Beans, Beans, The Magical Fruit

I've always looked at beans as a good weight control food because they're so filling, high in fiber and low in fat but today's newsletter from Dr. Fuhrman's website extolls their virtues even more....

March 10, 2011

Dear Mary, Beans protect against colon cancer Colon cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in the United States, and it is the 2nd most deadly cancer.1 Proper nutrition can dramatically cut colon cancer risk. Numerous studies have found beans to significantly decrease the risk of colon cancer.2,3,4 A six year study tracking over 32,000 individuals found that those who ate beans, peas, or lentils only twice a week decreased their risk of colon cancer by 50%. If they cut their chance of colon cancer in half by eating beans twice a week, imagine the benefit of eating beans daily!  Beans' unique composition makes them a dietary wonder. Beans are rich in fiber and resistant starch and are not easily broken down by enzymes in the small intestine. They pass into the large intestine where bacteria ferment them into short chain fatty acids such as butyrate.6 Butyrate protects against colon cancer in many different ways:  • Butyrate halts cancer cell growth and causes cancer cell death.7 • Butyrate increases the expression of detoxifying enzymes and limits DNA damage due to oxidative stress.8 • Butyrate inhibits tumors from acquiring a blood supply.7 • Butyrate has anti-inflammatory affects.7 For more information go to Dr. Fuhrman's website here