Rankings for best movie, best album, best songs, best college basketball teams, and best NFL teams are quite popular in the United States. However, one set of rankings that do not make waves in the media but should be calling for our attention are rankings regarding the best foods to protect us from diabetes. On that note I would like to bring your attention to the fact that a diet rich in legumes earns high marks from endocrinologists and diabetologists.
Diabetes Is a Significant Health Challenge Worldwide
More than 400 million people are suffering from diabetes worldwide. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2014 that 29.1 million people were estimated to be living with diabetes in the United States, and about 1 in 11 American adults has diabetes. This number is expected to double or triple by 2050. There is a significant likelihood that you or someone close to you is currently suffering from diabetes mellitus or will come down with the disease in the future.
Lifestyle and Diet Plays a Vital Role
Lifestyle and dietary habits play a key role in the development and prevention of type 2 diabetes. The chances rise as people indulge in eating habits which increase their risk. The chances are lowered as they decrease these same eating habits. A team of top endocrinologists and diabetologists teamed up to review the science behind today’s most popular diets. The verdict? Diets rich in legumes, such as beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas earned these doctors votes as foods favoring the slashing of diabetes risk. In this study, consistent consumption of legumes was found to cut down the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 35%.
Nutritional Properties of Legumes Diminish Diabetes Risk
Legumes are low-glycemic, high-fiber, high-protein foods packed with beneficial vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Due to their low-glycemic index score and high-fiber content, legumes are slowly digested, thereby gradually releasing their glucose and causing minor changes to blood sugar levels. Thus, eating legumes will help individuals to keep their blood glucose concentrations in check, decreasing their susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. For the same reasons they also help to reduce cravings between meals.
Create Space for Legumes on Your Plate
If you are thinking to add more beans into your diet then you are on the right track. Legumes may not steal as many headlines as Beyonce, Rihana, Tom Cruise, Lebron James, and the cast and crew of this years latest blockbuster movies, but they should win the nutritional equivalent of a Grammy or an Oscar for reducing type 2 diabetes risk. There should be a larger space for legumes on most of our plates as we pursue a healthy diet. Your plate should probably not be an exception. Consider consuming more legumes to improve your metabolic health and lessen your chances of developing diabetes mellitus.
Additional Information:
(1) The consumption of legumes is associated with a lower risk of diabetes
(2) CDC 2014 National Diabetes Statistics Report
(3) Legumes lower type 2 diabetes risk by 35 per cent, research reports
(4) Nutrition / Diet Diabetes Heart Disease Legumes may lower risk of type 2 diabetes
(5) Beans and Pulses Are Low Glycemic Index Foods
(6) Legume consumption is inversely associated with type 2 diabetes incidence in adults