Legumes should be eaten twice a week. This is the recommendation of the National Nutrition and Health Program, developed by the Ministry of Health. In fact, we should eat even more of them. According to a study published in Nutrition Journalthese foods, when consumed regularly, are associated with a lower body mass index and better dietary intake.
Legumes: better dietary intake for regular consumers
The researchers used information from a large diet and health database. Their goal was to understand the differences in nutrition, health and diet quality between people who regularly eat dried beans and chickpeas, and those who eat little or none. “Results show that adults who consumed beans and/or chickpeas daily had significantly higher dietary quality scores than those who did not.they conclude. The analyses also show that they have better levels of certain nutrients, often deficient in the population: such as choline, alpha-linolenic acid, folate, iron, magnesium and vitamin E. “Similarly, dietary fiber, potassium, and calcium are significantly higher in the diets of bean and/or chickpea consumers.”they continue.
The benefits of legumes on body mass index
The scientists, from American and Canadian universities, also looked at differences in weight. They looked at body mass index, which is weight divided by height squared. Their analysis showed that adults who consumed between 170 and 200 grams of beans and/or chickpeas per day had a significantly lower BMI. Their weight and waist circumference were also reduced compared to non-consumers of dried beans and chickpeas.
The biggest consumers weighed on average 2.5 kilos less and their waist size was reduced by 2.3 cm compared to the others.Most people know that dried beans and chickpeas are good for your heart, but our new research shows they have many other benefits, such as improving nutritional intake and helping you adopt healthier eating habits.points out Yanni Papanikolaou. Our analysis shows that dried beans and/or canned chickpeas help fill nutritional gaps and provide a nutrient-rich diet.” It should be noted, however, that the study was funded by two American organizations: the Coalition for the Promotion of Legumes and Cannedbeans.org, a site promoting canned beans.
