While some of the time beans may make you toot, all of the time they always carry a lot of nutrients which is why many, especially vegans, turn to them as a major supporter of their health.
But could that nutrition help aid in weight loss efforts?
The science, as of right now, seems to be pointing to yes.
The science of beans and weight loss
A meta-analysis published in 2016 found that including pulses (seeds of legumes such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas) in the diet resulted in significant weight loss in both negative-energy diets and neutral-energy diets. [1]
While consuming a negative- energy diet in and of itself naturally results in some weight loss, the fact that consumption of pulses was found to result in weight loss in neutral-energy diets is what really piques our interest.
If you follow the “calories-in-calories-out” formula for weight loss/gain (that the number of calories you take in versus what you “use” is what determines body weight) then a neutral-energy diet should result in no change.
The fact that pulse consumption seems to result in weight loss without an energy deficit could be a big deal.
How do beans affect weight loss?
So why might these delicious foods that pair well with many other foods help aid in weight loss efforts?
Is it due to their high fiber content?
Possibly.
High fiber diets, among other things, have been shown to help people feel fuller for longer and could thereby help in reducing consumption.
While this may have some effect, we also know that pulses seemed to result in weight loss even in neutral-energy diets. So it seems beans have an effect that supersedes the simple calories-in-calories-out paradigm.
Now, could the fiber and nutrients in beans help aid in the metabolizing of nutrients or help improve gut health, which fiber is known to do as well?
It is certainly possible.
A healthier gut resulting in more efficient absorption and usage of nutrients as well as lowered inflammation could result in a healthier metabolism and, frankly, a healthier body.
It could be as simple as this. A healthier gut and a healthier body helps lead to a healthier body weight.
At the end of the day, these are possibilities, but research needs to confirm our understanding and provide a full picture of how pulses might help in weight loss.
In the meantime, if you are a fan of beans, lentils (a real protein powerhouse), chickpeas (from which we get amazing hummus and falafels), then this is news you may want to dig deeper into.
Perhaps with a pita chip.
And as always, be sure to consult with your licensed healthcare practitioner before making any changes to your diet or health and lifestyle plans to ensure what you are doing is safe and appropriate for you.
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