Beans might reduce risk of heart disease

Could also help in reducing the risk of certain cancers.

01/02/05 What food is high in protein, virtually fat free and has more fiber than many whole grain foods? It's beans ... and now a new U.S. dietary guidance message says that "diets including beans may reduce your risk of heart disease and certain cancers."

"When it comes to nutritious and healthy foods, you can't beat beans," said Stacey Zawel, Ph.D., executive director of the Beans for Health Alliance. "Now, through this dietary guidance message, consumers will be more likely to hear the good news about beans and be encouraged to add them to their diet."

The American Dry Bean Board submitted their dietary guidance message letter of intent to the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition in November 2004. As documentation, they cited the many national and international expert bodies that have reviewed scientific evidence about beans and concluded that eating beans as part of a healthy diet can help maintain health and reduce risk of disease.

Beans, such as Kidney, Pinto, Navy and Black, are naturally low in total fat, contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, and provide important nutrients such as fiber, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium. Their health benefits are consistent with many existing FDA-approved health claims, specifically those related to heart disease and cancer.

The new dietary guidance message about beans comes on the heels of the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend Americans eat more than three times the amount they currently consume -- three cups per week.

In addition to health benefits related to heart disease and cancer, studies also suggest eating beans as part of a healthy diet may help to manage diabetes and help cut the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.

Dietary guidance messages are part of an effort by the FDA's Consumer Health Information for Better Nutrition Initiative (CHIBNI) to encourage good nutrition among consumers in multiple ways, including promoting and enhancing dietary guidance messages on food labels. Dietary guidance messages are an opportunity to communicate with consumers and remind them about important health and nutrition information.

The American Dry Bean Board (ADBB) is an organization of bean producers, canners, processors, packagers and others in the bean industry.

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