Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit..

Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit..

Beans
have more servings of fiber than any other vegetable. One single
serving will give you 20 percent of your daily-recommended fiber.

Researchers
in Japan did a seven-year study. They studied more than 43,000 people
between the ages of 40 and 79 that had high cancer rates and ate little
fiber. The more fiber they got from beans, the lower the risk of colon
cancer, especially in men, became. It was the bean fiber that impacted
the colon cancer statistics more than any other source of fiber.

Other
research indicates that the fiber in beans like garbanzo's actually
keep your body from absorbing carcinogens. When you take in fewer
carcinogens, the less damage is done to your cells, tissues, and other
organs. Less damage equates to lower cancer risk in the long run. It's
too bad that the same cannot be said for ingesting flesh foods.

Beans
contain phytochemicals, which naturally fight cancer and free radicals,
which ruin your cells and tissues through oxidation. The phytochemicals
neutralize the free radicals before they do damage.

Greek
researchers tested extracts from 11 different legumes (beans are
legumes) and found that all of them neutralized free radicals. Not only
that, but most of them also protected DNA from oxidative damage, which
more or less explains the key to beans' anti-cancer potential.

What about beans helping women thwart breast cancer? In a study of 90,000 young nurses, the ones who ate beans or lentils at least twice a week were less likely to develop breast cancer.

The
experts assumed that the flavonols, again phytochemicals, block the
free radicals, prevent oxidative damage to the cells, and encourage
cancerous cells to die. All you have to do is to work at least two
servings of beans and lentils into your weekly diet.

We all know there's quite a fad about cutting carbs. If you are concerned, at all, about colon cancer, fagetaboutit.

The
carbs in beans are a unique kind that the body cannot digest. As such,
they wind up fermenting in your colon, thanks to the bacteria living in
your gut. The fermentation produces a compound called butyrate that
basically squashes inflammation and the abnormal cell growth that can
lead to cancer. In addition, the indigestible carbs help give beans a
low glycymic index, meaning a low risk of colon cancer. This is the
super benefit of eating low glycymic index foods.

Theory leads to
subjectivity. The researchers decided to put their theories to work.
They took people that previously had colon polyps removed, changed their
diets to include more cooked, dry beans, and after four years, those
that ate the most beans were 65 percent less likely to see their polyps
return.
All beans work, be it baked, pinto, kidney, navy, white,
black, garbanzo, human (only kidding), or lima - all cut colon cancer
risk. The more legumes that men eat the less likely they are to get
prostate cancer. Three major studies found that eating lots of legumes,
including beans, lentils, and split peas, dropped prostate cancer risk
between 29 and 38 percent. If flesh foods are eliminated altogether,
those percentages climb incredibly.

Another weapon against cancer
is the folate found in B vitamins, which beans are a great source of.
Eating high-folate foods reduces the risk of pancreatic and colon
cancer. In addition, the folate helps to build and repair DNA. Too
little leads to DNA damage and supplements will not provide the
protection that folate-rich foods do.

But wait, there's more. Bulking up with beans can help with type-2 diabetes in two ways:

1-
As mentioned earlier, legumes have a lower glycemic index (GI). The GI
measures how fast your blood sugar rises after eating a food.
High GI foods make your blood sugar rise faster, whereas low-GI foods,
like beans, cause a slower, more gradual rise. There are over 35 studies
showing that diets filled with high-GI foods nearly double the risk of
getting type-2 diabetes and make you 25 percent more likely to develop
heart disease. High-GI foods create a spike in your blood sugar, causing
your pancreas to release more insulin. So, eating high-GI foods creates
a demand on your pancreas to produce more insulin. Eventually, the
pancreas burns out and stops making insulin. This leads to diabetes.

2-
Beans could be the single best food for weight loss. If you eat more
beans despite eating more calories, you will weigh less than someone who
does not eat beans and eats lower calories as well. Go figga?

If
you are worried about developing type-2 diabetes, bear in mind that
obesity is a major risk factor for type-2 diabetes. Not only do beans
keep you slimmer, but you will get more fiber, more potassium, and you'll eat less fat and added sugar. It's a winning combination all across the nation.

But
wait, there's even more: high cholesterol, blood clots, insulin
resistance, and oxidation all have a hand in heart problems. As an
alternative to drugs and supplements, beans pit pennies against dollars.

If
you took one third of a cup of black beans daily, you could cut your
risk of a heart attack by 40 percent. If you ate that same one third of a
cup four times a week, instead of one or none, you would be twenty two
percent less likely to get heart disease.

Why would that be?
Because the complex carbohydrates in beans lower the glycemic load in
the meals. Then their unique combination of magnesium, copper, fiber,
and alpha-linoleic acid will boost your insulin sensitivity, help
prevent blood clots, and drop your risk of a heart attack. In addition,
beans are an excellent source of protein, which helps to manage your
weight.

If you have high cholesterol and want to take a walk on
the wild side, eating half a cup of beans daily will improve your
cholesterol numbers. And, if you are healthy, and you do likewise, you
should experience at least a 10 percent drop in your cholesterol as
well.

Remember the talk about phenols? These same phenols may
also prevent hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) because the
flavonoids in beans are natural antioxidants. As such, they work against
the free radicals before they can attack cholesterol and oxidize it.
That's important because oxidized LDL cholesterol contributes to
atherosclerosis. The best beans for this are black, red kidney, pinto
and lentils.

Now for a treat: Brownies! Believe it or not,
brownies can actually be healthy. Replace up to half the shortening with
pureed cannelloni beans. That will cut away 40 percent of the fat, give
you fewer calories, and taste just as good. A study was done that did
this and it found that the beans did not noticeably change the
yumminess, the texture, color, or tenderness of the brownies. And doing
this will help you battle heart disease and type-2 diabetes while still
enjoying a treat, plus save you money. Canned white beans cost 80
percent less than butter and slightly less than margarine, ounce for
ounce and make a great substitute if no cannelloni's are available. And
if you want even less fat and cholesterol, use egg replacer, which also
does not alter the taste

Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/038000_beans_fiber_cancer_prevention.html