Legumes May Lower Your Risk for Diabetes: New Study Reveals

According to a January 2008 article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, there are over 20 million people with diabetes in the U.S., equal to seven percent of the population. A recent study by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Shanghai Cancer Institute, suggests that an increased intake of legumes like peanuts and soybeans could reduce the risk of developing Type-2 diabetes by over 40 percent. This is great news for people who have Type-2 diabetes or are in danger of developing it as legumes are a simple and delicious addition to any diet.

A vegetarian diet has long been noted as being beneficial to diabetics. Legumes such as beans, lentils, soy products, peanuts, etc., are an integral part of a balanced vegetarian diet. Legumes are an excellent substitution to meat because they are high in protein and iron and are very filling. In addition to lowering a person’s risk of diabetes, a diet of vegetable proteins may reduce the risk of many other diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Legumes can also help facilitate weight loss because they are high in fiber and low in saturated fat with zero cholesterol!

Visit our recipes section to help you begin incorporating more legumes into your diet.