Turns out, not all beans are created equal.
While black beans seem to be great at fighting low-grade chronic inflammation, chickpeas are more of a cholesterol-lowering powerhouse, recent research from the Illinois Institute of Technology found.
In a three-month study, researchers asked a group of roughly 24 prediabetic people to eat a cup of black beans every day, while another group of 24 with prediabetes was given chickpeas. In a third control group, participants cooked white rice.
By the end of just 12 weeks, the researchers noticed significant differences in inflammation levels for the black-bean eaters, while chickpea eaters had a greater effect on their total cholesterol, moving from at risk (with an average total cholesterol of about 200 mg/dL) into a heart-healthy range (186 mg/dL).
Chickpeas have cholesterol-lowering power
Chickpeas are rich in phytosterols, a cholesterol-lowering plant compound.
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The reason different beans have different health benefits probably has to do with the chemicals that color them and make each bean unique.
While the phytochemicals that make black beans black are known to have more anti-inflammatory properties, golden chickpeas have more of other plant chemicals called phytosterols, which are cholesterol-lowering compounds.
This is why nutrition buffs often recommend eating a wide variety of different colored plants, including fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains. By eating a rich diversity of colorful whole foods, you’ll enjoy the complex natural “food matrix” found inside each one, the study’s lead researcher, Indika Edirisinghe, told Business Insider.
“It contains protein, it contains lipid, it contains fiber, vitamins, minerals,” and different combinations of each from bean to bean, he said. “Somebody can synthesize artificial bean by adding all the nutrients, but I don’t think you’re going to get the same effect.”
Joel Ramdial, a registered dietician who wasn’t involved with this study, is the director of nutrition at Southeast Missouri State University’s department of sport sciences. He told BI that beans are one of the most dense and varied sources of dietary fiber you can find, making them a great ingredient to mix into your next meal.
“You can blend them up and mix them into things, you can roast,” he said. “You can put them in soups, you can mix them into sauces.”
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In order to make it easier for research participants to include a cup of chickpeas in their diets each day, Edirisinghe and his team equipped their study volunteers with canned chickpeas, a measuring cup, and several easy recipes.
Here are 5 chickpea recipes scientists recommend to lower cholesterol:Cool ranch chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are an easy, healthy snack.
Courtesy of Indika Edirisinghe
Ingredients:
2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.Dry the chickpeas well with paper towels.Spread onto a large baking sheet in an even layer.Bake for 30 minutes, until golden and crisp.In a large bowl, toss the hot chickpeas with oil and seasoning.Spread out onto the baking sheet and bake for five more minutes.Remove from the oven. The chickpeas will continue to crisp as they cool.Tomato, cucumber, and feta salad with chickpeas
Mixing chickpeas with fresh veggies and cheese crams a lot of different macronutrients into one meal.
Courtesy of Indika Edirisinghe
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed1 large cucumber, chopped1 pint of cherry tomatoes, preferably multicolored, halved1/2 white onion, chopped1/2 cup of feta cheese1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons of red wine vinegarSaltPepper2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, chickpeas, and onion.In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Add to the large bowl and toss to combine.
Top with feta and cilantro.
Honey sesame chickpeas
This meal takes only about 20 minutes to make.
Courtesy of Indika Edirisinghe
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas1 small onion, diced2 cloves of garlic, minced1/2 cup of honey1/3 cup of soy sauce2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar2 tablespoons of vegetable oil1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes1 teaspoon of fresh grated gingerCooked rice, for servingSesame seeds and sliced scallions, for garnish
Directions:
Put the diced onion, minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, vegetable oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger in a medium saucepan.Add some water and bring to a boil.Reduce to a simmer and cook for five to 10 minutes, until slightly thick.Add the chickpeas and return to a boil.Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until the chickpeas are coated and the sauce is thick.
Serve over cooked rice, and garnish with the sesame seeds and sliced scallions, if desired.
Chickpeas with leeks and lemon
A fresh and vibrant meal for summertime, with lemon zest and rosemary.
Courtesy of Indika Edirisinghe
Ingredients:
2 cups of chickpeas4 leeks1/2 lemon1 branch of fresh rosemary1 clove of garlic1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oilSalt
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary over medium heat.Once the garlic turns fragrant and the rosemary starts to sizzle, remove the rosemary and set it aside.Add the leeks to the pan, along with a good pinch of salt.Cook, stirring often, until the leeks are soft and sweet but still green, about five to eight minutes.Add in the chickpeas, and continue to cook, turning the beans in the oil, for five more minutes. The chickpeas should darken slightly in color.Using a microplane or zester, add a few scrapes of lemon zest into the pan, plus a squeeze of lemon juice.Stir to combine.Season to taste with lemon juice, zest, or salt as needed.Roasted chickpea gyros
A quick meal for busy days.
Courtesy of Indika Edirisinghe
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas4 pita flatbreads1 cup of tzatziki sauce2 lettuce leaves, roughly chopped1 tomato, sliced1/4 red onion, cut into strips1 tablespoon of olive oil1 tablespoon of paprika1 teaspoon of black pepper1/4 teaspoon of salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.Pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels, removing any skins that come off.In a large bowl, gently toss the chickpeas with the oil, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and salt.Spread the chickpeas onto a greased, rimmed baking sheet and roast for roughly 20 minutes, until lightly brown but not hard.Spread tzatziki on one side of the pita bread, then sprinkle in 1/4 of the chickpeas, and add your veggies.Fold and enjoy!