10 reasons to eat more beans and pulses
Mallika Basu explains why you should get over your ‘bean hesitancy’ to improve your diet, navigate the cost-of-living crisis and fight climate change
What are beans and pulses?
Beans are a type of edible seed from plants in the legume family, while pulses are the dried seeds of legumes, this includes beans, lentils and peas. Essentially, all beans are legumes, but only dried beans are pulses.
Often overlooked, dried beans, peas and lentils are nutritional powerhouses with significant benefits for health, the environment and your finances.
They provide plant-based protein, help to reduce reliance on meat and contribute to soil fertility. Hardy and water-efficient, they also support biodiversity and regenerative agriculture.
They are crucial in cuisines all over the world and recommended by the Eat-Lancet Commission. Advocates urge doubling consumption by 2028 for a healthier planet and population.
Do you have 'bean hesitancy'?
Bean hesitancy describes the reluctance of some people to eat beans. Some reasons for this include:
Misconceptions: Confusion about how to prepare and eat pulses.
Difficulty cooking: Some people think beans are difficult or time-consuming to cook, especially when they're dried.
Intolerance: Some varieties of legumes can cause digestive discomfort and pain, and in some cases, allergic reactions like itching and hives.
If you need a little convincing to find love for dried pulses, here are ten things that might persuade you...
10 benefits of eating more beans and pulses
1. Nutrition powerhouses
Pulses are a rich source of proteins (21-25%), complex carbohydrates (60-65%), dietary fibre (10-20%) and micronutrients including folate, thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium.
They are low in fat and have a low glycaemic index, which means they don’t cause blood sugar levels to spike. Combining them with grains can further enhance their goodness and give them all the amino acids for a complete protein, says Ali Morpeth, public health nutritionist and bean champion.
The soluble variety of dietary fibre found in pulses can aid digestive and bowel health, help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, as shown by Julie Lovegrove, professor of nutrition at University of Reading in her paper titled ‘The benefits and challenges associated with raising our daily pulses’.
2. Gut health heroes
While they can cause digestive discomfort for some, beans are excellent for gut health. That gassiness and flatulence you feel is, in fact, your gut bacteria enjoying a feast in your lower intestines. Gas is the by-product of gut bacteria breaking down the oligosaccharides in beans and pulses.
For those who experience discomfort, experts recommend introducing pulses slowly so your system can adjust. Soaking pulses, with a few changes of water, also helps. As a rule, the longer a dried bean is likely to take to cook, the more it would benefit from a soak.
3. Mental health champs
When gut bacteria are happily fed, they produce the right neurotransmitters for better mental health. Dr Nadia Mohd-Radzman, who is leading a campaign called ‘Broad n Mind’ to raise awareness of the role of broad beans in mental health, points out they are rich in levodopa (or L-DOPA), a compound that helps increase dopamine or the brain's "feel-good" chemical. She also highlighted that fermented beans like tempeh are a great source of GABA, a relaxing neurotransmitter that may help with anxiety. Each type of bean comes with its own nutritional profile, so the best way to optimise their health benefits if to eat a variety of them.
4. Versatile, fast food
On their own, pulses may not seem the most exciting of ingredients, but paired with the right herbs, seasoning and spices, they are sponges for flavour. They can also be used in many forms. Broad bean flour and gram flour (made from chickpeas) make excellent gluten-free options for bakes and pancakes. Stock up on cans, packets and jars of beans and pulses for a speedy, nutritious and filling meal.
5. Affordable, available and low-waste
Cooking pulses from scratch is cost-effective and can be useful for batch cooking or meal prepping. While it may seem like a chore to soak the beans overnight and then cook them, slow cookers and pressure cookers make it a breeze. A cook's tip from Ghanaian food writer Patti Sloley is to soak a cup of pulses with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, rinse and then cook with fresh water to speed things up. Once cooked, you can portion and freeze pulses.
6. The world at your fingertips
There is a whole world of inspiration from people who are pros when it comes to beans. Try making your own baked beans, fragrant lentil daal, hearty bean chilli or rich lamb tagine with chickpeas.
7. Help you reach 30 plant foods per week
The British & American Gut Project looked at the diets of thousands of people, assessing how different dietary patterns were associated with different health outcomes. The study showed us that people who ate the largest variety of plant foods were found to have the healthiest microbiomes. The study suggested that we should all aim to eat 30 plant foods a week to achieve this diversity. Different types of beans count, so eating more will help hit your target.
Get inspired with these 30 plant food recipes.
8. Count towards your 5-a-day
Beans and pulses count towards your five-a-day, but they only count as one portion no matter how much you eat. This is because while they are a good source of fibre and other nutrients, they don't provide the same range of vitamins and minerals as other fruits and vegetables. Three heaped tablespoons of any cooked pulse – beans, peas or lentils – counts as one of your five-a-day.
9. May help reduce ‘food noise’
Beans and other pulses have unique dietary qualities that may be beneficial for weight control. When we eat beans, the fibre and healthy starches they contain help leave us feeling full. This may help prevent overeating and, as a result, help with weight control.
10. A step towards a greener environment
Pulses have a unique ability to fix nitrogen in the soil. This enhances soil fertility and may reduce the need for synthetic fertilisers. Pulses help with water conservation because they require less water than some other protein sources, such as meat. Their production also involves fewer greenhouse gas emissions, making them a more environmentally friendly choice.
All of these benefits suggest that by including more beans and pulses in your diet you’ll not only nourish your mind and body but help contribute towards a healthier and more sustainable future, too.
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Get inspired with these bean recipes.
This page was reviewed on 11 July 2025 by Kerry Torrens
All health content on goodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
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