Secrets of eating smarter: what you need to know about … oils, nuts and beans

Sure, you've heard that fruits and vegetables are good for you; that restaurant portions are too big; and that you may need to take some supplements to round out your diet.

But even a casual glance at public health statistics shows that most Americans don't have a clue about how to put that information into practice.

Over the next five issues we'll look at five different food groups and give you the facts you need to eat smarter with less effort. This issue: oils, nuts and beans.

Restraining Order

Research shows that nuts protect against heart disease and diabetes. But yes, you can have too much of a good thing. For all their benefits, nuts and seeds are high-calorie foods because of the oils they contain. And many come laden with salt. But don't let that keep these nutritional powerhouses out of your daily diet. Simply think handfuls, not bowlfuls.

A good serving? Probably the best advice is to have a handful--9 to 15--of a variety of nuts daily, especially walnuts and almonds.

And legumes? No restraint required. They're low in fat and calories and are packed with nutrients and fiber.

Oil at a Glance

If you choose wisely, oils call be good for you. You know there are unhealthful saturated fats in red meat and butter--but how do oils from nuts and beans compare? Here's the lineup showing the percentage of saturated fat in each.

coconut oil         92%
butterfat           64%
beef fat            52%
palm oil            51%
lard                41%
chicken fat         31%
peanut oil          18%
soybean oil         15%
olive oil           14%
corn oil            13%
sunflower oil        9%
safflower oil        9%
canola oil           6%

source: USDA Economic Research Service

Note: Table made from bar graph.

Why Nuts?

Nuts are packed with protein, but unlike many meats, they contain very low levels of saturated fat. They offer high levels of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat--the good fats. Nuts provide fiber, vitamins [B.sub.6] and E, niacin, folic acid, the amino acid arginine, magnesium, zinc, iron, calcium, copper, selenium, potassium and important phytochemicals. And they're also cholesterol-free.

Fat-Free Products?

Unlike nuts with their healthful fats, low-fat and fat-free products are often high in sugar and the even more deadly tram fat, making them a nutritional nightmare, Trans fats--which are rare in nature--are created during the manufacturing of some processed foods, especially margarine. They raise bad cholesterol levels and are strongly linked to heart disease. Check the label, and avoid trans fats.

Olive Oil

Studies have found that olive oil can help lower the risk of coronary heart disease by reducing blood cholesterol levels. According to one study, the risk of a fatal heart attack can be cut in half by switching to a Mediterranean diet, which includes adopting olive oil as the main dietary fat, increasing vegetable intake and limiting meats and dairy products. Research has also found that olive oil may influence body tat distribution, resulting in less fat being stored around the stomach.

Heart Disease

Men and women who eat legumes (beans, peas, lentils) at least four times per week can reduce their risk of heart disease by about 22 percent, according to a 19-year research survey that tracked them. And because of nuts' high content of healthful oils and vitamin E, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows them to be packaged with the label claim "may reduce the risk of heart disease."

Beans and Protein

Beans are packed with protein--about 25 percent protein on average. But many beans don't have all the building blocks of protein--called amino acids--that your body needs. So you need to eat grains as well. Together, they furnish excellent low-fat protein, fiber, and important vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and iron.

The Difference Between Beans and Lentils

Lentils are a particular type of bean--lens-shaped seeds found in the fruit pods of an herb commonly grown in southwestern Asia. There are two common varieties of lentils: one is small and brown and the other is larger and yellow.

Cancer

Eating a lot of soybeans and soybean products has been linked to a lower incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women. In Japanese men, soybean consumption has been linked to lower mortality from prostate cancer.

Supplements

If you don't eat legumes and nuts ever? week, you probably need to supplement your diet with iron, calcium, and vitamins [B.sub.6] and E. In addition, you max have to take a dietary fiber supplement--not just roughage but a soluble fiber supplement too. If you don't eat nuts and healthful oils, you may need an omega-3 supplement, calcium, zinc and other vitamins and minerals.

Types of Legumes

Of the over 15,000 types of legumes, these are the most common:

* black beans

* kidney beans (or Mexican red beans)

* garbanzo beans (or chickpeas)

* navy beans

* pinto beans

* black-eyed peas

* lentils

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