The superfood that lowers cholesterol and glucose levels, according to Harvard

Food that provides various properties to the body is known as a superfood, and that is the case of legumes, which generally have a low fat content and a high fiber, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium content and their regular consumption could reduce cholesterol and glucose levels.

In addition, Medline Plus, the United States National Library of Medicine, indicated that legumes are rich in vegetable protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, folic acid, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc.

Legumes
Beans, lentils and chickpeas provide benefits to the body’s health. – Photo: Getty Images

Likewise, he explained on his website that legumes are similar to meat in terms of nutrients, but with lower levels of iron and without animal fats. As a result, the high protein and other nutrients in legumes make them an excellent choice in place of meat and dairy, which is why vegetarians often substitute legumes for meat.

That being said, the portal earth revealed that Harvard researchers found that “eating a cup of legumes a day for three months will help achieve considerable loss of body mass, decrease in waist circumference, noticeable drops in blood glucose and drop in high cholesterol by up to eight points ”.

grains, legumes
Legumes are consumed in many ways. – Photo: Getty Images

Additionally, the Portuguese portal for health, nutrition and well-being your health pointed out that “legumes are rich in fibers that help reduce the absorption of fats from food and to eliminate excess fat through feces, causing cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood to decrease”.

Similarly, he added that “because they contain antioxidants, such as saponins and flavonoids, legumes fight free radicals and prevent the accumulation of fat in the arteries, preventing cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and stroke.”

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Likewise, he indicated that “because it is a food with a low glycemic index, legumes help to maintain balanced levels of glucose and insulin in the blood, avoiding insulin resistance and the development of diabetes.”

Legumes
Beans and lentils are high in protein and low in fat. – Photo: Getty Images

However, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) pointed out that beans, white beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), broad beans (Vicia faba L.), chickpeas (Cicer arietinum L.), peas or peas (Pisum sativum L.), mung beans (Vigna radiata L..), cowpea, kerchief bean (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), and various varieties of lentils (Lens culinaris Medik.). There are also many lesser-known legume species such as lupines (for example, Lupinus albus L., Lupinus mutabilis Sweet) and the ground pea (bambara) (Underground vine L.).

Regarding consumption, your health pointed out that “legumes can be eaten cooked and used to make stews, soups or salads. In addition to that, these grains can be used as the base of preparations, such as sweet cakes, pastas and cookies, being an interesting alternative to replace wheat flour in diets for people who are intolerant or allergic to gluten”.

Along the same lines, he added that “to obtain the benefits of legumes, the intake of at least one serving of grains a day is recommended, in addition to accompanying them with a healthy and balanced diet.”

In any case, before consuming any food, the first thing to do is consult the treating physician or a nutritionist so that they can guide the process and indicate what is most appropriate for each person. because the previous recommendations are not the ones indicated for all people, since the information given before in no way replaces medical advice.

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