New research shows that eating beans, lentils, dry peas, and chickpeas – also called “pulses,” can result in modest weight-loss by reducing your appetite. This research also indicated that consuming daily servings of pulses can also significantly lower bad cholesterols like trans-fats in your diet.
According to this research, eating about ¾ cup (130 grams) of pulses led to a weight loss of 0.34 kilograms (just over half a pound), in a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available clinical trials on the effects of eating pulses.
The study, by lead author Dr. Russell de Souza, a researcher with the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
In addition to these findings, this particular research builds on previous work showing that replacing a traditional controlled diet with a serving of grain-seeds can make you feel fuller throughout the day.
“This new study fits well with our previous work, which found that pulses increased the feeling of fullness by 31%, which may indeed result in less food intake,” said Dr. de Souza.
Grain-seeds have a low glycemic index (meaning that they break down slowly) and can be used to reduce or displace animal protein as well as “bad” fats (such as trans-fat) in a meal. Dr. de Souza noted that 90% of weight loss interventions fail, resulting in weight regain, which may be due in part to hunger and food cravings.
“Though the weight loss was small, our findings suggest that simply including pulses in your diet may help you lose weight, and we think more importantly, prevent you from gaining it back after you lose it,” Dr. de Souza said.
This research suggests that having a diet which makes you feel fuller for a longer period of time can be a more effective methods to lose weight and prevent a weight regain in the long run.
