Reducing the amount of meat in your diet and replacing it with pulses can reduce your risk of heart attack and help you manage your weight, according to a dietitian. Tracy Parker, a senior dietitian at the British Heart Foundation explained the benefits associated with pulses — such as peas, beans, and lentils — when speaking to the charity’s Heart Matters magazine.
Praising pulses, the expert shared: “They are high in protein and fibre, low in fat and cheap to buy. That means they can save you money, help you manage your weight and lower your risk of bowel cancer. And they’re good for the environment too.”
The World Cancer Research Fund also says: “Pulses are high in fibre, and we have strong scientific evidence that eating high-fibre foods can reduce the risk of bowel cancer, as well as helping to reduce the risk of weight gain, overweight and obesity, which can help protect against at least 13 types of cancer.”
It is important to remember that while staying as healthy as possible can significantly reduce your risk of cancer, it does not prevent it entirely. Eating a balanced diet, limiting alcohol, not smoking, exercising regularly and cutting out fatty, processed food can help, as the Mirror reports.
Sharing suggestions for incorporating pulses into your diet, the British Heart Foundation suggests adding butter beans or lentils to salads. As well as bulking up chillis with kidney beans, or even replacing half the meat in bolognese with lentils.
Parker added: “Replacing half or even all the meat you eat with pulses is a great way to eat less unhealthy saturated fat, manage your weight and keep your digestive system healthy. You will also feel better and reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.”
The expert explained that pulses are a good source of protein and fibre. She highlighted that one portion of pulses—or three heaped tablespoons—delivers up to 9g of protein, fulfilling around a sixth of the daily requirement.
Similarly, a single serving constitutes approximately a third of the day’s fibre recommendations. “That means they can help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer,” said Parker. One portion of pulses also counts as one of your five-a-day.