Spain's traditional white bean soup prevents cardiovascular diseases: expert

A particular white bean soup, a traditional dish from Spain's northwestern region of Galicia called "caldo", can prevent cardiovascular diseases, Professor of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Aniceto Charro Salgado, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Doctor Charro, who was born in this region bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, has a first-hand and vast knowledge about the so-called Atlantic Diet, which includes Galician white bean soup.

Studies on this diet began about 10 years ago because of the life expectancy of the Galician population, higher than the rest of Spain, and their lower heart problems.

"The Galician white bean soup is the most important dish included in the Atlantic Diet for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases," Charro said, highlighting the good qualities for health of a fat pig, which is an ingredient of the soup and also of the traditional Galician stew.

"Studies indicate that this fat avoids interleukin molecules, which can cause an inflammation that is the root of many cardiovascular pathologies or obesity," Charro explained.

"Therefore, it can be very interesting for the treatment of these pathologies and it could be an important element of the great goodness and quality of this Atlantic Diet," he said.

Although it is not known as well as the Mediterranean Diet, people do know the type of food in northern Spain, which is highly appreciated. "We conducted a study in Madrid on diet preferences," Charro said, "and 70 percent of people preferred food from the north of Spain as opposed to the Mediterranean food".

The Atlantic diet is characterized by the abundance of seasonal, fresh and minimally processed products. The flagship of this diet is fresh seafood and fish, plus vegetables, cereals, potatoes, chestnuts, dairy products (especially cheese) and pork, beef, game and poultry.

The diet is also characterized by moderate consumption of wine, usually with meals and the use of olive oil.

In the Iberian Peninsula Atlantic Diet is characteristic of the areas of Galicia and northern Portugal, forming the Southern European Atlantic Diet (SEAD). The Atlantic Diet in general is characteristic of the inhabitants of the Atlantic Arc, such as Ireland, Britain or Denmark, among others.

Charro noted that "recent studies conducted especially in England show how pregnant women eating sea products, such as seafood and inshore fishing, are giving birth to babies who seem to have better behavior at school and are brighter in the first years of their lives".

Finally, Charro drew attention to the need to develop more academically the concept of the Atlantic diet in Galicia in order to know more deeply about the benefits of the diet. Endit