Eating
more beans can help lower your risk of a heart attack, according to many research
studies. It has been repeatedly shown that soybean protein and dietary
fiber supplements can reduce blood cholesterol levels. Consumption
of legumes high in bean protein and fiber, such as red beans, black-eyed peas,
pinto beans, might lower the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels.
Peanuts, while a bean, are high in fat so a moderate intake is recommended.
In an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine ( Dec, 2001), a longitudinal study, covered over a 19 year period, showed that those who ate some form of legumes 4 or more times a week had a 22 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who reported eating these foods less than once a week.
Given the fact that heart disease affects about 1.1 million Americans every year, and 25 percent of men and 38 percent of women who suffer a heart attack die within one year; it is obvious that beans should be part of an optimum anti-aging diet.