Let’s make one thing clear. The concept of “superfood” is nonsense. It’s a marketing term that evokes selling exotic foods such as acai berries and expensive supplements. The reality is that no single food can promote super health, but one food group comes very close. It’s legumes.
passion for pulse
Popular legumes include chickpeas, beans, lentils, and peas.These are probably better known as “legumes,” but that term isn’t technically correct. Nutrient source accurately situation“legumes” refers to any plant from Fabaceae A family that includes its leaves, stems and pods. Legumes are the edible seeds of legumes. “
Beans are packed with great nutrients. a lot of protein fibervarious vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, folic acid, and magnesium, as well as anticarcinogenic phytochemicals. According to research We are confident that these impressive qualifications translate into real health benefits.
A study of more than 8,000 American adults found that those who ate beans regularly had a 22% lower risk of obesity. Another study, which followed nearly 10,000 men and women for 19 years, found that “subjects who ate legumes four or more times a week had a higher risk of heart disease than those who ate legumes less than once. % lower, and an 11% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.” every week.
Similarly, 2004 survey A study that monitored the diets of 785 subjects over 70 years of age found that each 20-gram increase in daily pulse intake was associated with a 7% to 8% reduction in mortality risk. No food group other than fruits, vegetables, and fish provided such health benefits. Researchers have called legume consumption “the most important dietary predictor of survival in the elderly.”
Pulse is good for people and the planet
high consumption of pulses has also been proposed An explanation for the “Hispanic paradox” is the epidemiological finding that American Hispanics have the lowest mortality rates from cancer and heart disease, despite their relatively low socioeconomic status in society.
The superior nutritional benefits of legumes are matched by the environmental benefits of legumes (the plants that produce them).They are ability It is shared with only one other group of plants: they are able to fix their own nitrogen. Legumes form symbiotic relationships with collectively known bacterial groups. RhizobiumThese microbes live in the nodules of the roots of legumes, where they take up nitrogen from the air and plant-useable ammoniaIn return, the bacteria receive nutrients and energy from the host. This partnership means that legumes require far less fertilizer than other crops. Less fertilizer means less carbon emissions and significantly less pollution of downstream lakes, rivers and oceans.
Given that legumes are nutritious, sustainable, and inexpensive to start (15-ounce tins of beans can be purchased for less than $2), legumes are set to become a staple in the American diet. would thinkbut you would be wrongAmericans just consume £11.7 per year On average, it’s rounded off solidly by the amount of beef we scarf down: about 55 pounds.
Partly as a result of Americans’ humble attitude to pulse, only 5% of us get enough fibercontributes to rampant constipation, an increase in colorectal cancer, and uncomfortable bowel syndrome.
By eating more legumes, you’re doing yourself and your planet a big favor.
