Love your legumes: simple nutrition, big benefits

Legumes — such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and peas — are nutritional powerhouses. They can support your heart, help manage blood sugar, and supply long-lasting energy.

 Legumes are rich in essential nutrients, including:

• protein: muscle growth and repair

• fibre: Promotes digestive health and a healthy weight

• complex carbohydrates: Provide steady energy

• vitamins and minerals: vital for various bodily functions.

Rich in folate and iron Lentils are an excellent source of folate, a B-vitamin that helps your body make healthy red blood cells and supports cell repair. Chickpeas are also rich in iron, which is vital for carrying oxygen in your blood and energy, especially if you follow a plant-based diet.

Heart health benefits

Regular consumption of legumes has been linked to improved heart health. They may help lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and decrease the risk of heart disease.
The high fibre content helps lower levels of LDL cholesterol — often called “bad”cholesterol — by binding to it in your digestive system and helping your body remove it.

This can keep your arteries healthier over time.

Blood sugar control

If you’re managing diabetes or aiming to prevent it, legumes may be particularly beneficial. Their low glycaemic index (GI), and high fibre content contribute to better blood sugar control by slowing the absorption of sugars into your bloodstream. This can lead to more stable blood glucose levels.

Weight management

All legumes are naturally low in fat and their combination of protein and fibre can help you feel fuller for longer, which may reduce overall kilojoule intake.

Ideas for adding legumes

Adding legumes to your meals adds extra flavour and nutrition. Try them in salads, soups, dips like hummus, and main meals such as veggie burgers and casseroles.

If you're not used to eating legumes, the high fibre content may cause some digestive discomfort at first — yes, we're talking about gas! But don’t let that put you off — your gut usually adapts pretty quickly.

Legumes are readily available, costeffective, and versatile, offering numerous health benefits. Start your health journey by trying our easy recipe for chickpea fritters.