Research shows that daily beans cut cholesterol

According to new research by people in prediabetes, simple daily beans can cut cholesterol levels and reduce dangerous inflammation.

The 12-week study found that chickpeas specifically lowered total cholesterol by nearly 15 points, while black beans significantly lowered inflammatory markers associated with heart disease and diabetes. As chronic disease affects millions of Americans, these findings suggest that an affordable dietary intervention may have meaningful public health outcomes for the people at the highest risk.

Two beans, two benefits

The Illinois Institute of Technology tracked 72 prediabetes adults, which affected about 88 million Americans. While the researchers monitored their blood marks, participants were randomly assigned to eat a cup of black beans, chickpeas, or rice every day for three months.

The results reveal the obvious benefits of each legume type. Those who eat chickpeas have a total cholesterol decrease from an average of 200.4 mg per portion to 185.8 mg per decomposition after 12 weeks, which may significantly reduce cardiovascular risk.

Meanwhile, black bean consumers experience a different but equally important benefit: reducing inflammation. During the study period, their interleukin 6 levels dropped from 2.57 peels per milliliter to 1.88 pixlets per milliliter.

Why this is crucial for diabetes

“Prediabetic individuals often exhibit impaired lipid metabolism and chronic low-grade inflammation, both of which contribute to the development of heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” said Morganne Smith, a doctoral candidate at the Illinois Institute of Technology. “Our study found that although glucose levels are not changed, legume consumption helps significantly lower cholesterol and reduces inflammation in prediabetes.”

The lack of blood sugar levels may initially seem disappointing, but actually reinforces an important point: legumes provide cardiovascular benefits rather than their effects on diabetes progression.

Relevance in the real world

What is particularly valuable about this study is its design. Instead of controlling all aspects of participants’ diet in a laboratory setting, the researchers conducted experiments under “free living conditions” and instead incorporated people into their normal daily work.

This approach makes discovery more suitable for everyday life. Can busy parents really get from adding a can of black beans to their weekly grocery list? Evidence shows that yes.

“Our research shows the benefits of eating beans in adults who have pre-diabetes, but they are a good choice for everyone,” Smith notes. “These findings can be used to inform dietary guidelines, clinicians, or public health programs to prevent heart disease and diabetes.”

Simple swaps have a great impact

The researchers stress that beans provide a cost-effective alternative to more expensive health interventions. Whether canned, dried or frozen, beans can easily replace less nutritious options in most diets.

“There are many ways to incorporate beans into your regular diet as a cost-effective way to support overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease,” Smith said. “You can mix them together to add some thickness to the soup base, add it to salad toppings, or pair them with other cereals like rice or quinoa.”

However, consumers should pay attention to adding ingredients. Some canned varieties contain excess sodium or sugar that can offset health benefits.

Mango Connection

Although beans make headlines for heart health, a separate UC Davis study reveals another surprising superfood: mango. A study of 24 postmenopausal women found that eating about 1.5 cups of mango per day for two weeks can produce rapid cardiovascular improvement.

Participants significantly lowered their blood pressure within just two hours of eating mangoes, and their systolic blood pressure dropped by about 6 minutes. After two weeks of daily mango consumption, total cholesterol dropped by nearly 13 points, while LDL “bad” cholesterol dropped by about 13 points.

“Postmenopausal women face significant metabolic changes that may affect their risk of cardiovascular disease,” explains Roberta Holt, an associate researcher and study co-author of the University of California, Davis. “These findings help identify targeted dietary strategies, such as eating fresh mangoes every day to help this at-risk population and support cardiovascular health.”

Exceeding blood pressure

The mango study included a smaller follow-up study comparing blood sugar responses to mangoes and white bread. Participants showed significantly better glucose control after eating mangoes, peaking insulin levels and rapidly declined, rather than keeping elevated after eating refined carbohydrates.

This finding challenges common assumptions about fruit and blood sugar, suggesting that whole fruits like mangos may actually support metabolic health better than processed foods, even foods without added sugar.

Looking to the future

Both studies introduce the future of food as medicine, not through expensive supplements or drug interventions, but through simple total foods that people already enjoy.

Legume researchers plan to study how legume consumption affects gut bacteria and may reveal the mechanisms behind these cardiovascular benefits. Meanwhile, the mango discovery adds to increasing evidence that nutrient-rich fruits can play a meaningful role in chronic disease prevention.

For millions of Americans with prediabetes or heart disease risk factors, these studies offer hope: Sometimes the most powerful interventions are also the easiest to obtain. Whether adding black beans to a salad or enjoying fresh mangoes as a snack, small changes in your diet can have huge health benefits.