Legumes are the protein packed stable of a vegetarian diet. The legume family includes thousands of plants species, including beans, soybeans, lentils, peas and the beloved peanut.
The small quantities of fats in legumes are mostly unsaturated fats. Not only are legumes excellent sources of essential minerals, they are rich in dietary fiber.
The benefits that the fiber and protein provide, however, make them a better option than the usual carbohydrates such as bread, pasta or rice.
Legumes generally have low glycemic index values. This happened because legumes are high insoluble and insoluble fiber, they are metabolized more slowly than other foods. This puts them lower on the glycemic index, which supports blood sugar control.
Substituting legumes for high glycemic index foods lowers the glycemic loads of one’s diet.
Low dietary glycemic loads have been associated with reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus in several research.
It decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus by improving blood glucose control, decreasing insulin secretion and delaying the return of hunger after a meal.
Many patients were able to reduce the insulin required daily, and some were even able to eliminate it.
Legumes have also been suggested to contribute in preventing cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. For instance soy protein consumption has been associated with decrease in cardiovascular risk factors among type II diabetic patients.
In the study some legumes proteins may present anticarcinogenic and anti diabetic properties.
High legume diet for diabetics
