Beans can save hearts
That eating black beans, peas and other legumes helps reduce the risk of heart disease was announced at the American Heart Association's just-concluded Annual Confe-rence on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention. However, there is a catch. The heart protection effect was most striking in those who ate beans four or more times per week. They had a 19 per cent reduced risk of heart disease and a 9 per cent less risk for all forms of cardiovascular disease. Soybeans and tofu, made from soybeans, can be used as substitutes, say researchers from Tulane University in New Orleans, USA. The researchers examined 19-year data on 11,924 us men and women (25-75 years) free of cardiovascular disease who participated in the nhanes (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study. Bean consumption benefited regardless of an individual's age, race, gender, ailments and habits.