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GROW HEALTH 39 | Pulse Research Magazine Dr. Sievenpiper's lab has demonstrated significant changes to cardiovascular health simply by adding pulses to diets. PROJECT TITLE Low glycemic index diet to improve glycemic control and cardiovascular disease in Type 2 Diabetes PROJECT LEAD John Sievenpiper, University of Toronto TOTAL VALUE OF PROJECT $211,319 Evidence for the health benefits of pulses is accumulating rapidly. In study after painstaking study, physicians and nutritionists are producing data showing that pulse consumption is associated with significant improvement in many health conditions. Over the past few years, the work of John Sievenpiper has taken aim at the biggest health issue of our time. "Cardiovascular disease is the number-one killer, along with cancer, in Canada," said Sievenpiper, a medical researcher at the University of Toronto and Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital. "There is a huge opportunity to potentially reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease -- for individual Canadians, for the healthcare system and for the economy." Sievenpiper believes that the consumption of pulses could help reduce LDL – the so-called bad cholesterol – and with it the incidence of associated cardiovascular, cancer and diabetes events. Many health studies have examined the question from various angles. In 2012, with funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Sievenpiper set out to review and aggregate available research data to support an evidence-based claim for pulses lowering LDL cholesterol. "This is a systematic review and meta-analysis looking at the totality of evidence in randomized, controlled trials," Sievenpiper said. "This is how the best studies are designed." VARIETY DEVELOPMENT UNDER ALBERTA CONDITIONS Sievenpiper examined data from 26 separate research projects, encompassing 1,000 human subjects, involving pulses and LDL. This allowed him to characterize the potential LDL impact of eating 130 grams or ¾ cup of beans, peas, lentils or chickpeas per day. "When we look at the totality of evidence in terms of the effect of dietary pulses, eating pulses was associated with a 5% reduction in LDL or bad cholesterol," Sievenpiper said. "This is clinically meaningful, and puts us in with other cholesterol-lowering foods, such as oats and barley." There's a catch, he notes, and it's a big one. Despite all the evidence for the health benefits of pulses, most Canadians eat far less beans, peas, lentils or chickpeas than recommended. Sievenpiper cites one survey that found only 13% of Canadians eat even half the recommended amount of pulses each day. That's why he believes that his work on the LDL-lowering effect of pulses isn't the final word on the subject – just an important part of the developing foundation. Sievenpiper doesn't mince words when he talks about the devastating impact of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes on Canadians, and the costs borne by our healthcare system and economy. He invites pulse growers to be part of the solution. "We can reduce the body count," Sievenpiper said. "We've come a long way to show the benefits of pulses to health. This is one piece of the puzzle, a clinically important effect. It is time to push and make the connection even stronger and make some public health policy." Eating as little as 3/4 cup per day of pulses can reduce LDL by 5%, according to this analysis of 26 studies. That's good news for the health of Canadians, and for pulse growers. Study Links Pulses to Lowering of Bad Cholesterol

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