Eat your way to slimmer you with pulses

If you want to drop those extra kilos and also keep them off, then eat foods like beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils, which according to a new study, can rev up your weight-loss engine.

Eating about 3/4 cup (130 grams) each day of these foods known as pulses led to a weight loss of 0.34 kilograms, in a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available clinical trials on the effects of eating pulses.

Lead author Dr. Russell de Souza from the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital said that despite their known health benefits, only 13 per cent of Canadians eat pulses on any given day and most do not eat the full serving. "So there is room for most of us to incorporate dietary pulses in our diet and realize potential weight management benefits."

The United Nations and the Food and Agriculture Organization have designated 2016 as the International Year of Pulses.

Pulses have a low glycemic index, that is they are foods that break down slowly, and can be used to reduce or displace animal protein as well as "bad" fats such as trans-fat in a dish or meal.

Dr. de Souza noted that 90 per cent 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 added.

The study appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.