It’s a fact: Bad cholesterol could increase your risk for heart disease. Yet when it comes to controlling it, few people have it under control, despite it being one of the easiest risk factors to change–by eating a low-cholesterol diet.
If you’re still struggling to keep these numbers low, however, researchers say there may be a new way to treat it.
The treatment? A daily serving of lentils.
“Canadians have a lot of room in their diets to increase their pulse intake and derive cardiovascular benefits,” says Dr. John Sievenpiper, co-author of the study and researcher from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada. “Only 13% consume pulses on any given day, and of those who do, the average intake is only about a half serving.”
Sievenpiper’s research–now published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal–once again highlights the need for westerners to really focus on their vegetable intake. Although people in eastern countries such as India or Nepal consistently eat higher amounts, westerners seem to struggle to even get a half serving into their diet–a diet change that could save them from heart disease.
Sievenpiper acknowledges this is a problem.
“We have a lot of room in our diets for increasing our pulse intake to derive the cardiovascular benefits,” says Sievenpiper. “Pulses already play a role in many traditional cuisines, including Mediterranean and South Asian. As an added bonus, they’re inexpensive. Since many pulses are grown in North America, it’s also an opportunity to buy and eat locally and support our farmers.”
The Study
Looking at a total of 26 randomized controlled trials, or RCTs, Sievenpiper examined the data of more than 1,000 people to see if lentils had an impact on their bad, or LDL, cholesterol levels. Quickly, Sievenpiper found discrepancies based on a person’s gender–while lentils seemed to decrease LDL cholesterol for men, the effect wasn’t quite as pronounced in women.
But still, the evidence was there: Lentils impacted their cholesterol, and in a good way. According to his findings, adults who had at least one serving of lentils per day, regardless of their gender, reduced their bad cholesterol by 5 percent.
It may sound like a small number, but it could make a big difference.
“The reduction of 5% [LDL cholesterol] in our meta-analysis suggests a potential risk reduction of 5-6% in major vascular events,” says Sievenpiper. “Future systematic reviews and meta-analyses should evaluate the effects of such dietary interventions on these outcomes and others, to address factors that contribute to residual cardiovascular disease risk.”
Sievenpiper also notes in his analysis that in cultures where lentils are commonly consumed, such as India, there are few, if any, reports of any adverse effects associated with lentil consumption. While he can’t make any recommendation at this current time, he does suggest it wouldn’t be a bad idea for westerners to also increase their lentil intake in their diet for a healthier heart as well.
Of course, that’s easier said than done when dealing with a western culture that prefers convenient food over nutritious, naturally derived foods. But it’s worth the change, according to Sievenpiper.
Readers: Do you incorporate lentils into your diet? Why or why not?
Source:
Study: Lentils May Reduce Bad Cholesterol – ScienceDaily.com
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