Bulking up the diet with legumes such as beans and peas can lower the risk of heart disease.

Men and women who ate legumes at least four times a week had a 22% lower risk of coronary heart disease over 19 years than those who consumed legumes once weekly.

The most enthusiastic legume eaters also had lower blood pressure and total cholesterol, and were less likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure and diabetes.

Legumes are rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to help lower total cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels and improve insulin resistance. Legumes also contain low levels of sodium and high levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium -- a combination that is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease.

Folate, a mineral also found in abundance in legumes, is thought to reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a compound that can boost heart disease risk.

The results of their study are based on interviews and medical exams of more than 9,600 Americans who did not have heart disease when the study began. Over an average of 19 years, about 1,800 cases of coronary heart disease were diagnosed.

In other findings, individuals who consumed the most legumes tended to smoke more and consume more calories and saturated fat. They were also less likely to have graduated from high school. Those who ate the most legumes also tended to be younger and male.

Archives of Internal Medicine November 26, 2001;161:2573-2578