TCU Nutrition Expert Shares the Benefits of Beans

Super Age featured Anne VanBeber, professor of nutritional sciences at TCU and a registered dietitian, for her expertise on the health benefits of legumes and how people can add them to everyday meals.

The article examines research linking consumption of beans, lentils, chickpeas and soy foods with a lower risk of high blood pressure. VanBeber helped put those findings into practical context, explaining that legumes are nutrient-dense foods that many Americans overlook despite their role in diets around the world.

“Everybody I know, all my students, everybody knows that I promote beans so much because Americans just don’t eat their beans,” VanBeber told Super Age. She noted that improving a diet does not require an overhaul. Adding beans to soups or grain bowls can be an accessible place to start.

VanBeber also offered preparation advice to make legumes less intimidating. Lentils cook quickly without soaking, while blended beans can be used in dips or to add creaminess to soups. Her contribution connected nutrition research with realistic choices people can make at home, giving readers an understanding of how evidence-based dietary changes may support cardiovascular health.

Read the Super Age story to learn more about the research and VanBeber’s recommendations.