"A bean is a a bean... "   

Or... is it? Surprise! Not all beans give the same glycemic response with rice in traditional meals. Seventeen adults with type 2 diabetes participated in the 4x4 randomized crossover trial.  The white rice control, pinto beans/rice, black beans/rice, red kidney beans/rice test meals, matched for 50g of available carbohydrate, were eaten as breakfast after a 12-hr fast. Paired t-tests identified differences between bean types and the rice control following a significant MANOVA.  See: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-11-23.pdf

Do Registered Dietitians know the health benefits of beans?

We looked at the knowledge of the health benefits of beans among Registered Dietitians in Arizona.  One clear finding was RDs are NOT familiar with the term 'pulse' to describe dry grain legumes.

 Organizations involved with promoting dry beans, peas, lentils, and other legumes may be interested in using our services in their key markets to improve recognition of the  term - as well as educating consumers about the health benefits of beans!

Dried beans such as pinto, black, navy, or kidney have beneficial effects on health, but do RDs know this information?  Our results suggest yes... and no... stay tuned!