Beans are a delicious and hearty addition to soups, salads and other winter dishes – and new research shows that eating more of them could also significantly improve the quality of your diet.

By analyzing data from more than 44,000 participants, researchers found that increased bean consumption could increase the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score, a common measure of the nutritional value of a person’s diet. a person.

According to data, beans help a person “(increase) the intake of ‘missing’ nutrients like dietary foods.” fiberpotassium, magnesium, ironfolate and choline in the diet, as well as (reducing) consumption of “watchdog” nutrients like sodiumadded sugars and solid (or saturated) fats,” study author Joanne Slavin, Ph.D., RDprofessor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences, said Health.

The research was presented at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in early October. The study was funded by Cannedbeans.org on behalf of Bush’s Best and the Pulse Advancement Coalition.

Despite the fact that beans are a known source of plant protein and other nutrients, up to 80% of American adults do not meet the recommended intake for legumes like beans, peas and lentils.

Here’s what experts said about why beans can have such a benefit on diet quality, as well as the best ways to increase your bean intake.

Previous evidence has shown that legume consumption is associated with reduced all-cause mortality and heart disease risk, and this latest study could help to better understand why.

This research examined data derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2018. This data came from 23,554 participants aged 19 to 50, and an additional 21,020 participants aged 51 or more. All participants completed a 24-hour dietary recall survey, which researchers then measured against the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s HEI standards.

Specifically, they looked at participants’ bean consumption, which included canned or uncanned beans (including dried). chickpeaspinto beans, red beansor black beans.

The researchers then determined how intake of “deficit” nutrients, or those typically under-consumed in American diets, might change if participants added one or two additional servings of beans (1/2 cup or 1 cup of beans cooked, respectively) to their diet. . In this particular study, researchers assessed dietary fiber levels, potassiummagnesium, iron, folate and choline.

“This was a modeling study of dietary patterns,” Slavin explained. “Using the NHANES dataset, we could model the improvements that could be made by increasing bean consumption to recommended levels.”

Increased bean consumption was associated with a significant increase in nutrient intake deficit.

And HEI scores overall have also improved. People saw their diet quality improve 15 to 16 percent when they added one serving of beans to their diet, and those scores were 19 to 20 percent higher when they added two servings. These improvements in HEI score could likely reduce participants’ risk of chronic disease, including heart disease, strokediabetes and cancer.

In addition to increasing nutrient intake and diet quality, adding beans to a person’s diet also results in an increase in calorie intake, as well as sodium intake.

Despite the study results, some limitations should be kept in mind. On the one hand, data obtained from 24-hour diet recalls may be inaccurate or biased because it relies solely on participants’ memory.

Additionally, “as a modeling study, we did not obtain results on the effect of excessive consumption or very large amounts of beans in the diet,” Slavin said.

These limitations, coupled with the fact that the study was funded by Bush’s Brothers & Company and the Coalition for Pulse Advancement, mean that additional research is needed.

Despite its limitations, “this study confirms what most dietitians know: beans are a great food to incorporate into your healthy diet and will likely promote tangible health benefits, such as reduced cholesterol levels, increased fiber intake, and improved blood sugar levels,” said Katy Wilbur, RD, LDN, clinical dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center. Health.

In addition to the nutritional deficits mentioned in the study (fiber, potassium, magnesium, iron, folateand choline), beans are also an excellent source of protein, calcium and phosphorus. They are a “nutritional powerhouse,” Wilbur said.

“Replacing one serving of animal protein with one serving of beans can increase your fiber intake to improve gut and heart health, increase your intake of vitamins and minerals, lower your intake of cholesterol and saturated fat, and probably save money on your grocery bill,” she added.

However, these legumes pose problems for some people. The high fiber content can make beans difficult to digest, leading to gas or gas. bloatingWilbur explained.

But for those who don’t complain of gastrointestinal discomfort after eating beans, there is no shortage of ways to enjoy them at home.

Beans are usually purchased canned or dried, and it doesn’t really matter which option you choose.

“Although canned beans may contain additives and preservatives, such as salt, calcium chloride, sugar or seasonings, canned beans and dried beans have very similar nutritional profiles,” Wilbur said. . It’s also an added benefit that both options are relatively inexpensive.

“If you’re concerned about the sodium in canned beans, there are low-salt versions available,” Slavin also offered.

Canned and dried beans (once cooked) can be easily added to salads, soups, pastas, rice dishes, chilis and stews.

Some simple solutions to increase your bean intake include “snack on dried chickpeas instead of crackers, or use hummus instead of mayonnaise on your sandwich,” Wilbur recommended.