Legumes’ legacy as supreme foods for metabolic health has received a big boost. In a study that followed the diet and health status of 3,349 individuals “at-risk” for type 2 diabetes over a four-year period, those who consumed the most legumes were 35 percent less likely to go on to develop diabetes than those consuming the least.

Legumes include beans, lentils, and peas. In this evaluation, the highest legume consumers averaged 3.35 servings a week, while the lowest consumers ate less than a half a serving per week. Of all types of legumes, lentils exhibited the most protective effects. Those who reported eating lentils as little as one serving a week were 33 percent less likely to get diabetes versus those consuming less than half a serving per week.

Loads of past studies have linked eating legumes to a multitude of benefits including heart health, brain health, improved weight control, cancer protection and more. Eat more legumes! (Clinical Nutrition doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2017.03.015)