Insights & Discussion
Adzuki beans' high lysine content, antioxidative, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties highlight their dual-use as a nutritious food source and a therapeutic agent for various diseases.
The study methodology involved comprehensive analysis of the nutritional profile and health benefits offered by adzuki beans. Different varieties of the beans were tested to assess disparities in the contents and compositions of starch, protein, fat, polysaccharides, and polyphenols. The processing characteristic components such as isolated protein and heated flavor were also examined to aid in the development of adzuki bean-based food products.
The results showed that adzuki beans have diverse benefits both in terms of nutrition and health. Their proteins were found to be rich in lysine, an essential amino acid, compensating for its shortage in the everyday diet typically containing cereals. The antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties are capable of enhancing human health in multiple ways. Adzuki beans and their extracts were found to hold potential in preventing and treating conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, obesity, and even cognitive decline from a high-fat diet. This discovery highlighted the usefulness of adzuki beans as not just food but also a practical ingredient in medicinal treatments.
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Adzuki and Mung beans have great potential as functional foods for health promotion and disease prevention, offering an excellent source of essential nutrients and biodiversity for sustainable agriculture.
2022 International Review of Neurobiology A survey of biological nitrogen fixation in adzuki beans, soybeans, and mung beans, three legumes in traditional Chinese medicine Shahrajabian MH, Sun W, Cheng Q
Review Article Adzuki Bean Mung Bean Soybean
This study explores the health benefits and agricultural sustainability of adzuki and mung beans. Adzuki beans, traditionally used in traditional Chinese medicine, provide essential fatty acids, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals promoting health and combating disease. These beans also have natural nitrogen-fixing properties beneficial to cropping systems. Similarly, mung beans contribute protein and nitrogen to agriculture, supporting soil health and crop yields. They also offer health benefits including antioxidant, antifungal, antiinflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. Additionally, both adzuki and mung beans, through biological nitrogen fixation, may lessen reliance on chemical fertilizers, promoting environmental and economic sustainability.
The results suggest both adzuki and mung beans can play a significant role in health promotion and in sustainable agriculture. Influencing health with their nutrient richness and variety, these beans provide essential fatty acids, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals. With their nitrogen-fixing properties, they can enhance soil quality and reduce dependence on chemical fertilizers. Simultaneously, by being able to restore organic matter to the soil, they can curb pests and disease issues. Thus, these beans serve as a viable economic and environmental option for future agricultural systems while promoting health.
Adzuki beans, when added to a high-fat diet, lessen obesity, improve liver function, enhance insulin sensitivity, and balance gut microbiota.
2021 Nutrients Adzuki Bean Alleviates Obesity and Insulin Resistance Induced by a High-Fat Diet and Modulates Gut Microbiota in Mice Zhao Q, Hou D, Fu Y, Xue Y, Guan X, Shen Q
Animal Study Adzuki Bean Gut Microbiota
In the experiment, mice were placed on one of three diets for 12 weeks: a low-fat diet, a high-fat diet, or a high-fat diet supplemented with 15% adzuki beans. The study observed and tested for changes related to obesity, lipid accumulation, serum lipid and lipopolysaccharide levels, liver function, hepatic steatosis, glucose homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, and gut microbiota imbalances. Through a process called PICRUSt2 analysis, the researchers were then able to draw potential associations between changes in the gut microbiota and the metabolism of various substances.
In the discussion of the results, the supplementation of adzuki beans to a high-fat diet had a significant impact. Obesity and lipid accumulation were visibly reduced, as were negative impacts on liver function and unhealthy levels of serum lipids and lipopolysaccharides. Notably, glucose homeostasis was improved through an increase in insulin sensitivity. The imbalances in gut microbiota, typically seen in a high-fat diet, were significantly reversed through adzuki bean supplementation. High-fat diet dependent taxa returned to a more normal status, which in turn suggested associations with the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, sulfur, and two types of amino acids.
Adzuki bean extracts have shown more potential than black soybean extracts in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive rats, acting on the renin-angiotensin system.
2021 Foods Black Soybean and Adzuki Bean Extracts Lower Blood Pressure by Modulating the Renin-Angiotensin System in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Jeong EW, Park SY, Yang YS, Baek YJ, Yun DM, Kim HJ, et al.
Animal Study Adzuki Bean Black Soybean Renin-Angiotensin System
The methodology used in this research involved the administration of varying volumes of black soybean and adzuki bean ethanol extracts to seven groups of rats, which included one group of normal rats and six groups of spontaneously hypertensive rats. The purpose of the extracts was to explore their antihypertensive effects on aspects such as blood pressure, the renin-angiotensin system, and aortic lesions.
The results revealed that black soybean and adzuki bean extracts significantly reduced various biomarkers such as liver weight, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure. On a comparative basis, the adzuki bean extracts (AE) demonstrated a greater antihypertensive potential than black soybean extracts (BE). Specifically, the angiotensin II level and blood pressure in the AE-treated group were lower than those in the BE-treated group, leading to the conclusion that AE exhibits higher antihypertensive potential.
Probiotic-enriched mung and adzuki bean sprouts demonstrate increased antioxidant potential and exhibit cytostatic and cytotoxic effects on human stomach cancer cells.
2020 Molecules Potentially Bioaccessible Phenolics from Mung Bean and Adzuki Bean Sprouts Enriched with Probiotic—Antioxidant Properties and Effect on the Motility and Survival of AGS Human Gastric Carcinoma Cells Świeca M, Herok A, Piwowarczyk K, Sikora M, Ostanek P, Gawlik-Dziki U, et al.
Experimental Study Adzuki Bean Mung Bean Stomach Cancer
The study utilized mung bean sprouts (MBS) and adzuki bean sprouts (ABS), enriched with probiotic strain 299v, and their gastric digests were tested on human stomach cancer cells, AGS. Differentiation was shown through ABS containing quercetin and kaempferol derivatives while MBS featured kaempferol and apigenin derivatives, each displaying a higher antioxidant potential compared to controls. The viability of AGS reduced notably with low concentrations of ABS extracts, displaying inhibitive action which pointed to their cytostatic effects.
In discussing the results, it is noticed that the sprouts showcased dose-independent cytostatic effects. However, ABS extracts were found to be more effective in reducing the proliferation of AGS, compared to MBS. Notably, the ABS extracts exerted about 70% inhibitions, elucidating their strong inhibitive power. Concurrently, the phytochemicals from these probiotic-enriched sprouts were observed to reduce the associated activity significantly. Observations of increased vinculin level, apoptotic shape of cell nuclei, alongside decreased cell motility and proliferation provide evidence that these extracts exhibited not only cytostatic but also cytotoxic activity.
Adzuki bean extract administered once a day can result in increased HDL-C concentration.
2019 Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry Safety and efficacy of adzuki bean extract in subjects with moderate to high LDL-C: a randomized trial Kitano-Okada T, Nagata R, Han KH, Mikami N, Satoh K, Nishihira J, et al.
Randomised Controlled Trial Adzuki Bean Cholesterol HDL-C
This finding suggests that adzuki bean polyphenols are a novel food ingredient capable of maintaining lipid homeostasis by modulating the HDL-C levels, without causing any adverse effects. This short-term study represents the first step in establishing the practicality, safety, and HDL-C-maintaining effects of adzuki bean extract in subjects with moderate-to-high LDL-C levels.
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