The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

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467 - ‘White and dark kidney beans reduce colonic mucosal damage and inflammation in response to dextran sodium sulfate’. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. 26(7):752-60

Reference Number: 467

Year: 2015

Authors: Jennifer M Monk, Claire P Zhang, Wenqing Wu, Leila Zarepoor, Jenifer T Lu , Ronghua Liu, K Peter Pauls, Geoffrey A Wood, Rong Tsao, Lindsay E Robinson, Krista A Power

Link: Link to original paper

Health: Cardiometabolic diseases | Gut Microbiome - Creating Healthier Bread to Support Optimal Gut Health | Inflammation | Lower Inflammation | Metabolic syndrome

Nutrition: Anthocyanins | Antioxidants | Fibre | Minerals | Polyphenols | Prebiotic | Short chain fatty acids

Inclusions: Legumes

Summary

Common beans are a rich source of nondigestible fermentable components and phenolic compounds that have anti-inflammatory effects. We assessed the gut-health-promoting potential of kidney beans in healthy mice and their ability to attenuate colonic inflammation following dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) exposure (via drinking water, 2% DSS w/v, 7 days). C57BL/6 mice were fed one of three isocaloric diets: basal diet control (BD), or BD supplemented with 20% cooked white (WK) or dark red kidney (DK) bean flour for 3 weeks. In healthy mice, anti-inflammatory microbial-derived cecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels (acetate, butyrate and propionate), colon crypt height and colonic Mucin 1 (MUC1) and Resistin-like Molecule beta (Relm?) mRNA expression all increased in WK- and DK-fed mice compared to BD, indicative of enhanced microbial activity, gut barrier integrity and antimicrobial defense response. During colitis, both bean diets reduced (a) disease severity, (b) colonic histological damage and (c) increased mRNA expression of antimicrobial and barrier integrity-promoting genes (Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4), MUC1-3, Relm? and Trefoil Factor 3 (TFF3)) and reduced proinflammatory mediator expression [interleukin (IL)-1?, IL-6, interferon (IFN)?, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)? and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1], which correlated with reduced colon tissue protein levels. Further, bean diets exerted a systemic anti-inflammatory effect during colitis by reducing serum levels of IL-17A, IFN?, TNF?, IL-1? and IL-6. In conclusion, both WK and DK bean-supplemented diets enhanced microbial-derived SCFA metabolite production, gut barrier integrity and the microbial defensive response in the healthy colon, which supported an anti-inflammatory phenotype during colitis. Collectively, these data demonstrate a beneficial colon-function priming effect of bean consumption that mitigates colitis severity.

Significance of this study to the baker:

The common bean has many varieties such as the Red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). We use Red Kidney beans within our botanical blends here at the Sourdough School.

Although there are no human studies to date, evidence in mice provided here, find consumption of this bean improves gut health with increased levels of short chain fatty acids, and overall anti-inflammatory effect in the gastrointestinal tract.

These beans provide a rich source of dietary starch, fibre and protein including minerals such as folate, iron and magnesium. They are historically used in Indian cuisine and also in areas of America with Caribbean heritage. The raw beans can be toxic if they are not pre-soaked and heated to boiling point for at least 10 minutes. Due to the rich red colour, they are also high in polyphenols such as anthocyanins and therefore have been linked to antioxidant activity and potential health benefits such as lowering risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Take a look at our courses at The Sourdough School

All reasonable care is taken when advising about health aspects of bread, but the information that we share is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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