According to a new research from Spain, higher consumption of legumes has the potential to lower the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 35 per cent.
Legumes are plants that bear their fruit in pods, which are casings with two halves, or hinges. Legumes are a very healthy food because it is low in fat and high in protein. Legumes are also very high in fiber and other nutrients. Legumes Are Made Up Of: beans, lentils, peas, peanuts
Legumes have quite a remarkable nutrition profile (2), and are a rich source of healthy fibers and protein.
One cup of cooked lentils provides (3):
- 18 grams of protein.
- 16 grams of fiber.
- 40 grams of carbohydrate.
- 37% of the RDA for iron.
- 90% of the RDA for folate.
- 18% of the RDA for magnesium.
- 21% of the RDA for potassium.
- Over 10% of the RDA for Vitamins B1, B3, B5 and B6, phosphorus, zinc, copper and manganese.
This is coming with a calorie ticket of 230, which makes legumes highly nutritious, calorie for calorie.
Legumes are a food group rich in B vitamins, and contain different beneficial minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium. The findings showed that among the different subtypes of legume, participants who had a higher consumption of lentils – one serving per week – had a 33 per cent lower risk of developing the disease.
Legumes also contain sizeable amounts of fiber and are regarded as a low-glycemic index food, which means that blood glucose levels increase only slowly after consumption.