Beans, beans they’re good for your gut. Angelica gigas (AG), the ancient herb is found to improve vascular function. And aspartame, the artificial sweetener, may increase anxiety.
Every week we discover inspiring, informative, and sometimes shocking health-related news. From new studies to insightful analysis, here is what you need to know this week:
- Adding beans to your diet has a wide variety of positive benefits. A new study from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer center shows that a cup of beans supports the gut microbiome and may reduce the risk of metabolic disease and colorectal cancer. eBioMedicine
- The widely used herb, Angelica gigas NAKAI (AG), has been shown to have positive effects on vascular dysfunction. Researchers concluded that “AG [extract] is a promising natural product-based functional food/herbal medicine candidate for preventing or regulating hyperlipidemic cardiovascular complications.” Aging
- Aspartame, the popular artificial sweetener, has been linked to increased anxiety. A study with mice showed that aspartame increased anxious behavior both in mice that consumed the ingredient and their offspring. More research is required to ascertain the effects on humans. PNAS