Don't Overlook Beans!

The populations with lower intake of animal protein and higher intake of various beans including soy bean & soy bases foods have found notable low risk of coronary heart disease. Soy protein lowers plasma, total & LDL cholesterol in hypercholesterolemia conditions. It has shown to significantly reduce hepatic cholesterol and increase bile acid excretion. Hydrophobic undigested and high molecular weight undigested fractions of soy protein have been shown to lower cholesterol and bind bile acid even more than soy protein.  Bile acids are acidic steroids synthesis in the live from cholesterol after conjugation with glycine or taurine. The hypothesized possible mechanism by which dietary fiber lowers cholesterol on the binding of bile acid and increasing their fecal excretion. The healthful and cholesterol lowering properties of food fractions by evaluation the vitro bile acid binding between vitro studies showing that cholestyramine binds bile acids and cellulose does not. In vitro binding of bile acid by soy bean, black eye bean, garbanzo and lima bean was determined, using a mixture of bile acids.

 The results indicate that bile acid binding by garbanzo is highest followed by  black eye beans and lima beans at equal and at last soy beans shows their relative health-promoting potential. Incorporation of garbanzo, black eye and lima bean in diets should be encouraged. Data suggest that, of all four kinds of beans tested, bile acid binding may be related to phytochemical i.e. flavanoid, tannin, estrogenic content, anionic, cationic, physical and chemical structure, composition and metabolites produced during digestion or their interaction with active binding sites, or their interaction with active binding sites.

References:
Summary written by Aysha Marium, M.phil Scholar. 

Article: In vitro binding of bile acid by soy bean ( Glycine max ), black eye bean ( vigna unguicilata ) , garbanzo ( cicer arietinum ) and lima bean ( Pharsalus Lunatus )/T.S Kahlon , Q. Shao.

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