1. Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit..
The more you eat, the lower your risk of certain cancers.
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

2. 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.

3. 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,

4. 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