Black soy beans found to reduce diabetes risk

Thursday, March 22, 2007 by: M. T. Whitney
Tags: black soy beans, soy beans, diabetes prevention

Black soy beans, attributed to being a possible way to fight obesity and lowering cholesterol, also reduces the risk of diabetes, a new South Korean study says. The study, conducted by researchers at Hanyang University of Seoul, had groups of rats on a high-fat diet -- using both a control group and a group with black soy beans added to their diet. Over 28 days, the rats that had soy in their diets gained less weight and were healthier overall.

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What you need to know - Conventional View

• Black soy beans are traditionally used in Asian countries as a remedy for diabetes.

• Until now, yellow soy beans have been hailed as a cholesterol fighter, but researchers found that rats had even better cholesterol-fighting action with black soy beans.

• The rats with the healthiest results, including a 10 percent increase in energy, came from the group eating black soy.

• While the Korean researchers could not conclude why black soy beans help fight against diabetes, David Bender, sub-dean at the Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, said that the soy protein may be having an effect on fat metabolism in the liver and adipose tissue, reducing synthesis of new fatty acids and cholesterol.

• Type-2 Diabetes comes from an excess of abdominal adipose tissue combined with poor blood sugar metabolism and / or insulin insensitivity.

• Diabetes WA educator and dietitian Sophie McGough of Western Australia said the research correlates with existing knowledge about legumes like soybeans. "Legumes are actually perfect parcels of goodness for diabetics because they're low in fat, they're high in fiber and they're low GI (glycemic index)," she told the West Australian newspaper.

• However, Libby Dowling of Diabetes UK, cautioned about placing the beans on a pedestal for fighting diabetes: "Black soy beans are low in fat, high in soluble fiber and a good source of protein but they alone will not stop someone from developing diabetes," she told the BBC.

What you need to know - Alternative View

Statements and opinions by Mike Adams, author of How to Halt Diabetes in 25 Days

• Type-2 diabetes is a nutritional disorder that can be reversed using simple changes in food and diet.

• Black soybeans appear to offer one nutritional tool against diabetes, but there are hundreds more. Nopal supplements from prickly pear cactus, gymnema sylvestre, cinnamon and many other plants and herbs help regulate blood sugar levels, often eliminating the need for diabetes medications in patients.

• Diabetes cannot be prevented by taking supplements alone. A true reversal of the disease requires regular exercise, sunshine and the lifetime elimination of processed carbohydrates, refined grains and refined sugars in the diet, including all liquid sugars and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

• Although this news about black soybeans is positive, I strongly urge consumers to avoid all genetically modified soybeans (GMO) as well as processed soy protein powders. Fermented soy products offer the healthiest way to consume soy.

Resources you need to know

• Soybeans are high in magnesium, which has positive effects including improving the permanent bone health in girls.

Bottom line

A diet rich in black soybeans holds multiple health benefits, including an ability to help prevent type-2 diabetes.