then cover
and let the beans soak for an hour. Once rehydrated, the beans are ready to
cook.
o Some of the
gas-producing food particles get absorbed in the water so discard the soaking
water before cooking. Change the water several times during soaking and
cooking.
o Simmer beans slowly
until they are tender. This makes them easier to digest.
o Add Beano to legume
dishes to help reduce the amount of gas they produce. For Beano to be
effective, you need to take it with your first bite of food.
Legumes have several
qualities that make them very helpful in lowering cholesterol and preventing
heart disease. They are cheap and in many cases may be eaten in place of meat.
When rehydrated in a proper fashion they may have their gas producing
properties lessened.
Tim Lazaro is a
competitive, masters runner who writes on issues related to health,
natural-food diets, and aerobic exercise. He employs the life-style changes and
diets that he writes about. He has lowered his total cholesterol and lost
weight using these cholesterol-lowering methods.
Download his Free
guide here: Five Secrets to Lowering Cholesterol
[http://www.waystoloweryourcholesterol.com/SqueezePages/FiveSecrets.html].
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Tim_Lazaro/69757
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