Beans and the Second Meal Effect
Channel: NutritionFacts.org
Date: 2013-07-01

DESCRIPTION: The so-called "lentil effect" or "second meal effect" describes the remarkable effect of beans to help control blood sugar levels hours or even the next day after consumption.

But what about the gas? Check out my blog post Beans and Gas: Clearing the air (http://nutritionfacts.org/2011/12/05/beans-and-gas-clearing-the-air/).

What other superpowers do beans posses? They are packed with potassium (Preventing Strokes with Diet, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-strokes-with-diet/), mad with magnesium (Mineral of the Year—Magnesium, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/mineral-of-the-year-magnesium/), and a preferred source of protein (Plant Protein Preferable, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/plant-protein-preferable/). They improve breast cancer survival (Breast Cancer Survival and Soy, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/breast-cancer-survival-and-soy/), reduce hot flashes (Soy Foods & Menopause, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/soy-foods-menopause/), delay premature puberty (The Effect of Soy on Precocious Puberty, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-effect-of-soy-on-precocious-puberty/), and they're a great bargain to boot (Eating Healthy on a Budget, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/eating-healthy-on-a-budget).

Which beans are most antioxidant packed? See The Best Bean (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-bean-2/) and The Healthiest Lentil (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-healthiest-lentil/) (hint: skip the jelly variety, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/raisins-vs-jelly-beans-for-athletic-performance/). Which lower cholesterol the most? See Soy Worth a Hill of Beans (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/soy-worth-a-hill-of-beans/)?

Lentils for breakfast? Well, the Brits like baked beans on their toast but I've started using a handful of sprouted lentils in my breakfast smoothie (see A Better Breakfast, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/a-better-breakfast/ and Antioxidants Sprouting Up, http://nutritionfacts.org/video/antioxidants-sprouting-up/)

The propionate video I reference is Fawning Over Flora (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/fawning-over-flora/) with a follow-up Boosting Good Bacteria in the Colon Without Probiotics (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/boosting-good-bacteria-in-the-colon-without-probiotics/).

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Sources and more can be found at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/http://nutritionfacts.org/video/beans-and-the-second-meal-effect/.

Image Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory via Flickr.

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