The Best New Food For Diabetics

Ah, the life of the lonely bean. Long teased by kids and adults alike—the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you…well, you know—beans now have a reason to, um, toot their own horn: They can help diabetics get their health under control.

Eating more legumes (such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils) as part of a healthy diet was shown to help with blood sugar control and reduce the risk of heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Adding one cup of protein-packed beans per day was linked to lower blood pressure, which means a healthier heart.

Diabetic or not, fiber-rich beans are a smart food to add to your diet, says Angela Ginn, RD, an education program coordinator at the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology. Worried about gas? “The key is to go slow and steady," she says, by eating beans in small portions and drinking plenty of fluids.

Another easy way to up your bean consumption is to sneak them into your favorite dishes. Ginn suggests these five ways to add more beans to your diet:

• Slip beans into meatloaf, your favorite burger recipe, Sloppy Joes, and even a muffin mix.
• Mix beans into stews and winter soups. 
• Make black bean dip or hummus. 
• Toss chickpeas on top of a garden salad for some quick protein. 
• Feature beans for Meatless Mondays: Think bean and cheese tacos or red beans and rice. New to Meatless Mondays?