A study published in the The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that eating one serving of beans, chickpeas or lentils (pulses) daily can help with weight loss. Participants in the study were served approximately 3/4 cup of pulses per day and this resulted in an average loss of 0.75 pounds over a 6-week period, and without making an effort to reduce any other foods.
Not only are pulses high in protein and have a low glycemic index, but they can increase the feeling of fullness by 31%, and decrease levels of “bad cholesterol” by 5%.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Russell de Souza, says, “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.”
So, in honor of this great news as well the fact that the the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses, here is a bean salad that is very easy to make and tastes even better the next day. For this recipe, you can use dried beans or canned beans. If you are using canned beans, look for low sodium options, and drain and rinse the beans well before using them. Continue reading “Dinner Tonight: Bean Salad”
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