A new study suggests that eating just one cup of beans a day—such as chickpeas or black beans—could help people at risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes improve their health in a simple and affordable way. The research found that beans can lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation, two major risk factors for chronic diseases.
This 12-week study involved 72 adults with prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. People with prediabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease over time.
One common problem in prediabetes is poor fat metabolism and low-level inflammation in the body. Both issues can damage the heart and blood vessels.
The study was led by researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology. It compared the effects of eating black beans, chickpeas, or white rice (used as a control food) every day.
Participants continued living their normal lives but were asked to eat one cup of their assigned food daily for three months. The goal was to see how the beans affected cholesterol, blood sugar, and inflammation levels in a real-world setting.
Blood tests were taken at the beginning, halfway point (six weeks), and end (12 weeks) to measure the effects. The results showed that people who ate chickpeas had a significant drop in their total cholesterol.
Their average cholesterol level went from 200.4 mg/dL down to 185.8 mg/dL after 12 weeks. That’s a meaningful improvement for heart health, as high cholesterol is a major risk factor for clogged arteries and heart attacks.
Meanwhile, people who ate black beans saw a clear drop in inflammation. One specific marker, called interleukin-6 (IL-6), decreased from 2.57 to 1.88 picograms per milliliter.
IL-6 is a substance made by the body during inflammation, and high levels are linked to a higher risk of chronic illness. While the study did not show any big changes in blood sugar or insulin levels, the improvements in cholesterol and inflammation are still very promising.
Morganne Smith, the lead author and a doctoral student, presented the findings at a major nutrition conference in Orlando. She said that while the research focused on people with prediabetes, the benefits of eating beans could apply to anyone. Beans are affordable, easy to prepare, and packed with nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
She also offered some practical tips for including beans in your daily diet. For example, you can toss them into salads, use them in soups, or eat them alongside rice or other grains. Beans can also be blended to thicken sauces or spreads. Canned, dried, and frozen beans all offer similar health benefits—just be mindful of added salt or sugar, especially in canned products.
This study is part of a larger project exploring how beans affect not just heart and metabolic health, but also gut health.
In future research, the team plans to investigate how beans influence the gut microbiome—the trillions of bacteria in our intestines that play a key role in digestion, immunity, and even mood. Researchers believe that the gut may be the missing link in understanding how beans help reduce inflammation and support long-term health.
In summary, this study shows that eating a cup of beans every day is a simple and budget-friendly habit that can improve cholesterol and inflammation, especially in people with prediabetes.
While more research is needed to fully understand the connection between beans and blood sugar control, these early results suggest that something as small as adding beans to your daily meals could make a big difference in your overall health.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about the cooking connection between potatoes and diabetes, and low calorie diets may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
For more health information, please see recent studies about protein power: a new ally in diabetes management, and pineapple and diabetes: A sweet surprise.
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