Daily serving of beans, peas, chickpeas
or lentils can significantly reduce bad cholesterol
Eating
one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can significantly reduce
"bad cholesterol" and therefore the risk of cardiovascular disease, a
new study has found.
However,
most people in North America would have to more than double their consumption
of these foods known as pulses to reach that target, said the researchers at
St. Michael's Hospital.
The
study, led by Dr. John Sievenpiper of the hospital's Clinical Nutrition and
Risk Factor Modification Centre, was published today in the Canadian
Medical Association Journal.
Dr.
Sievenpiper said that by eating one serving a day of pulses, people could lower
their LDL ("bad") cholesterol by five per cent. He said that would
translate into a five to six per cent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular
disease, the leading cause of death in the United States.
"We
have a lot of room in our diets for increasing our pulse intake to derive the
cardiovascular benefits," Dr. Sievenpiper said. "Pulses already play
a role in many traditional cuisines, including Mediterranean and South Asian.
As an added bonus, they're inexpensive. Since many pulses are grown in North
America, it's also an opportunity to buy and eat locally and support our
farmers."
Dr.
Sievenpiper's meta-analysis reviewed 26 randomized controlled trials that
included 1,037 people. Men had greater reduction in LDL cholesterol compared
with women, perhaps because their diets are poorer and cholesterol levels are
higher and benefit more markedly from a healthier diet.
Some study participants
reported stomach upset such as bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation but
these symptoms subsided over the course of the study.
Story Source:
The
above story is based on materials provided by St. Michael's
Hospital. Note: Materials may be edited for content and
length.
Journal Reference:
1.
Vanessa Ha, John L.
Sievenpiper, Russell J. de Souza, Viranda H. Jayalath, Arash Mirrahimi, Arnav
Agarwal, Laura Chiavaroli, Sonia Blanco Mejia, Frank M. Sacks, Marco Di Buono,
Adam M. Bernstein, Lawrence A. Leiter, Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Vladimir Vuksan,
Richard P. Bazinet, Robert G. Josse, Joseph Beyene, Cyril W.C. Kendall, David
J.A. Jenkins. Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic
lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and
meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ, 2014 DOI:10.1503/cmaj.131727
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St. Michael's Hospital. "Daily serving of beans, peas,
chickpeas or lentils can significantly reduce bad cholesterol. Science Daily, 7 April 2014.
<www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140407122749.htm>.