I know that the news today can be overwhelming and even just mentioning the word facts can trigger all sorts of reactions.

I'm Dr. Michael Greger and I haven't really liked facts so I devoted my life to learning all there is to know about the latest nutrition research so that you and your family can lead healthier or productive lives.

Today's show is you guessed it!

Follabines!

Huge fan of anything!

Luguminous!

So I've teamed up with CuriosityStream, Chef Rich Landau and Public Health Nutritionist, Tracy McQuirter to discuss the health benefits and preparation of beans.

I wanted to eat really good food, the kind of good flavors that I was used to and so I taught myself to cook and to get those meaty, smoky, delicious, soulful flavors into my cooking.

The intake of legumes is probably the most important dietary predictor of survival in older persons around the world.

We should include nuts in our diet just as we should include beans.

They're loaded with fiber, they're loaded with antioxidants, they're loaded with phytonutrients, packed with protein.

It's not all enough, it's not black or white.

Any movement we can make along this spectrum towards eating healthier can accrue significant benefits.

Research has shown a surprising link between the amount of animal protein most Americans currently consume and the rise of many chronic diseases.

Two long-term Harvard University studies found that eating more red meat in particular was linked to greater risks of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

One of the most landmark studies done, published in Cell Metabolism, followed thousands of men and women for 18 years and found that those who ate the most protein, 75% increased risk of dying prematurely forfold increased risk of dying specifically from cancer.

But not all proteins, specifically animal protein, what we think is going on is that the consumption of animal protein, meat, egg white and dairy protein, increases levels of something called IGF1 in our body, which is a cancer promoting growth hormone, involved in the acquisition and progression of malignant human tumors.

So that may explain why some of the largest studies on diet and health in history found that the incidence of all cancers combined was significantly lower among those eating more plant-based diets.

Despite the proven advantages of plant-based diets, eliminating commonly consumed forms of proteins such as cheese, meat and milk can be a challenge.

Fortunately, one of the most potent sources of protein sprouts from beneath the ground.

For thousands of years, cultures around the world have relied on legumes, a class of vegetables that includes beans, lentils and peas, as a major source for protein and other vital nutrients.

Legumes, beans count as both the protein group and the vegetable group.

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