Pulses, including beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas, have been a staple of diets around the world for centuries. With their culinary flexibility and substantial nutritional advantages, pulses offer a wealth of health benefits. This article aims to synthesize the current scientific evidence to elucidate the relationships between whole pulse consumption and health outcomes related to chronic disease prevention and management.
What are Pulses?
Pulses-comprising the dry, edible seeds of leguminous plants-have long been lauded for their culinary flexibility and substantial nutritional advantages. Pulses are part of the legume family, and legumes are plants whose fruit grows in a pod. Pulses encompass a wide variety of types, with dry beans, dry peas, lentils, and chickpeas being the most universally recognized and consumed worldwide. Other legumes that are harvested while still green (e.g., soybeans and peanuts) or garden vegetable varieties (e.g., green peas and beans) are not considered pulses, per the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Pulses can be prepared in a variety of ways, including boiling, steaming, roasting, and sprouting. They are used in a wide range of dishes, including soups, stews, salads, curries, and dips.
Nutritional Powerhouse
As a dietary staple for centuries, pulses offer a wealth of protein (which varies between 17% and 30% of their dry weight) and serve as a rich source of minerals (zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium), and thus are vital in diets that prioritize plant-based sources of nutrients. Typically, pulses contain twice the amount of protein found in whole grains like wheat, oats, barley and rice. Pulses have higher amounts of the essential amino acid lysine, a limiting amino acid in cereals. Pulses provide substantial amounts of vitamins and minerals including iron, potassium, magnesium zinc, and folate. US adults who consume pulses at any level of intake have higher energy-adjusted intakes of dietary fiber, folate, and magnesium compared with non-consumers; those with intakes of approximately 0.5 cup equivalents per day additionally have higher intakes of potassium, zinc, and iron and lower intakes of fat.
The concentration of important nutrients in a food in relation to its calorie amount is referred to as nutritional density. Pulses are a significant source of protein, making them invaluable for vegetarians and vegans seeking whole food plant-based protein sources.
Heart Health Benefits
Maintaining heart health is essential for overall well-being and longevity. Firstly, pulses are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, making them heart-healthy food choices. Additionally, pulses are high in soluble fibre, which plays a crucial role in lowering LDL cholesterol levels in the blood. Pulse consumption also improves serum lipid profiles and positively affects several other cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure, platelet activity, and inflammation.
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A cross-sectional study conducted on older Iranian men found a positive association between higher non-oilseed legume intake and improved lipid profiles, as evidenced by increased levels of HDL-C and decreased levels of LDL-C. Over a median of 6.8 years of follow-up, consuming legumes more than three times per week was associated with a lower risk of CVD events among 5398 older Iranian adults compared with those with less frequent intake.
Weight Management
Weight management refers to the process of maintaining a healthy body weight and preventing obesity or weight gain. Diets that are high in fibre can help with weight management. Utilizing data from 8229 adults in the NHANES 1999-2002 survey, another cross-sectional study indicated that diverse bean consumption was linked to lower body weight, body mass index (BMI), and WC and a reduced risk of obesity.
Blood Sugar Control
Blood sugar control is essential for individuals with diabetes or those at risk of developing diabetes. The low glycemic index (GI) of pulses is one of their main advantages for blood sugar regulation. The fibre, slowly digestible starches, and protein in pulses helps to prevent spikes in blood glucose levels after meals. Pulses have a low glycemic index, which means they do not cause a fast rise in blood sugar after eating. By including pulses in meals, individuals can help regulate their blood sugar levels and improve overall glycemic control.
In a PREDIMED cohort study involving 3349 older adults at high CVD risk in Spain, researchers found that higher lentil intake (8.88 g/d vs. 3.77 g/d) was associated with a 33% lower risk of developing T2DM over 4.3 years of follow-up. A borderline significant inverse association was observed with chickpea consumption, whereas no significant associations were found with dry beans. In a cohort study of 1421 men and women in Mauritius followed for a median of 6 years, high consumption of pulses among women (16.7 g/MJ vs. 3.93 g/MJ) was associated with a 48% lower risk of developing abnormal glucose metabolism and a smaller increase in BMI.
Pulses are high in fibre and have a low glycemic index, making them particularly beneficial to people with diabetes by assisting in maintaining healthy blood glucose and insulin levels.
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Digestive Health
Eating pulses regularly can promote regular bowel movements and prevent constipation. Pulses can also lower the risk of digestive disorders like diverticulosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Diverticulosis involves the formation of small pouches in the colon that can become inflamed and lead to complications.
Additional Health Benefits and Research
In addition, the phytochemicals, saponins, and tannins found in pulses possess antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic effects, indicating that pulses may have significant anti-cancer effects.
Emerging research examining the effect of pulse components on HIV and consumption patterns with aging populations indicates that pulses may have further effects on health. A cohort of 41,243 Chinese adults was observed for a median of 8.9 years; this study reported a 29% lower risk of cancer mortality and a lower risk of major CVD events and all-cause mortality with 1-2 daily servings of non-soy legumes (150 g/serving). In a large cohort study of 135,335 individuals spanning 18 countries across 7 regions, investigators found that higher non-soy legume intake was inversely associated with non-CVD death and total mortality. The optimal consumption for maximum benefits was identified as 3 to 4 servings per day (150 g/serving).
Incorporating Pulses into Your Diet
Want an easy and delicious way to embrace a plant-based lifestyle? GAIA PULSES has you covered with their scrumptious organic pulse-based stews, super grains, and salads. If you're in East London, take advantage of GAIA PULSES' zero-waste delivery service. They deliver their meals via cargo bikes in reusable containers, which are refilled indefinitely. Committed to sustainability, they responsibly source ingredients, soak, sprout, and cook with care for both the environment and busy city dwellers.
If you’re short on time, or are a slightly less-confident cook, using tinned pulses is probably an easier option. This means you only need to heat them up, or even add them straight into a salad if using cold. You might wonder why bother with the dried variety then? Well, although they take longer to prepare, they usually give a slightly richer flavour and there are more options available. Typically, most dried pulses need to be soaked (overnight is best) and cooked before they can be eaten. However, don’t assume that all dried pulses take hours of preparation.
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Addressing Common Concerns
Let’s face it, we all know the one big objection to eating beans (and other pulses). What we all need to realise, though, is that it’s a good thing. Although pulses can cause us to fart, bad smells aren’t necessarily their fault. Have we convinced you?