Legumes reduce risk of type 2 diabetes

*Living under flightpath roar ‘may cause disease as residents exposed to daily aircraft noise are 86 per cent more likely to have type 2 condition
Type 2 diabetes is a serious health concern in the United States and across the globe. New research shows that a high consumption of legumes significantly reduces the risk of developing the disease.

The legume family consists of plants such as alfalfa, clover, peas, peanuts, soybeans, chickpeas, lentils, and various types of beans.

As a food group, they are believed to be particularly nutritious and healthful. One of the reasons for this is that they contain a high level of B vitamins, which help the body to make energy and regulate its metabolism.

Additionally, legumes are high in fiber and contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They also comprise a variety of so-called phytochemicals – bioactive compounds that further improve the body’s metabolism and have been suggested to protect against heart disease and diabetes.

Finally, legumes are also considered to be a “low glycemic index food,” which means that blood sugar levels increase very slowly after they are consumed.

The study also analyzes the effects of substituting legumes with other foods rich in proteins and carbohydrates, and the findings were published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

Also, a new study has found People who live below an airport flightpath are 86 per cent more likely to have type 2 diabetes than people who live in quieter areas.

The findings have led scientists to suggest that aircraft noise, rather than air pollution, could be to blame.

The scientists believe the noise from planes overhead has a devastating effect on the body’s metabolism, leading to increased blood sugar levels.

The researchers suspect such changes are linked to sleep disruption, and say that people can reduce their exposure to harmful noise levels simply by closing their windows at night. The scientists said that, although most flights occur in the day, there could be a knock-on effect on night-time sleep through raised stress levels.