Adding beans and legumes can lead to improvements

Moscow, Idaho, October 3, 2024: New research demonstrating the link between greater consumption of beans and legumes and improved nutrient intake and diet quality in American adults will be presented at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (the Academy) Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE) 2024 in Minneapolis, MN. The poster session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 8, 2024, from 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM CT at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Researchers assessed the effect of increased consumption of beans and legumes, in the typical American diet, on nutrient intake deficiencies and diet quality outcomes. According to the findings, diets rich in beans and legumes are associated with significantly higher diet quality scores and greater intake of deficient nutrients, including nutrients of public health importance. Legumes are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. Legumes grow in pods and come in different shapes, sizes and colors, including beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils. For this study, canned and dried kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and pinto beans (beans) were included in the composite.

Impact on nutrient deficiencies

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2018, the analyzes modeled the addition of one and two servings of beans (as described above) in adults. The results show that greater consumption of beans is associated with a significant increase in several nutrient deficiencies, including dietary fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, folic acid and choline.

Impact on nutritional quality

Additionally, adding 1 and 2 servings of beans per day to the typical American diet significantly increased overall nutritional quality, as assessed by USDA’s Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015). In fact, HEI-2015 total scores were 15% higher with an extra serving of beans and 19% higher with 2 servings of beans, compared to the typical American diet.

In both younger and older adults, this evaluation found that beans contributed to a substantial increase in daily dietary fiber intake.^iv This is critical because fewer than 1 in 10 American adults meet fiber recommendations to maintain optimal digestion and prevent chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and certain cancers.[i] Additionally, the majority of American adults fall short in meeting potassium recommendations.[ii] According to the American Heart Association[iii]^,[iv]“Foods with potassium can help control blood pressure by blunting the effects of sodium, and the more potassium you eat, the more sodium you remove from the body.”

“This research clearly shows that eating beans and legumes is good, but eating more is better.” says study author Yanni Papanikolaou of Nutritional Strategies Inc. “Beans and legumes are excellent sources of fiber, folic acid and potassium and excellent sources of plant-based nutrients. protein that also provides iron and zinc, like other protein-rich foods. The research was funded by Cannedbeans.org on behalf of Bush’s Best and the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses.

Beans and legumes continue to be under-consumed in the United States, with more than 80% of the population falling below recommendations.[v] Consumption data show that beans, peas and legumes are consumed in relatively small amounts, on average 0.1 cup/day.[vi] Recent research published in April and June 2024 shows that diets rich in canned and dried kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans and/or chickpeas are associated with significantly higher diet quality scores.[vii]^,[viii] The highest diet quality scores are associated with a 24% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, 31% lower risk of coronary heart disease, 20% lower risk of stroke, 23% lower risk of diabetes and 6% lower risk of cancer. [ix]

“This research supports the growing body of evidence that consuming beans and legumes can have numerous nutrient and public health benefits,” said Tim McGreevy, CEO of USA Pulses. “In fact, legumes are so nutritious that they were recently listed on DietaryGuidelines.gov as among the highest sources of potassium, iron and fiber, three nutrients of concern, in the Latest Resources for Healthcare Professionals.”

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Details of the poster presentation

Title: Greater heart rate consumption in children is associated with higher diet quality and improved nutrient deficiencies

Authors: Yanni Papanikolaou, Joanne Slavin, Sophia Papanikolaou, Victor L. Fulgoni, III
Session date and time: Tuesday, October 8, 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM CT

Location: Minneapolis Convention Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

All abstracts are published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics September 2024 FNCE abstract supplement.

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ABOUT THE COALITION FOR THE PROMOTION OF PULSE

The Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses (CAP) is an initiative led by the American Pulse Association (APA) with support from the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USADPLC), the US Dry Bean Council (USDBC) and the Pulse Foundation. The CAP coalition represents a collective of legume growers, processors, manufacturers and related organizations. CAP is committed to increasing legume consumption in the United States by increasing research into the nutritional benefits of legumes and raising awareness of the many health benefits of legumes. For more information, visit usapulses.org or contact CAP@usapulses.org

ABOUT CANNEDBEANS.ORG

Cannedbeans.org, sponsored by Bush’s Best®, is a category-building marketing campaign aimed at promoting the universal health benefits of canned beans, regardless of brand. Canned beans contain fiber, protein and iron and make it easy to add more plants to your diet and help people live longer, healthier lives. For more information, check out the latest tools, recipes and resources below to learn more about the benefits of canned beans at www.cannedbeans.org.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics represents more than 112,000 certified nutrition and dietetics practitioners and is the world’s largest organization of nutrition and nutrition professionals. The Academy is committed to improving the nation’s health and advancing the profession of dietetics through research, education and advocacy.

[i] US Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, 9th Edition; 2020. Available online: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf (accessed April 4, 2023).

[ii] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2019. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25353. Available online: http://nap.edu/25353 (accessed September 17, 2023).

[iii] American Heart Association. How potassium can help control high blood pressure. Available online: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pression/changes-you-can-make-to-manage-high-blood-pressure/how-potassium-can-help -control-high blood pressure (accessed September 20, 2023).

[iv] American Heart Association. An introduction to potassium. Available online: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/potassium (accessed September 20, 2023).

[v] US Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025, 9th Edition; 2020. Available online: https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf (accessed April 4, 2023).

[vi] Proprietary data calculated by Bush’s Best and based in part on data reported by NIQ through its syndicated database for the beans category (branded products only) for the trailing 52 weeks ending 4/29/23, for total U.S. xAOC (food industry sales , drug sector), Mass, Club, Dollar and Military channels), according to NIQ’s standard product hierarchy. Copyright © 2023, Nielsen Consumer LLC.

[vii] Papanikolaou, Y., Slavin, Papanikolaou, S., J., Fulgoni, VLIII, Adding more beans to the typical American diet may lead to greater intake of nutrient deficiencies and higher diet quality in younger and older adults, Maturitas , Part 186, August 2024, 108012

[viii] Papanikolaou, Y., Slavin, J. & Fulgoni, VL Adult dietary patterns with increased bean consumption are associated with greater overall nutrient intake deficits, reduced added sugars, improved weight-related outcomes and better diet quality. Nutr J 2336 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-024-00937-1

[ix] ML McCullough, D. Feskanich, MJ Stampfer, EL Giovannucci, EB Rimm, FB Hu, D. Spiegelman, DJ Hunter, GA Colditz, WC Willett. Diet quality and the high risk of chronic diseases in men and women: towards improved nutritional guidance. Ben J Clin Nutr. 76 (2002) 1261-1271.