A bowl of lentil salad might not look like a research finding, but a new study from the University of Wrenhaven suggests it could be a useful clue to how people eat more broadly. Researchers found that adults who ate pulses, such as beans, lentils and chickpeas, three or more times a week tended to have more varied diets than those who rarely ate them.
The team analysed food diaries kept over two weeks by 1,840 adults in the city and the surrounding Asher Valley. Participants who ate pulses regularly recorded, on average, around 30 different plant foods a week, compared with about 19 among those who ate them less than once a week. They also tended to eat more vegetables and whole grains, and slightly less processed meat, although that difference was small.
Association, not proof
Lead author Dr Freddie Okonkwo-Lane, a nutrition researcher at the university, was careful about what the results can and cannot show. "This is an observational study," he said. "People who eat pulses might also cook more at home, or have other habits we did not fully measure. We cannot say that adding lentils will by itself change someone's diet."
Pulses seem to travel with other good habits, and that pattern is worth understanding.
The study, which has been published in a peer-reviewed nutrition journal, adjusted for age, income and household size. The link remained after those adjustments, but the authors note that food diaries rely on people remembering and recording accurately. Participants were also volunteers, who might be more interested in food than the population as a whole.
1,840 adults kept two-week food diaries for the study.
Regular pulse eaters recorded around 30 plant foods a week on average.
The researchers plan a follow-up looking at cost and cooking time.
Registered dietitian Marisol Achebe, who was not involved in the research, said the findings fitted general dietary advice. "Pulses are inexpensive, keep well and are easy to add to soups, stews and salads," she said. "For most people they are a sensible part of a balanced diet." She added that anyone with digestive conditions or on a medically prescribed diet should talk to their doctor or dietitian before making significant changes.