Can Beans Benefit Type-2 Diabetics?

Type-2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. It occurs when body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin that is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy.

If not managed appropriately, Type-2 diabetes could lead to many other complications including heart disease, stroke, and blindness. Fortunately, most of the Type-2 diabetic patients can control their conditions with medications, regular exercises and healthy diet.

According to a Canadian study, eating a cup of beans or lentils daily might help control blood sugar and possibly cut the risk of getting heart attack and stroke for Type-2 diabetics.

The findings, which were published on November 26, 2012 in the ‘Archives of Internal Medicine’, showed that people getting a daily dose of legumes had small drops in their blood sugar as well as in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Legumes, including beans, chickpeas, and lentils, are believed to be good source for proteins that tend to dampen the blood glucose response and lower blood pressure.

Researchers from St Michael's Hospital in Toronto and their associates found that the estimated 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease for the 121 study participants had fallen from 10.7 to 9.6 percent after 3 months on bean diet.

In the study, participants were divided into 2 groups: one was asked to increase their intake of cooked legumes by at least a cup a day while the other one was instructed to eat more whole wheat products to raise their fiber intake.

3 months later, the hemoglobin A1c levels were found to drop from 7.4 to 6.9 percent for people eating beans, compared with people eating extra whole wheat, the hemoglobin A1c levels had fallen from 7.2 to 6.9 percent.

The A1C test is a common blood test used to gauge how well diabetics managing their diabetes. It reflects the average blood sugar level for the past 2 to 3 months. It is determined by measuring the percentage of glycated hemoglobin or HbA1c in the blood.

When it comes to blood pressure, it was found that no reduction for participants with extra whole wheat. But for participants assigned to legumes group, the systolic blood pressure reading was reduced from 122 to 118 points, and the diastolic blood pressure reading dropped from 72 to 69. Blood pressures readings of no more that 120 over 80 are considered normal.

Based on lower blood pressure, the researchers calculated that diabetics getting a daily dose of beans would cut their 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke by less than 1 percent comparing to people who ate whole wheat.

What Type of Diet Can Control Diabetes and Prevent Heart Disease?

Being the most common form of diabetes, type-2 diabetes is closely linked with obesity. Because of a high blood sugar level, diabetics are at a high risk of developing heart disease, kidney damage, stroke, and blindness.

Therefore, when one is diagnosed with diabetes, he or she will have to adhere closely to the diet suggested by the doctors in order to control the blood sugar level.

The latest findings, which appeared on December 16, 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, by Canadian researchers from St Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto indicated that a diet that is rich in nuts, beans and lentils is better than a high cereal-fiber diet in controlling diabetes and hence preventing heart disease.

In the study, 210 people with Type-2 diabetes were randomly selected to try 1 of 2 diets for 6 months. All the participants were prescribed with medications for controlling their blood sugar and had monthly blood tests.

An abundance of beans, peas, lentils, nuts and pasta were given to people who were on the low-glycemic index diet. They were also asked to have low-glycemic index breads like pumpernickel, quinoa and flaxseed and breakfast cereals including large flake oatmeal and oat bran.

On the other hand, people in the high fiber group were given a largely 'brown' diet, which included whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice, potatoes with skins and whole wheat bread, crackers and cereals.

People in both groups were also encouraged to eat 3 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables daily.

The examination at the end of 6 months showed that those on the low-glycemic diet lost slightly more weight. They had not only significantly better control of their blood sugar but also higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the so-called good cholesterol.

The results showed that the diet could be one of the many options available to people with diabetes, other medical conditions and even healthy people.

According to the researchers, many popular diets including the South Beach Diet and the Zone Diet already focus on low-glycemic index foods, which produce only small changes in blood glucose and insulin levels. In fact, many of the popular books on diets have already been ahead of the scientists in using it.

While food industry has an opportunity to produce modern foods with low-glycemic properties that can fit palatably into the diet, many of the traditional foods such as beans, pasta that were eaten by the older generations, can usefully be brought back into the diet.

Which Fibers To Take? Bran, Beans and Lentils

Being the outermost layer of a grain, bran is typically removed when grains are processed. The purpose is to increase their shelf life. Many foods are subsequently enriched with bran fiber. For example, a half cup of wheat bran cereal has approximately 13 g of fiber.

Beans and lentils contain fair bits of fibers too. For instance, a cup of kidney beans provides over 11 g of fiber while the same amount of chick peas gives over 12 g of fiber, almost half of the daily recommended intake. Lentils can furnish even more fiber with a cup providing over 15 g of fiber.