This inexpensive food can lower blood pressure and improve sleep

Bring on the beans!

A number of studies suggest that a healthy serving of black beans can help lower blood pressure, promote sleep and weight loss, and reduce the risk of cancer.

Black beans contain phytochemicals, compounds associated with improved blood vessel function.

In a 2020 study focusing on the effects of black and white bean consumption on lab rats with high blood pressure, researchers found that rodents who ate black beans had reduced hypertension and greater arterial flexibility than those who that fed on a white variety.

The study also noted that the effects were maintained only when the mice continued to eat black beans, suggesting that the roughly 50% of Americans with high blood pressure would do well to include them in their diets consistently.

Black beans can also help us fade to black at night.

Those beans contain tryptophan, an amino acid crucial to the production of melatonin and serotonin, which are the chemicals that regulate our natural circadian rhythms and encourage us to get up, light up, and lie down to get some shut-eye.

Research shows that diets rich in tryptophan support sleep quality and duration and minimize nighttime awakenings.

In addition to being a great source of protein, a serving of black beans contains 15 grams of fiber, which experts praise as the anchor of a healthy diet.

Adequate fiber intake lowers inflammation, nourishes the gut microbiota, promotes heart health, allows the body to maintain regular bowel function and gut resilience, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and helps with weight management.

The push to eat more beans may also lower your risk of cancer.

Dr. Andre Goy, MD, chief physician at Hackensack Meridian Health’s John Theurer Cancer Center in New Jersey, recently told The Post that he recommends that people who want to lower their risk of developing cancer “choose whole, unprocessed foods as much as more as possible. Focus on plant foods that are sources of protein, such as black beans.”

Indeed, the heavy presence of black beans on Taco Bell’s menus has helped the popular chain is established as a leader in healthy fast food, according to nutrition experts.

And, in a bean-born benefit for dieters, research also shows that legumes like black beans can mimic the hunger-killing effects of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy.