Black Beans High in Antioxidant Ratings

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--Black Beans High in Antioxidant Ratings

 

 

http://nowfoods.com/?action=itemdetail & item_id=18954

The debate over which plant has the most antioxidants continues, with new

research showing black beans are a rich but overlooked source of antioxidants

equal to fruits like grapes, apples and cranberries. Their color seems to be

indicative of their ORAC value, according to researchers.

 

''Beans are really loaded with antioxidant compounds. We didn't know they were

that potent until now. In general, darker colored seed coats were associated

with higher levels of flavonoids, and therefore higher antioxidant activity,''

said Clifford Beninger, a former researcher for the USDA's Sugarbeet and Bean

Research Unit.

 

The researchers tested the antioxidant activity of flavonoids, or plant pigment,

found in the skin of 12 common varieties of dry beans. Findings suggest that one

class of compounds in particular, anthocyanins, were the most active

antioxidants in the legume.

 

Based on a previously published study of the anthocyanin content of black beans,

Beninger found that the levels of anthocyanins per 100 gram serving size of

black beans was about 10 times the amount of overall antioxidants in an

equivalent serving size of oranges, and similar to the amount found in an

equivalent serving size of grapes, apples and cranberries.

 

Human studies are still needed to confirm the link between bean antioxidants and

health and until then, no one knows how many beans one must eat to obtain

maximum health benefits. But the finding adds antioxidants to a growing list of

healthy chemicals found in the popular legume, which is also rich in protein,

carbohydrates, folate, calcium and fiber.

 

Antioxidants destroy free radicals, which are highly active chemicals whose

excess has been linked to heart disease, cancer and aging. Black beans came out

on top, having more antioxidant activity, gram for gram, than other beans,

followed by red, brown, yellow and white beans, in that order.

 

Although only dry beans were used in the study, frozen or canned beans are

thought to have similar antioxidant activity. The study is scheduled to appear

in the last issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

www.pubs.acs.org/journals/jafcau/index.html this year.

 

Republished with permission from Nutra Ingredients, December 10, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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