Do Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Promote Good Health in Humans? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical and Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

The common bean is a nutrient-dense food empirically known to have beneficial effects on human health. Many studies have looked at the effects of “pulses” on different health issues, providing general overviews of the importance of each pulse in health studies. This study systematically reviews and provides meta-analyses of the effect of bean extract as a supplement or whole bean on four health issues (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and cancers) from a dissection of clinical and randomized controlled trials using human subjects. A digital search in PubMed and Google ScholarTM resulted in 340 articles, with only 23 peer-reviewed articles matching our inclusion criteria. Findings indicated that common beans reduced LDL cholesterol by 19 percent, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 11 percent, and coronary heart disease (CHD) by 22 percent. Besides this, we noted variances in the literature on cancer findings, with some authors stating it reduced the proliferation of some kinds of tumor cells and reduced the growth of polyps, while others did not specifically examine cancers but the predisposing factors alone. However, diabetes studies indicated that the postprandial glucose level at the peak of 60 min for common bean consumers was low (mean difference = −2.01; 95% CI [−4.6, −0.63]), but the difference between the treated and control was not significant, and there was a high level of heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 98%). Only obesity studies indicated a significantly high level of weight gain among control groups (mean difference = 1.62; 95% CI [0.37, 2.86]). There is a need for additional clinical trials using a standardized measure to indicate the real effect of the common bean on health.

Common beans as a source of food ingredients: Techno‐functional and biological potential

“…Regular consumption of common beans can improve the diet's nutritional value and reduce the risk of obesity, inflammation, and related non‐transmissible ailments such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. These health benefits could be related to their density in high‐quality diet components, such as proteins, low‐digestible starch, fiber phenolic compounds, and other phytochemicals (Farrell et al., 2019; Gomes et al., 2020; Luna‐Vital, de Mejía, et al., 2017; Luna‐Vital, Ramírez‐Jiménez, et al., 2017; Mojica, Berhow, et al., 2017; Mojica, Luna‐Vital, et al., 2017; Nchanji & Ageyo, 2021). However, nowadays, common bean consumption is low in high‐income countries and is decreasing in developing countries such as Mexico, where common bean consumption has decreased from 16 to 10 kg per capita per year in the last three decades (Farrell et al., 2019; Santiago Ramos et al., 2018).…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, few studies have conducted randomized controlled trials addressing the potential health benefits of specific common bean ingredients such as protein and starch isolates, protein hydrolysates, and phenolic compounds extracts. Nevertheless, Nchanji and Ageyo (2021) published a systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical trials that evaluated the health effect of common bean consumption as a seed but not as a specific ingredient. They found that the health benefits of consuming at least 3/4 cup of common beans for 30 days were only conclusive in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease by 11% and 22%, respectively, compared to the control group.…”

Legume Intake, Body Weight, and Abdominal Adiposity: 10-Year Weight Change and Cross-Sectional Results in 15,185 U.S. Adults

“…Legumes have numerous nutritional characteristics that have the potential to decrease the risk of disease [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Meta-analyses show that legume intake is inversely associated with incident cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease and cardiometabolic risk factors [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

Dietary pulses as a means to improve the gut microbiome, inflammation, and appetite control in obesity

“…However, there are few, if any, comprehensive studies that measure all of the aforementioned variables in response to a common bean dietary intervention in the context of obesity. Recent systematic reviews and meta‐analyses 13,14 clearly reported a lack of research focused on common bean interventions and/or obesity, as well as the difficulty in performing statistical analyses on these outcomes due to great variety in methodologies. Therefore, the objective of this narrative review was to summarize the current evidence on the impact of common beans on gut microbiota, appetite regulation, and inflammation in humans and animal models of obesity, and to discuss areas that require further research.…”

“…However, there are few, if any, comprehensive studies that measure all of the aforementioned variables in response to a common bean dietary intervention in the context of obesity. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses 13,14 clearly reported a lack of research focused on common bean interventions and/or obesity, as well as the difficulty in performing statistical analyses on these outcomes due to great variety in methodologies.…”