Chuckles of the Day

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Research Shows Beans and Chickpeas Consumption Boost Shortfall Nutrient Intake

Inga de Jong wrote . . . . . . . . .

Researchers from Nutrition Research & Regulatory Affairs, the University of Minnesota and Nutrition Research collaborated on a study that found that eating beans and chickpeas, whether canned or dried, is responsible for a greater intake of shortfall nutrients such as potassium, dietary fiber, choline, magnesium, iron, choline and folate.

The current research confirms a growing body of evidence about the benefits of including pulse crops in a healthy dietary pattern. The researchers used data from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES), 2001-2018, to model the inclusion of one or two servings of beans and chickpeas in adults to test its effect on the typical US dietary pattern. They examined the impact on shortfall nutrient intakes and diet quality.

“The key takeaway from this latest research is to eat more pulses. It is clear that dietary strategies that promote increased canned, dry bean and pulse crop consumption may prove to have numerous public health benefits for younger and older US adults and should be considered when drafting new authoritative nutrition recommendations,” says Yanni Papanikolaou, vice president at Nutritional Strategies and co-author of the study.

Gut protective effects

Adding one or two servings of beans or chickpeas daily to the diet significantly increases overall quality in younger and older adults. The study and the higher diet quality scores were published in Maturitas, an open-access, monthly peer-reviewed medical journal covering midlife and post-reproductive health.

Diet quality was up to 16% greater with one additional serving and 20% higher with two additional servings, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and relative to the typical US dietary pattern. The HEI measures diet quality, assessing how well a set of foods aligns with key recommendations and dietary patterns published in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The highest HEI diet quality scores are associated with a 24% decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, a 31% reduced risk of coronary heart disease, a 20% lowered risk of stroke, a 23% decreased risk of diabetes and a 6% reduced risk for cancer.

These new findings advance the body of peer-reviewed studies that show the consumption of pulses — dry beans, chickpeas, peas and lentils — has multiple health benefits, including cardiovascular, metabolic and gut protective effects, improved weight outcomes, low-grade inflammation and potential role in immune-related disease risk management.

“We know that the majority of adults are not meeting established recommendations for beans, peas and pulses. All it takes is the addition of one or two servings of canned pulses like dry beans or chickpeas to help close nutrient gaps and improve diet quality,” says Papanikolaou.

Daily dietary fiber

The current scientific evaluation shows that pulses like beans substantially increase dietary fiber intake. The finding is critical because fewer than one in 10 US adults meet the fiber recommendations to maintain optimal digestive health and prevent chronic diseases.

“This research underscores the fact that pulses are nutritional powerhouses. Adding one to two servings of pulse crops to your diet has significant health benefits for adults,” says Tim McGreevy, CEO of USA Pulses.

The most recent collaboration between the National Cancer Institute and the USDA to update the HEI diet quality scale has documented the nutrient density of beans and chickpeas and their contributions to diet quality.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 and the USDA Choose My Plate indicate that dry beans, chickpeas, peas and lentils can be part of the vegetable or protein groups. The Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses and Canned Beans funded the study.

Meanwhile, to meet the Dutch government’s 2030 national target of the average diet consisting of 60% plant-based and 40% animal-based proteins as proposed by the National Protein Strategy and the Bean Deal, an additional activation campaign, Bean Meal, was set in motion.

Source: Food Ingredients 1st

 

 

 

 

Have High Blood Pressure? Weekly Workout May Lower Risk to Your Brain

Dennis Thompsonwrote . . . . . . . . .

Vigorous exercise more than once a week can lower the risk of dementia for people with high blood pressure, a new clinical trial shows.

People who engaged each week in vigorous physical activity had lower rates of mild cognitive impairment and dementia despite their high blood pressure, according to results published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Examples of vigorous activity include hiking uphill, running, fast bicycling, swimming laps, aerobic dancing, jumping rope and heavy yardwork, according to the American Heart Association.

“We know that physical exercise offers many benefits, including lowering blood pressure, improving heart health and potentially delaying cognitive decline,” said lead researcher Dr. Richard Kazibwe, an assistant professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C.

This new study offers an idea of how much exercise is needed to reap these benefits, Kazibwe added.

The clinical trial involved more than 9,300 participants with high blood pressure aged 50 and older, recruited from about 100 hospitals and clinics throughout the United States.

Early results published in 2019 showed that tight control of blood pressure significantly reduced the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, a precursor of early dementia, researchers said.

For this new report, researchers analyzed the effect of exercise on brain health in these folks.

Nearly 60% of study participants reported vigorous physical activity at least once a week, even among those 75 and older, Kazibwe noted.

“It is welcome news that a higher number of older adults are engaging in physical exercise,” Kazibwe said in a Wake Forest news release. “This also suggests that older adults who recognize the importance of exercise may be more inclined to exercise at higher intensity,”

However, the protective impact of vigorous exercise on brain health was more pronounced for those younger than 75, results showed.

Source: HealthDay

 

 

 

 

Lemon and Pepper Roasted Pork

Ingredients

1 large onion
8- to 10- rib rack of pork, about 6 lbs
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
2 cups white wine
5 garlic cloves
1/4 cup store bought or home-made (see recipe below) lemon & pepper seasoning blend
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup whipping cream (optional)
1 green onion (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Finely chop onion. Place in a shallow roasting pan slightly larger than pork. Scatter in thyme sprigs. Pour in wine. Mince garlic and place in a small bowl. Stir in lemon-pepper blend, oil and salt. Rub all over pork, except bones. Place in pan, fat side up.
3. Roast, uncovered, in centre of preheated oven 20 min. Then reduce temperature to 325°F (160°C). Continue to roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat reads 150°F (66°C), about 1 hour 40 minutes.
4. Remove meat to a carving board. Cover with foil and let stand while preparing sauce. For sauce, discard thyme sprigs. Pour pan juices and onion into a large saucepan or wide frying pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, stirring often, until reduced by half, 2 to 4 min. Stir in cream. Continue boiling until sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 6 minutes. Slice green onion and stir in. Slice pork into chops and overlap on a platter. Serve sauce separately.

Make your own Lemon and Pepper Rub

Finely grate 5 tbsp peel from 4 lemons. Place in a small bowl. Stir in 2 tsp each dried onion powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 tsp granulated sugar. Stir with oil as above but don’t add more salt.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Chatelaine magazine

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