Men are at a slightly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to Diabetes UK<\/a> and as per America\u2019s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>, they are also affected by pre-diabetes at a slightly higher rate.<\/p>\n What Did the Study Find?<\/p>\n Researchers took blood samples at baseline, six weeks and 12 weeks to track participants\u2019 cholesterol<\/a>, inflammation, and blood sugar<\/a>. They found that, for the group who had eaten a daily cup of chickpeas, total cholesterol significantly decreased from an average of 200.4 milligrams per decilitre to 185.8 milligrams per decilitre after 12 weeks.<\/p>\n For the black bean group, they identified powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers found that for this group, the average level of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (a protein that indicates the body is inflamed) was 2.57 picograms per ml at baseline and significantly decreased to 1.88 picograms per ml after 12 weeks. <\/p>\n If you\u2019re reading this wondering what on earth a picogram is (one-trillionth of a gram, if you’re interested), the gist of it is that researchers found chickpeas were linked to significantly improved cholesterol and black beans were associated with significant anti-inflammatory effects.<\/p>\n What Does This Mean for Us?<\/p>\n \u2018Our study showed the benefits of consuming beans in adults with pre-diabetes, but they are a great option for everyone,\u2019 said Morganne Smith, one of the researchers who led the study. \u2018There are a lot of ways to incorporate beans into your regular diet as a cost-effective way to support overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. You can blend them to add some thickness to a soup base, add them as a salad<\/a> topping, or pair them with other grains like rice or quinoa.\u2019<\/p>\n The findings provide us with an easy, everyday way to reduce the risk of diseases associated with higher cholesterol and increased inflammation. And you don\u2019t have to eat your beans quite literally from a cup (although, no judgment here if that\u2019s your preferred method of consumption) \u2013 there are lots of great ways, as Smith mentioned, to get a decent amount of beans into your regular diet. They are pretty cheap, too, with canned, dried and frozen options available at most supermarkets.<\/p>\n Why Are Beans Good for Pre-diabetic Men?<\/strong><\/p>\n The researchers explained that people with pre-diabetes often experience impaired lipid metabolism (when the body synthesises, breaks down, and stores fat<\/a> for energy) and chronic low-grade inflammation \u2013 both of which can contribute to the development of conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n Therefore, it may be that the beans\u2019 potential cholesterol-lowering and anti-inflammatory powers help to improve those things.<\/p>\n The Bottom Line<\/p>\n As promising as these results are, this paper hasn\u2019t yet been peer-reviewed (aka, the quality hasn\u2019t been approved by other important people in the field), meaning we can\u2019t have quite as much confidence in it as if it were. However, it adds to a growing body of evidence demonstrating the health benefits of this nutrient-dense food.<\/p>\n This was also part of a larger study into beans \u2013 exploring how eating black beans and chickpeas affects the gut<\/a>. So, as our understanding of gut health<\/a> increases, it will be interesting to see how beans might play a part in that. <\/p>\n The researchers also flagged that we should be wary of added sugar<\/a> or nasties when buying our beans, so you might want to vary your bean intake beyond the classic tin of bright orange baked beans.<\/p>\n