Black beans and red kidney beans induce positive postprandial vascular responses in healthy adults: A pilot randomized cross-over study.

Background And Aims: Consuming pulses (dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas, lentils) over several weeks can improve vascular function and decrease cardiovascular disease risk; however, it is unknown whether pulses can modulate postprandial vascular responses. The objective of this study was to compare different bean varieties (black, navy, pinto, red kidney) and white rice for their acute postprandial effects on vascular and metabolic responses in healthy individuals.

Methods And Results: The study was designed as a single-blinded, randomized crossover trial with a minimum 6 days between consumption of the food articles.

Regular Black Bean Consumption Is Necessary to Sustain Improvements in Small-Artery Vascular Compliance in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat.

Edible legume seeds, such as lentils, have been shown to modulate the structural and functional properties of hypertensive blood vessels, however, the effects of dried beans have not been similarly evaluated. To determine whether beans could attenuate hypertension-induced vascular changes (remodeling and stiffness) in relation to their phytochemical content, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were fed diets containing black beans (BB; high phytochemical content as indicated by their dark seed coat colour) or navy (white) beans (NB; low phytochemical content) for eight weeks. An additional follow-up phase was included to determine how long the alterations in vascular properties are maintained after bean consumption is halted.

Rebelling against the (Insulin) Resistance: A Review of the Proposed Insulin-Sensitizing Actions of Soybeans, Chickpeas, and Their Bioactive Compounds.

Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Current methods for management of insulin resistance include pharmacological therapies and lifestyle modifications. Several clinical studies have shown that leguminous plants such as soybeans and pulses (dried beans, dried peas, chickpeas, lentils) are able to reduce insulin resistance and related type 2 diabetes parameters.

Exploring the Cardio-metabolic Relevance of T-cadherin: A Pleiotropic Adiponectin Receptor.

Background And Objective: T-cadherin is a unique member of the cadherin family and is primarily expressed in the cardiovascular system. T-cadherin has not been abundantly studied, but the studies conducted to date have explored the impact of this protein on health and the function of organs involved in metabolic regulation.

Methods: This article examines the recent knowledge of the ligand partners for T-cadherin and the potential contribution(s) of T-cadherin to cardio-metabolic function.

Efficacy of flavonoids in the management of high blood pressure.

Plant compounds such as flavonoids have been reported to exert beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. Information on the effects of isolated individual flavonoids for management of high blood pressure, however, is more limited. This review is focused on the flavonoids, as isolated outside of the food matrix, from the 5 main subgroups consumed in the Western diet (flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavan-3-ols, and anthocyanins), along with their effects on hypertension, including the potential mechanisms for regulating blood pressure.

Possible deleterious hormonal changes associated with low-sodium diets.

The average salt intake of people in Canada, the United States, and Europe is about 3,400 mg of sodium per day, which exceeds the recommended intake levels set by various health organizations. The World Health Organization recommends a worldwide reduction of sodium intake to less than 2,000 mg per day. Most research to date has focused on the negative effects of high-sodium intake; however, little information is available on the metabolic effects of low-sodium intakes.

A diet high in α-linolenic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids attenuates hepatic steatosis and alters hepatic phospholipid fatty acid profile in diet-induced obese rats.

This study investigated the efficacy of the plant-based n-3 fatty acid, α-linolenic acid (ALA), a dietary precursor of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), for modulating hepatic steatosis. Rats were fed high fat (55% energy) diets containing high oleic canola oil, canola oil, a canola/flax oil blend (C/F, 3:1), safflower oil, soybean oil, or lard. After 12 weeks, C/F and weight-matched (WM) groups had 20% less liver lipid.