They're small indeed, but they seem to play an important role in longevity: the legume family, which includes beans, lentils, peas and chickpeas.
"In every blue zone I've visited, beans and other legumes were — and still are — a staple of the daily diet," said author and entrepreneur Dan Buettner, who has spent decades reporting on "blue zones," the surrounding communities globe where people live longer and healthier.
Blue areas have been discovered in Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Loma Linda, California; and the island of Sardinia, off the coast of Italy.
All foods in the legume family are full of nutrients, including copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, folic acid, zinc, lysine, which is an essential amino acid, and lots of protein and fiber.
Studies show that the soluble fiber in beans can lower cholesterol and help prevent type 2 diabetes by stabilizing blood sugar.
