Washington: A new study has revealed that eating one serving a day of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils can significantly reduce "bad cholesterol".
The study, led by Dr. John Sievenpiper of St. Michael's Hospital's Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, has found that by eating one serving a day of pulses, people could lower their LDL ("bad") cholesterol by five per cent.
According to Sievenpiper, the reduction of bad cholesterol would lead to a five to six per cent reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study also revealed that pulses have a low glycemic index (meaning that they are foods that break down slowly) and tend to reduce or displace animal protein as well as "bad" fats such as trans fat in a dish or meal.
The study was published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.
