Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image
Topics: Ozempic, Weight loss, Health
Callum Jones
Experts are urging people to adopt a certain high protein superfood into their diet as it could well mimic the benefits of Ozempic.
While the drug is not approved for weight loss purposes, many Americans are going against public advice and are taking the drug to try and shed the pounds.
However, there are many other ways to lose weight in 2026 and the good old fashioned way of eating the right foods is certainly popular.
If anything, they are the preferred method of staying healthy by doctors.
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Dieticians speaking to the Daily Mail recently spoke of a food that is highly affordable and can be implemented into all kinds of meals.
Yep, whether it's baked, kidney, black or soy, experts say beans can help shed the pounds while also improving heart health.
Caitlin Beale, nutritionist and owner of Caitlin Beale Wellness, told the Daily Mail: "There’s no one 'healthiest' bean, as they are all nutrient-dense choices. In general, beans offer plant-based protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and polyphenols.
"Overall, all beans provide nutrients considered beneficial for health."
Dr Catherine Metzgar, meanwhile, touched on the benefit of having beans regularly and what that can do for heart health.
She told the Mail: "A big reason for this comes down to the type of fiber beans contain, especially soluble fiber. This type of fiber acts almost like a sponge in the digestive system. It binds to cholesterol and helps remove it from the body, which can lower LDL."
Beans are full of potassium, which can help reduce blood pressure, which in turn can lower your chances of having a heart attack.
Beale added: "Beans also contain polyphenols and beneficial compounds that act as antioxidants and may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body."
As well as the high levels of protein provided by beans, experts state all variations of the inexpensive food are full of vital fiber.
"The fiber slows down how quickly your body digests and absorbs carbohydrates, which helps keep blood sugar levels more stable and can reduce those midday energy crashes and cravings," Metzgar added.
Perhaps the most interesting bit of research is the fact black beans are said to mimic drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy due to the fact they could increase levels GLP-1 levels, a hormone-glucagon prevalent in those popular drugs.
And finally, Beale noted: "Beans may also indirectly lower cancer risk by supporting a healthy weight, and excess body fat is linked with increased risk of multiple cancers."