Treatment effects on apolipoprotein B and non-HDL cholesterol were not observed .
INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that dietary pulse intake significantly reduces LDL cholesterol levels .
BACKGROUND Evidence from controlled trials encourages the intake of dietary pulses ( beans , chickpeas , lentils and peas ) as a method of improving dyslipidemia , but heart health guidelines have stopped short of ascribing specific benefits to this type of intervention or have grade d the beneficial evidence as low .
We conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) to assess the effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction .
Do beans and oat bran add to the effectiveness of a low-fat diet?
The effects of consuming an increased amount of soluble fibre as oat bran or beans were examined in 40 free-living hypercholesterolaemic men and women . The subjects were initially established on a low-fat background diet ( 29 % of energy from fat ) and then 55 g low-fibre oat bran , 55 g high-fibre oat bran or 80 g mixed cooked beans were added to their diet in r and om order for 6 week periods . Body weight and overall composition of the diet did not change . Plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) were unchanged . High-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( HDL-C ) was significantly higher on all three intervention diets than on the lower fibre run-in diet . Supplementation of a moderately low-fat diet with palatable quantities of oat bran or beans without changing the overall fat intake does not appear to significantly lower cholesterol but may have a benefit by increasing HDL-C and reducing the ratio of LDL-C to
Treatment effects on apolipoprotein B and non-HDL cholesterol were not observed .
INTERPRETATION Our findings suggest that dietary pulse intake significantly reduces LDL cholesterol levels .
BACKGROUND Evidence from controlled trials encourages the intake of dietary pulses ( beans , chickpeas , lentils and peas ) as a method of improving dyslipidemia , but heart health guidelines have stopped short of ascribing specific benefits to this type of intervention or have grade d the beneficial evidence as low .
We conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omized controlled trials ( RCTs ) to assess the effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction .